When it comes to the start of the nuclear age, look no further than right here in New Mexico.The Land of Enchantment is where top scientists developed the world's first atomic weapons. It also started nearly 80 decades ago. However, it wasn't without the help of some incredible women."They created a community and a space for these people to exist and for them to work. I think it was surprising for a lot of them," Mary Scales, acting site manager at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, said.The city of Los Alamos may look like a small town, but it's anything but. The area consists of a community filled with wonders and discoveries. Many of which date back to 1942.The Manhattan Project is often considered one of the most transformative events of the 20th century.The top-secret initiative involved the building of atomic weapons at three secret locations around the United States: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico.At the time, J. Robert Oppenheimer was known as the head of the Los Alamos Laboratory." very few developed roads, very little access, but that was a part of the appeal for Oppenheimer when trying to establish a centralized laboratory," Scales said.While the town's Ashley Pond area may look deserted nowadays, that wasn't the case during World War II.In fact, it was surrounded by many laboratory facilities. That's where top scientific minds worked in secrecy, but also together, to achieve a big goal. The project also provided an opportunity for inclusion. With African Americans, Native Americans, and women all playing pivotal roles. "This is where we see a lot of women filling the gaps, especially during wartime and with civil unrest," Scales said. "We see women and minorities coming into these places and that is their legacy."At the time, women were seen in nearly every division. They worked 12 to 16 hours, around the clock, every single day. Like Charlotte Serber, who created the community's first research library. There's also Floy Agnes Lee, a New Mexican and member of the Santa Clara Pueblo."She was a trained biologist from UNM and worked here at the lab as a hematology technician," Scales said. "She would monitor scientists and engineers who were working intimately with the research."Serber and Lee, are just one of many women who paved the way for others in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. That's why Scales, and other leaders at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, are making sure their stories are known and told for future generations. One visit at a time. "Visibility inherently lends itself to inspiration, and when we see ourselves in history, we see ourselves making history," Scales said. The park involves collaborations with the Department of Energy, Los Alamos County, and the National Park Service (NPS).Be sure to visit their website to plan your next trip. You can also download the NPS App for interactive maps, tours of park places, on-the-ground accessibility information, and much more on your national park adventures before and during your trip.