# (Poll) Have you heard of Alamogordo, NM, and do you know why it's notable? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 24, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765 "2012-04-24T00:45:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/1 "2012-04-24T00:45:18Z")
I was at the yogurt shop and my wife and I were talking about New Mexico, and I mentioned that I always wanted to go to Alamogordo. The (young) guys at the counter had never heard of it. I always thought it was common knowledge, but maybe that just because I’m a geek. Of course, there may be more than one reason why it’s somewhat famous, but the one I’m thinking of is: It’s where the first atomic bomb was tested at Trinity site. Strictly speaking, it was at what is now the White Sands Missile Range, but Alamogordo is the closest town. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/2 "2012-04-24T00:57:52Z")
I’m aware of the event you reference but I wasn’t aware of the town or connected the two. ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/3 "2012-04-24T00:58:38Z")
Yes I have been there. And yes I did know about Trinity Point although it is some distance from Alamogordo. The White Sands National Monument (different from the proving ground) is nearby and well worth a visit. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/4 "2012-04-24T01:00:49Z")
I didn’t recognize the name at first, but I do recall hearing about it on some wacky-vacation story I read. My thought then and now is that it seems seriously unfortunate for a town to be “near” that testing site. :eek: Did they all get free lifetime cancer scannings with a bonus geiger counter afterwards? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/5 "2012-04-24T01:01:31Z")
I’ve always wanted to go on the Trinity site tour. Maybe scoop up a chunk of trinitite! Wouldn’t that be fun to have on the old knick-knack shelf? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/6 "2012-04-24T01:01:32Z")
It’s where the Galactic Federation planted a device that monitors our planet and will alert them when we’re ready for First Contact. Not my idea. It came from a short-short SF story. Don’t remember the title or author. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/7 "2012-04-24T01:02:40Z")
Wait, so it’s not that: Ham the chimp is buried there or It’s the closest to White Sands National Monument or There’s a reasonably good space museum there or There’s a ton of Atari E.T. cartridges buried there or Holloman AFB used to have the F-117s. That’s the first five off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/8 "2012-04-24T01:04:22Z")
Yes, but (1) I was once an Air Force brat, and (2) lived in Albuquerque for several years while my dad was based at Kirtland AFB, (3) working on a nuclear weapons program. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/9 "2012-04-24T01:05:54Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I’ve always wanted to go on the Trinity site tour. Maybe scoop up a chunk of trinitite! Wouldn’t that be fun to have on the old knick-knack shelf? You can’t get any. It’s been cleaned up for forever. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/10 "2012-04-24T01:46:03Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I’ve always wanted to go on the Trinity site tour. Maybe scoop up a chunk of trinitite! Wouldn’t that be fun to have on the old knick-knack shelf? Just don’t set it next to your geiger counter, or you’ll never get to sleep! –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/11 "2012-04-24T02:00:51Z")
Been to Alamogordo, several times, and heading back there again, so I guess I’ve heard of it. Didn’t know about the connection with Trinity. ETA: Drove across 380 (and back), so I’ve been within 15 miles of it. Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/12 "2012-04-24T02:07:19Z")
I admit, I had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/13 "2012-04-24T02:39:03Z")
I knew, but it involves a part of history I’m a total geek about. I’d like to visit the site sometime; I’d also like to take the tour you can do of the Nevada Test Site. Like I said, geek. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/14 "2012-04-24T03:15:14Z")
My grandfather worked for McDonnell Douglas back in the 50s and 60s. He lived in Alamogordo for a while and worked on the space program. I think his job was in purchasing or supplies or something (i.e., he didn’t get shot up into space, but hey, somebody needed to make sure they had enough bolts in the storeroom). He has some great signed thank you mementos and such from the early astronauts. Anyway, I figured you were looking for “Trinity”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/15 "2012-04-24T03:44:24Z")
Heard of it? Hell, I drew the (phone book) maps of it! I’ve driven (almost) every street. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/16 "2012-04-24T04:19:22Z")
Being a history nut, of course I knew why it was notable. The Trinity site BTW is located in the _Jornada del muerto_ trail, that is the _Journey of the dead man_… ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/17 "2012-04-24T04:44:55Z")
I’ve heard of it, but I couldn’t remember why until I clicked the spoiler and then I was like, “Oh right! Duh!” ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/18 "2012-04-24T04:46:58Z")
Yep - been there. The road across the test range has a flashing warning to stop if missile tests are in progress. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/19 "2012-04-24T04:53:30Z")
It’s famous because of the fat poplar. I mean, when have you ever seen a poplar that wasn’t skinny? j/k, I knew about the A-bomb ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765/20 "2012-04-24T04:55:13Z")
And it’s not true. Socorro is much closer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-have-you-heard-of-alamogordo-nm-and-do-you-know-why-its-notable/619765.md?page=2)