Former Nike Missile Launch Site #92 Kingston, Washington . This article will seek to explain why Detroit was such an important area to defend and how it was defended (or at least gave the … Missile site construction was dangerous work. Major General Edward J. McGaw (1901-1972) commanding general of western Air Defenses, turned over control. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Spokane was home to Fairchild Air Force Base and additional bases. The Washington sites had a high incidence of accidents, but no deaths. Today, a dedicated group of volunteers works in … Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). The Nike Missile Site C-47 near Wheeler, Indiana, was constructed from 1954 to 1956 and consists of two separate parcels of land located nearly a mile apart. Five months later a Nike system of radars and missiles shot down a drone. Each missile had three high explosive warheads. A rehabilitation center occupies the former control compound on Lala Cove Lane, private property. S-92 Kingston. Both the Nike Ajax control and launch were constructed on Needam Hill and are now a Washington National Guard installation. The first generation Nike Ajax became operational in 1956. In April 1973 the Redmond Nike Hercules Army National Guard battery was named best in the army. Nike Missile S-92 IFC Site Seattle Defense Area Washington. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. The Nike Missile site was functional from 1954-1975. Over time the NIKE Missile site at Lorton grew to be a fixture in the community. A reevaluation of the threat in the 1970s led to closing the Nike installations. The radars and administrative facilities were at the control facility. All the Nike features have been removed. The army at this time sent surveyors to the Seattle area to select sites. Acquisition Radar identified the target at long range. F-07 Airway Heights, Spokane. Then a rehabilitation group leased and then purchased the compound. Offer subject to change without notice. They had a solid rocket booster and liquid fuel sustainer. The first operational Nike facility went up at Fort George G. Mead, Maryland. Most of the Soviet forces were based in Europe and Soviet … Nestled behind a sleepy suburb on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., an abandoned relic of the Cold War is hiding in plain sight behind nothing more than a chainlink fence. “This one was done by ’74 for sure,” Midkiff said. The first generation–Nike … Welcome to the Nike Missile Site, a Cold War museum in the heart of GGNRA. Nike air defense area, consisting of several Nike missile batteries to defend urban, industrial, and military targets from Soviet bomber attacks. The launch magazine is abandoned and overgrown. All but W-44 remained active until 1974. Fact Sheet, October 2004 . Lorton was the … This was a dual launch facility with 24 launchers for S-32 and S-33. 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. S-13/14 (Redmond, Washington) Sixteen miles to the east of Seattle, the town of Redmond is home to a little-known curiosity: the decaying remains of a former Nike missile base located in the wilderness surrounding the town.Operated until 1974, the site bizarrely found its way into the ownership of the Lake Washington School District. At most Nike sites the housing became public or was sold to private individuals. [Bender, D} This Missile Master served to coordinate the firing of all of the Nike missile batteries in the Seattle Defense Area (10 sites). Site designations and locations of the Virginia sites defending the nation's capital were: (W-64) Lorton (double site), (W-74) Fairfax/Pohick, and (W-83) Herndon/Dranesville. Hypertext links to Nike Missile web sites. Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park: Wow! Construction of the four batteries started in April 1956 and they went into service in January 1957. Currently, the Lake Washington School District owns the site, but it remains largely abandoned. Known as Nike Missile Base S-13 and S-14, the Redmond site consisted of a fire control area located two miles up a hill from the launcher in the valley below. Nationally, there were more than 50 deaths. Located at least 1,000 yards away and in line of sight was the missile launch facility. With the increased range of Nike Hercules, many of the sites became repetitive. With closure, the sites stood vacant for years, vandalized and deteriorated. The following is a list of Nike missile sites. On July 1, 1959, Washington Army National Guard personnel took over four sites (Kent, Kenmore, Cougar Mountain, and Ollala). The longest and widest floating