Return to Home Page, Return to Nike Location index
go to previous, go to top, go to next

Locations of Former NIKE MISSILE SITES (text)

.
Washington

For locations and views, fly in using Google Earth thanks to NikeSiteSearchers
.

Fairchild (Fairchild AFB)
F-07 Spokane
F-37 Cheney
F-45 Medical Lake
F-87 Deep Creek
Seattle
S-03 Kenmore
S-13/14 Redmond
S-20 Cougar Mountain/ Issaquah
S-32 Lake Youngs
S-33 Youngs Lake / Renton
S-43 Kent /Midway

S-61 Vashon Island
S-62 Ollala
S-81 Poulsbo
S-82 Winslow / Bainbridge Island
S-90DC Ft. Lawton
S-92 Kingston
Hanford (Atomic "device" production)
- Nike map of Hanford Defense Area
- - from DOE_report_Hanford__Jan_1995.pdf
- - spotted by {Plante, R}
H-06 Saddle Mt.
H-12 Othello
H-52 Rattlesnake Mt.
H-83 Priest Rapids
Designation General Location Detailed Location (Current Status)
F-07 Spokane C - 6 NE, Newkirk Rd & Lyon Rd
[(Murdock, S) (updated 3/2002) GPS 47-42-08, 117-34-35 ]

L - 4.5 NE, Craig Rd, N of Deno Rd
[{Harris, W} I think you have the location of the launch and control areas for F-07 and F-45 reversed. [Now fixed - thanks] The USGS 7.5' quad covering the site is Airway Heights, Wash. The site on Craig Road north of Deno Road, which I believe to be the launch area, is in section 10, T25N R41E. The site which I believe to be the control area, at Lyons and Newkirk Roads, is in section 36, T26N R41E. That site remains under federal control; it's now a USAF satellite station associated with Fairchild AFB.]
[(Murdock, S) (updated 3/2002) GPS 47-40-50, 117-36-28 (became Fairchild Comms Fclty Anx, USAF) ]

F-37 Cheney 1.8 E Four Lakes ((P) WAANG; 105 TCS)
[(Murdock, S) GPS 47-33-05, 117-33-11 (became Four Lakes Communications Station, USAF) ]

L - 6 NE, Newkirk Rd & Lyon Rd
[{Spilker, D} (Sept 2011) --- the 256th moved to Fairchild AFB as part of a Base Realignment Program. Back in 1993, when I was still in the ANG (another unit) I rode one of the still-working missile elevators to the missile bay, where the 256th had kept their communication equipment (wideband stuff; AN/TRC-97, AN/TRC-170 plus antennas).
[{Harris, W} The USGS 7.5' quad covering the site is Four Lakes, Wash. Both the control and launch areas are located on Needham Hill in T24N R42E (sections 19 and 30, respectively) about 3.5 miles NNE of Cheney, and are separated by only about 4000 feet horizontal distance.

The entire F-37 site is under the control of the Washington Air National Guard (they use the abbreviation WANG, rather than WAANG). It's currently known as Four Lakes ANGS; the operating group there is the 256th Combat Communications Squadron. {link updated by Jef Poskanzer} which includes a small photo of the upper (control) area as it looks now. I haven't visited the facility yet, but reportedly it's fairly intact with the launch area elevators and doors still operational.]
[(Murdock, S) GPS 47-32-33, 117-32-47 (Note: later became part of Four Lakes Communications Station, USAF) ]

F-45 Medical Lake Current pictures of Launcher area by Marc Spurgeon, June 2008
C - Booth Hill, End of S. Washington Rd - ((P) communications site)
[{Spilker, D} (Sept 2011) The former RADAR SITE, located on Booth Hill, is a mess. Junked cars all over that hill (the owner drags the heaps up to the top of the hill.) ]
[(Murdock, S) (on Booth Hill) GPS 47-33-10, 117-43-39 ]

