Los Pinos Guest Ranch, Pecos, NM

Founded in 1912 by Amado Chaves, Los Pinos Ranch has served as a guest ranch for over a century. It became part of a broader trend in which affluent and educated individuals from the East Coast sought outdoor adventure in settings that possessed both rustic charm with refined hospitality. Over the years, Los Pinos Ranch has welcomed many historically significant guests, including Charles Lummis, Marc Simmons, Paul Horgan, and Robert J. Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer, in particular, visited the ranch multiple times over several decades, beginning in his teenage years. His close friendship with Kia Chaves, Amado’s daughter, was marked by horseback rides that eventually led him to the area that would become the site of the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos.

From the nomination summary by Hanna Churchwell published on HSFF’s 545 Blog with photographs by Pete Warzel.