bridge in the world. Guard personnel operated the sites on a 24-hour basis as had the army. Most Nike Ajax sites not converted closed. Located in Deep Creek, both the control and launch sites have become private property. It was … In June 1958 S-13 and 14 became Nike Hercules sites. N 47° 23.879 W 122° 17.049. Courtesy UW Special Collections (86.5.2118.1), Courtesy Eastside Heritage Center (L 87.44.23), The Free Encyclopedia of Washington State History. Tom Freitas' web site. Many Washington Nike missile sites lasted only four to five years. What odd ghosts might still haunt its vacant grounds? Additional defenses came with fighters stationed at Geiger Field and Larson Air Force Base. Cold War Nike missile site. That included, of course, the Washington-Baltimore corridor as well as Hampton Roads, home to the country’s largest navy base. Site W-26 was the first Nike Hercules site to be turned over to the National Guard. The F-45 control complex was located on Fancher Road and today is private property. The regular army units had the highest scores at annual firing practice in 1956, 1957, and 1958, taking home the prestigious Commander’s Trophy. The improved model would be named the Nike Hercules. The site began as a Nike Ajax base and was later converted to Nike H… in Nike Missile Sites. F-45 Medical Lake. Small areas of the site have since been converted into the “Nike Park,” though the vast majority of the large, tree-spotted site is rundown, littered with trash, and overgrown with moss and vines. Imagine the kinetic energy in a place like that, packed with people tasked with that heavy responsibility. The site is old and crumbling, so beware of falling objects or areas that may trip you up along your path. S-33 Lake Youngs/Renton. Both control and launch complexes have been removed. These included the supersonic Nike missile system emplaced around Seattle, Spokane / Fairchild Air Force Base, and the Hanford nuclear facility. Welcome to the Nike Missile Site, a Cold War museum in the heart of GGNRA. S-13/14 (Redmond, Washington) Sixteen miles to the east of Seattle, the town of Redmond is home to a little-known curiosity: the decaying remains of a former Nike missile base located in the wilderness surrounding the town.Operated until 1974, the site bizarrely found its way into the ownership of the Lake Washington School District. The control site now houses a thrift store, Vashon Health clinic, and a radio station, at 210th Street SE. The Nike Hercules remained in service longer, until 1974. The Seattle Defense Area received its first Nike Ajax missiles in October 1954. Quick Description: Fort Lawton was home to the "missile master", a command center for the Puget Sound area's 10 Nike missiles. F-37 Cheney. Because it was a more effective weapon its installation made it possible to reduce the number of missile sites. The Nike Hercules remained in service longer, until 1974. The site was the launch area of a Nike missile site and all construction occurred on the site during the period of DOD occupancy. Operational from 1956 to March 1963. Nike missiles protected this Strategic Air Command (SAC) base, named to honor Bellingham native General Muir S. Fairchild (1894-1950). They stored nuclear-tipped missiles that stood at the ready, some even in firing position for deployment. N 47° 39.549 W 122° 24.636. In 1947, with the realization that Soviet bombers could reach targets in the United States, the missile program took on more importance. This served to avoid a wasteful duplication of effort (i.e., two or more batteries engaging the same target, and perhaps neglecting yet another incoming … The Hercules sites had 12 to 18 missiles. However, budget cuts slowed the research. View waymark gallery. The abandoned Nike Nuclear Missile Site S-13/14 outside of Seattle is such a place. Missile launchers like this one ringed the greater Washington, D.C. during the Cold War and were theoretically designed to shoot down Soviet Union’s jet bombers carrying nuclear weapons. The Associated General Contractors use the former control area, 27055 Ohio Avenue, headquarters building as offices and Laborers School. The control site was at 95th Avenue NE and 172nd and today is a National Guard facility with the former barracks and administrative buildings in use. The underground missile magazines filled with rain water. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders. For example, of 11 Ajax locations in the Seattle area eight, were abandoned with the installation of Nike Hercules. This place was abandoned/deactivated circa 1974.Excuse the shaky camera! Quick Description: The Midway area was a military housing area and also home to a Nike Missile site. However, today little remains to recall how these impressive Cold War installations defended the region. The Rattlesnake Mountain control and launch sites have been removed. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. S-32 Lake Youngs. The Nike Hercules was designed to operate from existing Ajax launch facilities. 10T E 554017 N 5249640 . For a moment, close your eyes and imagine you’ve been stationed in an area that you’ve been told is the last line of defense against your country’s enemy. 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Now the historic site gets only a smattering of visitors, mostly graffiti artists or curious explorers who come to witness the spray can-painted messages written on crumbling posts and obsolete circuit boards beneath miscellaneous rubble. The Nike missile batteries would form a defense ring around the Puget Sound. This missile would be solid fuel therefore avoiding fueling hazards that plagued the Ajax model. Nike Missile Type Key. The complex stood vacant until 1969. Nike missiles were the ordnance of choice, capable of being guided from the ground and eliminating aircraft that threatened to deliver their payload. the city of Washington, three of which were located in Fairfax County. With its establishment plans went forward to install Nike missile defenses at important target areas. See. A guard shack remains at the main gate. View waymark gallery. A normal, unassuming pedestrian overpass has been the demise of many, many trucks. This site defended the nation’s capitol starting on May 30, 1954. S-43 Kent/Midway - Washington - Nike Missile Sites on Waymarking.com. Long-range radars supported these defenses. Operational from 1955 to December 1958. The control area became Eagledale Park and the launch became Strawberry Hill Park. Operational from 1957 to June 1960. Finally, the sites found new uses. S-82 Winslow/Bainbridge Island. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. During the Cold War’s arms buildup, there were 13 Nike Missile sites erected around the greater Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas. The worst missile-construction accident killed 53 workers in an August 1965 explosion at an Arkansas Titan II base. The perceived threat rose dramatically, encouraging development of effective missile defenses. Posted by: Hikenutty. The site is now used partially as an … A missile assembly building is now a storage unit. These sites were designed as the last line of defense against Soviet bombers. Only one of the four would be converted from Nike Ajax to Nike Hercules. The worst missile-construction accident killed 53 workers in an August 1965 explosion at an Arkansas Titan II base. The name NIKE comes from the Greek goddess of victory. H-12 Othello. The control and launch facilities have been demolished. Operational from 1956 to December 1961. The Utica Nike Missile Defense site D-06 was part of the most important defense network in America. The Hercules would be installed at six Washington locations, employing existing Ajax facilities. All rights reserved. The Washington sites had a high incidence of accidents, but no deaths. Finally, the sites found new uses. Just to the southeast were radar and other control equipment that formed a portion of one of three Nike anti-aircraft missile complexes in Fairfax County. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Major General George M. Haskett (1914-1995), adjutant general for Washington, received the bases for the National Guard. The base was decommissioned by the U.S. Army in 1974 and has been slowly decomposing ever since. The first parcel of land, 14 acres, was the Launcher Area and is surrounded by two eight-foot-tall cyclone fences, original to the base. The control portion on Bowie Road was sold to a private party in 1967. S-13 and S-14 Redmond. Now an open field near the Sky Country Trailhead, this was an anti-aircraft Nike missile installation during the Cold War used to protect the region from nuclear attack by Soviet long range strategic bombers. A Missile Master facility assigned targets among the fire positions. The site was operated by the U.S. Army between 1954 and 1962. A BOMARC (Boeing and Michigan Aerospace Research Center) missile installation at Paine Field, Everett, was planned but not completed. One of 13 Nike Missile Sites that were erected around the greater Washington, D.C. area and Baltimore, the Great Falls Nike Missile Site played an integral part in … It was one of thirteen that circled the city of Washington, three of which were