L - Graham Rd, N of Espanola Rd - ((P) communications company))
[{Spilker, D} (Sept 2011) I just viewed the photos, taken in 2008, of the F-45 launch site. Back in the early '60s, as a kid I looked forward to seeing those white missiles pointing skyward. In the '70s when my dad knew the owner of that site, he stored his boat in the missile bay. A lot of farmers stored their seasonal equipment there, too. The barracks, which used to house the local telephone company (my dad had an office there!) is now gone. A housing development, Fox Hollow, which is DOWNWIND of the town's sewage facility (and aptly nicknamed 'Stinky Hollow') nearly surrounds the former launch site. ]
[{Harris, W} The USGS 7.5' quad covering the site is Medical Lake, Wash. Again I think you've got the locations of the control and launcher sites reversed, [ Fixed, Thanks ] based on topography and on the footprints of the buildings shown on the map, which are similar to those at F-07. ... the topography would favor the area on Booth Hill (about 450 feet higher than the area on Graham Road) as being the control area.

What I believe to be the launch site is in section 7, T24N R41E, at the foot of Olson Hill. The control site is in section 23 of T24N R40E, on top of Booth Hill, south of Fancher (rather than Rancher) Road. Booth Hill is just north of the extended centerline for the main runway at Spokane International Airport, and the F-45 control site is often readily visible out the left side of aircraft landing eastbound.]
[(Murdock, S) (at base of Olson Hill, SW side) GPS 47-35-11, 117-40-32 ]

F-87 Deep Creek C - Bowie Rd, W of Wood Rd (Valley Electrical Service)
[(Murdock, S) GPS 47-42-12, 117-44-31 ]

L- Sprague Rd, E of Wood Rd (William F Spelker & Sons)
[{Harris, W} The USGS 7.5' quad covering the site is Deep Creek, Wash. The control site is in section 34, T26N R40E, on McDowell Hill. The launcher site is in section 14, T25N R40E.]
[(Murdock, S) GPS 47-39-38, 117-42-55 ]

S-03 Kenmore C - 47th Ave NE, S of 201st ((O) Horizon Heights Park)
[{Bruni, F} Feb 2010 - The tracker once located on Horizon Heights may be no longer there but next to the tennis courts is a stair case that goes up to the top of a weed and brush covered berm. Under the weeds and brush are the remains of the radar pads. }
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 474628, Long: 1221634 NOTE: The IFC site is the park, lower-center. ]

L - 130 228st SW ((P) FEMA Region X Headquarters /USAR Center)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 474724, Long: 1221407 , NOTE: The large white building is the Army reserve center; the FEMA Region X headquarters went into the lot to the immediate east. ]

S-13/14
(double)
Redmond C - end of 95th NE, off 171st ((O) housing development)
[{Sorrell, E}The control site is not obliterated - in fact the buildings are still there and in use by the National Guard. It appears that only about 1/2 to 2/3 of the site was sold and developed, this being where the antennas were.]
[{Needham, A}
[{Funk, R} (12/01) Only the old barracks cluster remains. {There was an} area that must have been a buffer zone, now used as a Redmond city park. Called Nike Park, appropriately enough. The city has some historical sense.
About four years ago a local real estate developer acquired the remaining radar site area and leveled all of the structures that were still visible. This made it much safer but a lot duller for the kids. Since then the area has been graded, plotted, utilities and streets put in, and a number of houses put up, with more to come. Since the site had a nice territorial view (real estate terminology), these are up-scale houses that start at $400,000-plus. This pretty much removes the last visible traces that would identify the location as the radar site. The only G.I. construction remaining is the National Guard area.
?? A question: About a mile away from the radar site, as the crow flies, is mains of a housing area that looks very much like 1950's era Army family housing. Until a year, or so, ago it was used by the Coast Guard but is now being refurbished into low-income apartments. This facility is, more or less, halfway between the radar site and the launcher/magazine. Was this connected with the Redmond Nike site? It looks about the right age and construction to suggest that might be the case. ]

