The base is one of the eight missile sites built around milwaukee. Abandoned titan 1 missile base tour my missile base story part 4 duration. Rocky river fairview park launch base near the westlake. This site also provides a photographic tour of nike site sf88 being restored. Exmissile site, arlington lakes golf club turns 30.
The ifc, or integrated fire control site what we think of as a nike base housed the radar system that acquired and tracked the targets and guided the missiles. Hm69 nike missile base homestead 2020 all you need to. This preserved titan ii missile site, officially known as complex 5717, is all that remains of the 54 titan ii missile sites that. The nike historical society will still like to give all the individuals involved a well done. At the height of the cold war, dozens upon dozens of nike missile sites idled in the hills around the city, kept. The farmington site typifies the nike system in its technical, operational and architectural elements and is a. I wouldve liked a tour, but im also glad these arent in use anymore. In most cases, each base was located on two separate parcels of land one being the control center, the other the launcher area. After decommissioning, missiles, fueling and guiding systems were removed but the remaining buildings provide a rich level of material. Nike missile base tours sandy hook, nj roadside attractions on. Checking out the underground missile storage area at an abandoned nike nuclear missile launch facility. Many were already on army national guard bases who continued to use the property. At other sites weve seen roads with names like redstone, mercury, and military. Its the last thing youll see on the tour of the old base and one of the highlights.
The nike base was very expansive and many people do not realize that the part of the base with the bunkers, garage buildings, checkpoint and roads was only part of the base. Nike site sf88 photo tour eds nike missile web site. If you were stationed at this site or any of the other nearby nike sites in ma or ct please share uour recollections. There is so much that you could learn from the signs, hearing first hand stories passed on by the rangers from the soldiers is an. The building was built in 1956 from standardized drawings approved by the corps of engineers, most of which were designed by the firm of leon chatelian, jr. Originally detroit and cleveland each had their own defense area. Exterior of the administration building and launch area can be viewed during the tour. Army leased land from the park district for a nike missile base on a jackson park meadow. The open doors lead down a stair way to the underground missile storage area, usually called magazine.
This sentry guardhouse was used to control access to nike missile base c84. Many buildings still stand including the barracks, mess hall, administration and recreation building and officernoncommissioned officer family housing. Nike missile bases encyclopedia of cleveland history. This article lists sites in the united states, most responsible to army air defense command. M74 nike missile site waukesha, wisconsin atlas obscura.
Army project, proposed in may 1945 by bell laboratories, to develop a lineofsight antiaircraft missile system. It was placed into service in 1956 with two type b magazines, 20 ajax missiles, and 8 a type launchers. It was in operation from the mid1950s to the early 1970s and was meant to protect the city from any enemy attacks. Old missile site above encino has a rich history encino. On the first saturday of each month, we host our nike veterans open house who provide a firsthand account of their experience at nike missile sites across the united states. The site remains virtually the same as it was when official use of. Please note that the nike missile site is closed during inclement weather. During the tense years of the cold war, from 1953 to 1979, the united states army built and operated close to 300 nike missile sites in the united states. They give tours to the public monthly on the first saturday of each month. Nike battery ms40, in farmington minnesota, is the bestpreserved nike installation in minnesota. On the right day, and with the right car, you dont even have to hike the nike missile site trail, you can drive here. It was followed by the nike zeus missile, which had a preliminary test firing aug. The nike program was developed as another way for americans to feel protected. Nike missile base sf91, california the military standard.
The ifc radar area was located at the top of mount livermore, the highest point on the island. Visitors can also see the fueling area and concrete slabs that mark the location of the underground missile magazines. In addition to the history of the nike missile base la88 at oat mountain. These sites were designed as the last line of defense against soviet bombers. Caution tape surrounds a wheel mechanism at a nike missile launch and storage site at joint base elmendorfrichardson, alaska, sept. The nike hercules nike missile base is very interesting but i would recommend to take a ranger guided tour, you will not be disappointed. King county parks as a recreation pioneer and lake wilderness lodge. The front portion of the base sits east of the old site just a couple of blocks south of highway 82 and the doublegate ez mart convenience store. Each involved either two or three physical locations. This site, located on angel island outside san francisco, was opened in 1955. The site contained groundbased radar designed to detect hostile. Nike site summit was constructed in 1959 as a response to the advanced soviet bombers of the 1950s.
Sentry guard house, quentin road at entrance to base. Tour of terror at the historic nike missile base c47. At the titan missile museum, near tucson, arizona, visitors journey through time to stand on the front line of the cold war. Google earth the nike missiles, named after the greek goddess of victory, were a key part of the u. The former nikeajax missile base is now home to the isle of wight county parks and recreation department. Welcome to the nike missile site, a cold war museum in the heart of ggnra. This site is being developed to document the history of the nike missile program and the sites within the detroit cleveland defense area. Nike missile site c41 promontory point jackson park. The following is a list of nike missile sites operated by the united states army. We are leaving this page on our website in order to honor the efforts made in this endeavor. Call 7328725970 to arrange a tour during the summer months.