located in Fairfax County. The site was said to be located on 95th off Avondale by locals at the time of operation, but some articles say residents knew little about what went on there during its seventeen years of operation from 1957-1974. The sites were located around cities throughout the United States 1910) participated in the ceremony. These tests determined the system effective and ready for fielding. The Nike Hercules, initially designated SAM-A-25 and later MIM-14, was a surface-to-air missile (SAM) used by U.S. and NATO armed forces for medium- and high-altitude long-range air defense.It was normally armed with the W31 nuclear warhead, but could also be fitted with a conventional warhead for export use.Its warhead also allowed it to be used in a secondary … S90-DC, Fort Lawton - Washington. Missile Storage: C=Ajax only, original design B=Ajax or … The Nike missile system would serve as a powerful defense from 1954 to 1974. With its conversion sites F-07 and F-37 closed. H-12 served as a Nike Ajax defense for its short existence. © 2021 Atlas Obscura. Each site had 20 to 30 Nike Ajax missiles. Project Nike (Greek: Νίκη, "Victory", pronounced [nǐːkɛː]) was a U.S. Army project, proposed in May 1945 by Bell Laboratories, to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. S-43 Kent/Midway - Washington. For the Seattle defenses this function was conducted in a heavily fortified building at Fort Lawton. S90-DC, Fort Lawton - Washington - Nike Missile Sites on Waymarking.com. F-87 Deep Creek. After sitting empty for a number of years, the former Washington missiles bases have been converted into parks, military camps, and to private ownership. This article lists sites in the United States, however the United States Army also deployed Nike missiles to Europe as part of the NATO alliance, with sites being operated by both American and European military forces. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted land surveys in 1954 to identify the best tactical locations, followed by land acquisition. To prepare the public, the army had Nike missile exhibits at Fort Lawton and Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot (adjacent to Fort Lewis) open houses in May 1954. Governor Albert D. Rosellini (b. The actual launchers, three … Where possible, federal lands were used, but private lands were also acquired. Map of Nike Missile Batteries from Google Maps. Its launch station was on Graham Road and now within a housing development. What sort of crumbling artifacts line its cracked floors? This Nike Ajax battery converted to Nike Hercules in June 1960. Four Nike missile installations supplanted the 16 anti-aircraft artillery sites at the Hanford Site during the mid- and late 1950s. Tom was a Spec-5 at Bravo Battery, 2nd Missile Btn, 562 Arty in Fairbanks, Alaska between 1967 and 1968. The facilities were located in the Seattle-Puget Sound area, Spokane, and the nuclear facility at Hanford. Now abandoned, the world's first torpedo factory is crumbling into the sea. Personnel identified hostile aircraft and directed the batteries to engage specific targets. 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. Operational from January 1957 to June 1960. No launch facilities are intact. In June 1945, the military initiated development of a missile system, first called Nike Project (named for the Greek goddess of victory), and then Nike Ajax. Existing antiaircraft defenses could not bring down large numbers of attacking bombers. 10T E 544255 N 5278585 . That network of Nike Missile ranges was tasked with the protection of the Detroit area from Soviet planes carrying nuclear weapons. A few buildings at control and launch locations survive. Each Washington Nike installation had three separate sites. A more powerful missile, it had a range of 50 miles and altitude of 100,000-feet. U.S. Army Nike sites were also operational in South Korea, Japan and were sold to Taiwan. Also, the launch area on Sprague Road went into private ownership at that time. Former barracks, headquarters, and mess hall buildings are well maintained and in school use. With the National Guard takeover, this success continued. During the Cold War Washington State had a number of significant military and industrial facilities to be defended. These sites were designed as the last line of defense against Soviet bombers. The launch site was established in Redmond, Washington, in 1957 as the last line of defense against the Soviet threat during the Cold War. The underground missile magazines filled with rain water. Operational from 1955 to December 1958. Operational from 1956 to March 