L - 95th NE, off 195th NE ((I) Nursery)
[{Tseytlin, A} (11/2016) in September of 2015, all the buildings were still standing. - This October, the site was still fenced off, however all the buildings were demolished and cleared away. The actual batteries, however, were still untouched. The entrance to the flooded underground bunker, which was previously accessible, was welded shut.]
[{Needham, A} (actually the nursery is north of the site as far as I can see. There's a locked gate and a sign saying private property.)
[{Funk, R} (12/01) The location of the launch site has always been a curiosity to me: It is located on the edge of a flood zone area. I wouldn't be surprised if you could swim in the magazines right now. Bear Creek was 'way above flood stage over the past couple of weeks, and this is a relatively normal occurrence at this time of year. The staff who were stationed at this site must have had a tough time with the water problems. They should have been issued water wings! ]

S-20 Cougar Mountain/
Issaquah
web site spotted by Tom Page
C - end of Cougar Mtn Rd ((O) Cougar Mountain County Park)

[{Morgenstern, A} (Feb 2004) ... - this one takes some getting to; Cougar Mountain is to the west of Issaquah and is southeast of Bellevue. The control site is at the summit of the mountain and is now Cougar Mountain I took a look at it in August 1988. at that time it appeared there was nothing remaining. This time i went up there and discovered the park was closed. ]
[{Ray, J} (1999) It's in a county wilderness park now. Well kept and a lot of foundations and sidewalks exist. The park is staffed with a residence for the "ranger". Good parking near the old gate. ]

L - E of 166 Way SE ((P) Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park)
[{Morgenstern, A} (Feb 2004) The launcher is approx 1.2 SE, at the end of 166th Way SE in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. The road ends with a gate (past the signs that say "danger! large Trucks! No trespassing!"). I saw signs that ID's the area as part of King County Parks, so I kept going ... if you climb over the gate and walk up the mud road about 700 yards, the site is on the right. ]
[{Sorrell, E}the launch site is now obliterated. It's county land and I think they didn't want the liability, so they filled the pits with gravel and then planted grass-what a pitty!]
[{Dowdy, G}The Cougar Montain site is open to >the public, but there's little to see other than a plaque or two.]
[{Needham, A} (The metal launch doors and concrete pad are still there, as are the intact guard booth and concrete foundations of the buildings. The buildings were removed due to an asbestos hazard.) (There used to be a great interpretive map in the guard booth showing Nike locations around the Seattle area but someone removed it.)]

S-32 Lake Youngs C - 184th & Petrovitsky ((P) King County Sheriffs Dept.)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 472609, Long: 1220658 , NOTE: The large white building is the Army reserve center; the FEMA Region X headquarters went into the lot to the immediate east. ]

L - end of 174th SE ((I) Maple Valley Christian School/ South King County Activity Center)
*shared launch facility with S-33
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 472705, Long: 1220649 ]

S-33 Youngs Lake /
Renton
C - 14631 SE 192d (USAR Center; 104th Division (Training) Drill Sargent School)
[{Needham, A} (the area in the middle is the control facility. North and east of it across the streets are water tanks.)]

L - end of 174th SE ((I) Maple Valley Christian School/ South King County Activity Center)
*shared launch facility with S-33

S-43 Kent /Midway C - Military Rd & 37th Ave S ((I) WAArNG; 3/161st Infantry (Mech)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 472352, Long: 1221702 Note: The radars were on the berm at the north end of the property. The buildings at the south end are the only surviving Nike-era structures and were the battalion headquarters site, S-45. By-the-way, the site is now (August 2002) only partially intact (P) and the occupant is 1/303rd Armor, WAArNG.]

L - Military Rd, S of WA 516 ((P) King County Parks /Kent School District)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 472253, Long: 1221701 ]
[{Needham, A} (It's north of 516, not south of it. Looks like it's in Grandview Park.)]

S-61 Vashon Island C - 99th Ave SW ((P) commercial use)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 472501, Long: 1222744 ]

L - SW 220th ((P) Vashon Island Equestrian Park /Nike Events Center)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 472436, Long: 1222858 ]
[{Needham, A}
[{Schramm, K} 2002 ... traveled ... to Vashon Island to compete in a horse competition. While there I was informed that I was riding around on top of old Nike missle silos, certainly a first for me in my long riding career.

