Photo by Leslie Bucklin, courtesy Los Alamos County.

Los Alamos is a community changed by fire. The Cerro Grande Fire was not the first wildland fire to affect Los Alamos—and it was not the last—but  Cerro Grande is a milestone in the town’s history that rivals the Manhattan Project in its effects and importance. There was the town before Cerro Grande, and there is the town after.

Photo by Leslie Bucklin, courtesy Los Alamos County

Photo by Vint Miller, courtesy Los Alamos County "Resilience is a journey, and each person will take his or her own time along the way." – American Psychological Association

This exhibit focuses on resilience and regrowth. These are the stories of how a community—a community wider than Los Alamos—came together and rebuilt, together. Resilience is a process. Practicing generosity, getting to believe in and know ourselves, exploring our emotions, and learning to ask for and accept help can assist us in being more resilient in the face of difficult change. In the aftermath of Cerro Grande, Los Alamos and its neighbors found strength in community—in offering and accepting support in all areas of our lives. We continue to grow. This exhibit is a reflection on, and part of, our community’s continuing journey of resilience and regrowth.

As you explore this online exhibit, share a word or phrase here reflecting on our community's journey of resilience.

It's an important part of a lot of lives in Los Alamos to walk out the door and be on a trail.
— Craig Martin

“When I left Los Alamos … I had seven people in my car (how many people can you get in a Honda Accord?). As I looked back toward the mountain, I saw houses burning, and I realized all of Los Alamos could burn.”
— Becky Smith

“The Cerro Grande Fire created a sense of community that hasn’t existed here for 50 years.”
— Mark Bentley

“In the end, it doesn’t matter, all these other things that divide us. What matters is that we’re there for each other when the crisis comes.”
— Liddie Martinez

“You get knocked down, and it hurts, and you cry, and you struggle, and you look around and you see a few other people that are in the same place and so you hug for a minute, and then you help each other stand up, dust each other off, wipe away the tears, and say, ‘Let me help you.’”
– Chuck McCullough

“I think [volunteering] really helped to bring the community together. They laughed, they cried, and they worked together. It helped people heal a little bit.”
— David Riker

“Throughout the repopulation of the town, one question was asked repeatedly: How can I help?”
— Al Toth

“[Working with the Volunteer Task Force] was the first educational experience that combined my personal life, my academic life, and the life of the community. … It was empowering for a sixth-grade student.”
— Cameron Ott

“Everyone has a story to tell about the fire—no matter who you met right after it happened, you always talked about it.”
— Charlotte McQuillan