Ph07 in richboro, pennsylvania was one of twelve former nike bases that ringed the philadelphia southern new jersey area. Fred gold, a former nike missile operator, now gives tours at the historic nike missile base in everglades national park. The actual missiles were located at a separate launch site. Nothing works in the site anymore, but it displays old radar equipment, salvaged missile casings and the original base structures. Army nike sites were also operational in south korea. The missile is the latest addition to the nike missile base outside of homestead, having arrived last year after a long truckandrail trip from alabama. The nike hercules became operational in 1958, and more than 80 nike hercules missiles were deployed in the united states, with 10 more in europe and taiwan. Here we have hercules dr, probably derived from the name of the 2nd generation nike missile. Located at the historic nike missile base c47, 563 west 600 north hobart, in 46342. It is not uncommon for streets in the vicinity of old nike sites to have related names. Nike missile base c84, east of quentin road between lake cook.
Nike site summit is located on the eastern edge of fort richardson adjacent to chugach state park and the arctic valley ski area. While exploring my first nike missile site nike missile control site la96 i encountered a park. The radars and the battery control were actually on the top of the hill in the background. The historic nike base in everglades national park is a wellpreserved relic of the 1960s cold war. In 1968 the two defense areas were combined to form the detroitcleveland defense area. The radar towers stood south of the fieldhouse on a large tract surrounded by a barbedwire fence. Tour the historic nike missile base in the everglades. La88 nike missile base chatsworth, california atlas. Tour the historic nike missile base in the everglades visit florida. One of ems got a kitchen, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a gym, a.
The national park service restored and maintains an nike ajax missile site, part of a ring of cold warera defense installations. This is the second in a series of blog posts celebrating american archives month 2016, using king county records to tell stories on washington states theme of we love parks. Nike missile site c03 chicago gary area montrose harbor belmont harbor oct 1955 june 1965 its hard to imagine now, but during the cold war, chicagos lakefront was lined with antiaircraft missiles. The function of an air defense guided missile system is to deter or minimize the effects of enemy attacks by detecting and destroying enemy. The nike missile site tour is my favorite tour in everglades national park, and it isnt even about the everglades. During the cold war, nike missile bases formed a ring around major u. Nike missile bases 195571 were built at 7 sites in cuyahoga county with an 8th location in lake county. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. The low yellow structure is the top of the missile elevator that lifts the missiles from the underground missile storage area to the rails and launchers. Find the perfect nike hercules missile stock photo. This preserved titan ii missile site, officially known as complex 5717, is all that. Plan a visit to the oneofakind titan missile museum today and explore the last of the 54 titan ll missile sites used between 19631987. All that is left of the ifc is one building, some concrete radar pads, a redwood water tank and some cables sticking out of the ground. The nike missiles purpose was to protect urban areas from enemy bomber attack.
The project delivered the united states first operational antiaircraft missile system, the nike ajax, in 1953. As such, the government was careful to keep it safe at all costs. Sf88 is predominantly considered a restoration site, rather than a museum, though it functions as one. In fact, it is the only historyrelated tour, which is rare for a national park. As of 3182020, the titan missile museum is closed and all tours have been. Even at great smoky mountains national park, which is as nature oriented as the everglades, there are dozens of historic sites open to visitors.
Nike missile site golden gate national recreation area. Commissioned in 1959, it is one of three nike missile sites that protected anchorage, elmendorf afb, and fort richardson during the cold war, and one of 145 nike hercules missile sites constructed across the nation from 1957 to 1960. Nike missile base c84 photos the military standard. Soon afterward, it took part of promontory point for a radar site. If an enemy aircraft tried to drop a bomb on the u. Operational from jan 1956 aug 1963 with missile types. Others followed nikespartan, nikezeus and nikesprint with an eye toward a more effective defense against soviet ballistic missiles but these were never fully deployed due to the antiballistic missile treaty, so it appears that the nikehercules missile was the most capable and effective area defense missile ever fully deployed on u. Sf88 is the only fully restored nike missile site in the united states and as far as i know, only one other restored base exists in the world. Nike missile c03 montrose harborbelmont harbor chicago. The nike hercules missile, pictured at right, was the u.
Eds nike missile web site has many photographs of the nike missiles, including this amazing then and now view. The santa clarita valley was home to two cold warera nike bases. Nike ajax missile site n 75, carrollton, va business. Tour historic nike base in everglades national park florida rambler. Cougar mountain nike missile site remnants of the us army radar and launch sites for nike missile system that was on cougar mountain between 1957 and 1967. Nike buildings were considered modified emergency buildings. A great number of the technologies and rocket systems used for developing the nike ajax were. Everglades national park houses one of the best preserved relics of the cold war in florida, a historic nike hercules missile site called alpha battery or hm69.