1974. Then the Target Tracking Radar locked onto the target and kept tracking it despite possible evasive action. Operational from 1956 to December 1961. In 1983 the control and launch areas were turned into Cougar Mountain County Park and Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park respectively. Exploring two buildings at Nike Missile Site S-13/14 in Redmond. However, the Cougar Mountain housing units were sold and moved to Powell Avenue in Renton, renovated for affordable housing. BA-43 was in Jacobsville, and W-25, in Davidsonville, is now the Anne Arundel County Police Training Academy. S-61 Vashon Island. The project created America’s first operational anti-aircraft missile system, the Nike Ajax. During the Cold War Washington state received substantial defenses against enemy bombing attacks. When the number of batteries was reduced, a smaller personnel center, a BIRDIE (Battery Integrated Radar Display Equipment) center accomplished the target monitoring and assignment of targets. In 1953, even before Nike Ajax became operational, a second improved model B was under development. They formed a circle or “steel ring” of defenses around Fairchild Air Force Base. These military and industrial facilities were protected by antiaircraft guns, interceptor fighter aircraft, and, starting in 1954, Nike supersonic missiles. Here’s how the … Old submarine parts have been converted into faux whale fins. Operational from 1956 to November 1960. The site at Lorton was selected because it was a short distance from Washington, and the Federal Government … Initially the regular U.S. Army operated the sites. There would be 11 launch locations with supporting radar sites and an area missile control center at Fort Lawton. FEMA (Former Nike Missile Site) 0.1 km; Green Acres Park 2.1 km; Heron Reserve (wetlands) 3 km; Bothell High School 3.5 km; University of Washington, Bothell 4.6 km; University of Washington Bothell Campus 4.8 km; Inglewood Golf Club 5 km; I-405/SR-522 Interchange 5.3 km; Lake Washington 18 km; Tolt Pipeline 20 km S-20 Cougar Mountain/Issaquah. Four Nike missile installations supplanted the 16 anti-aircraft artillery sites at the Hanford Site during the mid- and late 1950s. It was originally designed to launch Ajax The abandoned Nike Nuclear Missile Site S-13/14 outside of Seattle is such a place. S-62 Ollala. Operational from 1955 to December 1958. The Nike missile control system had three radars working together to guide the missiles. The Washington-Baltimore Defense Area. The control facility is now an Army Reserve center in the Nike buildings. in Nike Missile Sites. • The best preserved Nike installation is site SF88L located in the Marin Headlands just west of the Golden Gate Bridge, north of San Francisco, California. Two buildings survive at the launch area as Spectrum school buildings. Numerous Nike installations were built in Maryland to defend Baltimore and the nation's capital: (BA-03) Phoenix/Swinton (BA-09) Fork (BA-18) Edgewood (W-35) Croom/Marlboro (BA-30/31) west of Chestertown (W-36) Brandywine/Naylor … Now imagine that same place, decades later, totally abandoned and empty. However, today little remains to recall how these impressive Cold War … Test firing in 1955 proved it a dramatic improvement over the Nike Ajax. The radar-guided Nike Ajax missiles had a range of 30 miles and an effective altitude capable to known enemy aircraft. World / USA / Washington / Alderwood Manor World / United States / Washington government, place with historical importance, surface-to-air missile site / sam, interesting place, emergency … W-26, as it was known, was one of three Nike Missile sites in Anne Arundel County. The site is a museum, and contains the missile bunkers, and control area, as well as period uniforms and vehicles that would have operated at the site. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our cookie policy. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. The two digits could range from 01 to 99 and usually represented the angle from north, clockwise, to the site as viewed from the center of … Although they still run the … A lone historical marker off the highway and scattered debris are all that remain of this Cold War-era missile site. An abandoned Cold War missile radar site is now home to several mysterious cat statues. The nearly 300 Nike missile sites across the United States, from Baltimore to Chicago to San Francisco, were phased out by the early ’70s. A third location had family housing with ranch-style homes. There were nearly a dozen of these missile launchers in the Seattle area during the mid-20th