I still think one of the empty guard shacks would make a nice informational kiosk on the cold war history of this otherwise wonderful equestrian park. The history needs to be preserved. I could not help but think during the weekend I was there how all those wonderful children with their beautiful ponies have much to be thankful for, they just need to know about it. It was a great example of swords being turned into plowshares. I have a picture of me with my horse standing in one of those empty sentry shacks.

An elderly gentleman, who use to be the editor of the island newspaper and who had been on the site numerous times when it was active, filled me in on much of what was left which is considerable. The back of my horse's stall was the original perimeter chain link fence topped with barbed wire, there are a couple of empty guard shacks, a maintenance building ( now being used as a food shack), a (supposed) warhead assembly building with overhead crane and date of last inspection stenciled on it (now used as horse show equipment storage), remains of the kennel, remains of the old basketbball court, part of one of the silos is visible where the footing for the horse arena ends. The gentleman informed me that one of the decommisssioned missles had been taken to Ft. Lewis see Ft. Lewis and that he and some others had attempted to bring it back to begin a museum on the site but were apparently overruled by the good peace loving people of Vashon. ... By the way, the editor's wife was the one responsible for turning the site into an equestrian park, a very nice one at that with plenty of paved parking! ]

S-62 Ollala C - 0.5 N Ollala, 12700 Lala Cove Ln ((P) Ollala Guest Lodge; substance abuse rehab center)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 472554, Long: 1223224 ]
[{Needham, A} (Lala Cove Ln is the east/west road in this image. I don't know which buildings are original.)]

L - 1.5 SW Ollala, 7450 Nelson Rd ((P) private ownership) A Web Page
[{Needham, A}

S-81 Poulsbo C - 1.5 SE Poulsbo, 18360 Caldart Ave ((I) North Kitsap School District admin offices /Frank Raab Municipal Park)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 474332, Long: 1223734 ]

L - W Poulsbo, Finn Hill Rd ((P) private owner)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 474524. Long: 1223937 ]
[{Anderson, E} (Aug 2002) I recently visited (probably for the last time) Nike Site S-81, Poulsbo, WA. The property is slated for a large development (known as Olhava) that includes a community college, housing, and a shopping mall (sad!)

As I knew that construction would start soon, I went and visited the site again. Too late! The Assembly building, barracks, and maintenance sheds were already gone. The transformers had been taken away as well. The silos, were still there though and the water had been pumped out. So two nights later, a friend and I forced open one of the personnel access doors on the third silo and filmed and took photos.

Everything was covered with rust or a rust-like slime. You had to walk very carefully. I have never been inside one before and it was an interesting experience. The machinery for the elevator and the ventilation system was still in place. The soundproof insulation in the hallway leading to the control room was also still in place (and still worked - there was a notable sound difference) Everything had been under water for at least 15 years and it was remarkably intact. No control equipment was present in the control room, but the controls for the elevator and main doors were still there, as were all the breaker panels.

During the day, work crews had removed all of the CO2 fire extinguishers and some piping in the other two silos. They had also sandblated any lead paint from the walls. They hadn't gotten to this one yet (though they may have removed the extinguishers, as they were all missing) I found one extinguisher that they had missed and brought it out of there and cleaned it up at home.

After talking to an Olhava family member, I learned that the area where the silos are will apparently be used as a parking lot for the new shopping mall. The plan is to put all rubble from the roads and foundations that they tear up, inside the silos. Excess space will be filled with sand.

Alas, there goes another one! I'm glad I got to see it while it was around.
[{Rishar, D} ... What I suspect is the barracks is wearing some spraypaint and has had some of the thinner interior dividing walls torn out, and the heads have been trashed. ...there are period artifacts mixed in with all the debris, and the fact that the roof caved in makes things even more complicated. The radar towers have been demolished, but the rest of the installation seems relatively intact. I saw three hatches in the actual launch field; all three were welded shut. Two of the personnel access hatches have been broken into and the magazine appears flooded. Interestingly enough, it seems that one of the buildings was in the process of being remodelled when the installation was finally closed. Even funnier, I noticed a 55-gallon drum in the guardhouse serving as a trashcan. There was still a plastic trashbag in it, with only an empty soda can as the contents. A Web Page
[{Needham, A} (The part of this image where the buildings are is missing and I'm not sure why. The launcher area is visible though.)]