century, as a precautionary point of attack against Russian missiles and aircrafts. Nationally, there were more than 50 deaths. A Nike Ajax missile site in Lorton, Va. is shown in December 1954. The control facility was on Newkirk Road, northwest of Fairchild Air Force Base, and today is a closed federal installation. Bell Labs and its manufacturing arm, Western Electric, received a contract to develop a guided missile system. Atlas Obscura and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our website to personalise ads, support social media features, and analyse our traffic. With closure, the sites stood vacant for years, vandalized and deteriorated. This Nike Ajax battery upgraded to Nike Hercules in 1961. Additional sites would later also convert to the Guard. Great Falls Nike Missile Site T-46. Four Nike batteries were installed to defend Spokane military installations. To understand how the system worked, a preserved Nike Missile launch site can be visited in San Francisco within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This would be the first supersonic missile. The Redmond site, and many others, were decommissioned in the mid-70s as the technology and tactics of war changed. (Missile Master, then BIRDIE) - LOC - W Seattle, W Government Way, ((P) Seattle Discovery Park) More details at Radomes.org also a temporary Nike site (/55-/56) [{Handa, D} (October 18, 2008)Missile Master building is now being torn down this week, October 18th, 2008. Project Nike was a U.S. Army project proposed in 1945 by Bell Laboratories to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. Headquarters sites were at Fort Myer and Vienna. Among their honors was the 1963 honor roll with all the Seattle area National Guard batteries earning top scores and honor roll listing, the only Guard unit in the country to do so. A double launch site with twice the missiles of a usual launch facility, was in operation from September 1954 to March 1974. Operational from January 1957 to March 1966. The Washington State Department of Health, in cooperation with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, completed a health consultation that looked at whether people may be exposed to chemicals in groundwater, surface water, and soil at the former Nike Missile Site … In operation from 1957 to March 1964. All four Nike sites were of similar construction and layout, consisting of a battery control … This Nike Ajax battery was converted to Nike Hercules in June 1960. The launch site near 95th Avenue and 195th Northeast is now private property. Also, Douglas Aircraft was selected to design the missile, the booster, and launch equipment. Missile site construction was dangerous work. Leftover traces of the … Known as Nike Missile Base S-13 and S-14, the Redmond site consisted of a fire control area located two miles up a hill from the launcher in the valley below. F-07 Nike Ajax launch pad area now serves as a communications station. Bainbridge Island Parks took over the control and launch areas in 1974. Both regular United States Army and National Guard missilemen earned many awards at the annual Fort Bliss, Texas, firing practices. Then the Soviet Union exploded an atomic bomb and the Korean War started in June 1950. Sites converted to accept Hercules missiles included BA-3, BA-18, BA-30/31, BA-79, W-25, W-26, W-44, and W-92. In June 1958 the Kingston Nike Ajax battery was replaced with Nike Hercules. Winner will be selected at random on 03/01/2021. The control and launch area buildings were a standard design concrete block. Another of California's unused Cold War missile defense complexes has become a graffiti gallery. Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. Many Washington Nike missile sites lasted only four to five years. The missiles were stored in underground magazines and brought to the surface by an elevator and placed on launchers. This medieval village/restaurant perpetually celebrates the year 1376. The name NIKE comes from the Greek goddess of victory. No purchase necessary. Nike S-92 IFC Date Activated: 1958 Date Deactivated: March 1974 State: Washington Nearest Town: Kingston Defense Area: Seattle Coordinates: Latitude: 47°48'25.38"N Longitude: 122°29'36.07"W Decimal: Latitude: 47.80705 H-52 Rattlesnake Mountain. The first successful Nike missile test took place on November 15, 1951. Also keep in mind that it's technically closed to the public. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Nike Ajax and Hercules missiles were deployed at three locations on the Wahluke Slope and one on what is now the Fitzner-Eberhardt Arid Lands Ecology Reserve.