S-82 Winslow /
Bainbridge Island
C - S Winslow, 4900 Rose Ave ((P) Painbridge Parks District, Eagledale Park)
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 473633. Long: 1223116 ]

L - High School Rd ((P) Painbridge Parks District, Strawberry Hill Park) A Web Page
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 473820, Long: 1223250 ]
The / "GlobeXplorer" image that I identified shows what appears to be an U-shaped berm. The overall shape of Strawberry Park appears more consistent with a typical Nike missile launch site. According to http://www.bainbridgeisland.com/organizations.htm, the local historical society is located as follows --

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND HISTORICAL MUSEUM
Strawberry Hill Park
1.206.842.2773
[I suspect they could verify the Nike missile launcher site location right away.] ]
S-90DC Ft. Lawton (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)

[{Plante, Ron} (December 6, 2022) sent https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-approved-fort-lawton-housing-years-ago-so-why-is-nothing-happening/ which describes the status. Apparently the US "HUD" requirements haven't been met. Article has 6 pictures.

[{Handa, D} (October 18, 2008) Missile Master building is now being torn down this week, October 18th, 2008. Cinder block building to the west will also be torn down, it is right near the still existent FAA radar dome, and maintenance building. }

[{Handa, D} (Aug 2007) The concrete bunker has been in the news two times, once around April 2007, then again June 2007, both times related to break-ins, and theft of copper wire and various other metal scrap from building. Due to remote location, police and Seattle City Parks have been unable to prevent the thefts. I visited the site in July and there was a dumpster just outside the perimeter fence, and it was filled with junk, as it appears they are starting to clear out the building of refuse. I noticed a small refrigerator with a 2001 or so manufacture date, so the building must have been used in some manner the last few years. I also saw in some park board minutes that they intend to not only tear down this building, but also another one directly to the southwest. If you look at the Sat photos, it is the concrete block building directly east of the FAA building and radar dome, outside their perimeter fence. Not sure of what that building was previously used for, but is slated as neither useful or historic, so like every other building now on park land, will be torn down shortly. They also tore down in April 2007 a building next to the chapel, at the south end of officer’s row. They would have torn down the chapel, if not for the community uproar three years ago. So for the time being it is spared. ]

[{Page, T} (Jan 2006) "Bird's Eye" Imagery for the Fort Lawton (WA) Missile-Master Blockhouse - North view, East view, South view, West view, And, the once-shared Army / Air Force / FAA radar station (RP-1) is just to the SW of the MM building. ]

[{{Morgan, M} Lat: 473932, Long: 1222433 ]
[{Yeager,D} (Feb 2003) All of the barracks and barracks area in that image have been flattened. In the center of the above image you can see the barracks neatly lined up...all of those barracks and all of the buildings due South are gone. Just to the NW of the NW-most building is the "arms room", which has also been flattened.

I believe the large structure which perhaps used to be the control center isalso gone. It was used by some government agency (probably city) for the time that I was at Ft Lawton, but since the barracks area is demolished, I don't believe the road to that control structure still exists.
I'm sure the city plans to turn this area back into park area, as it has with other Ft Lawton Facilities. ]
[{Stone, J} In the middle of Ft. Lawton is a highly reinforced building, it's kind of half-underground, half-above ground. The exterior walls vary from 3 ft to 6 ft in thickness, all reinforced concrete. The building is roughly 200' x 250'. The building was obviously designed to be able to "lock-down" and to have a full crew work and live inside for a good long while. Most all of the mechanical systems-air decontamination, HVAC, electrical, etc. are still there and in outstanding condition. The perimeter of the inside consists of dozens of rooms from 100 sq ft to 1000 sq ft. In the very center of the building is the old "blue room". It's walls are painted blue. It was obviously a command and control facility. The best way I can describe it is it looks exactly like the main control room in the movie Wargames, but not as large. The only thing missing is the operator consoles, but you can still see where they were fastened to the floor in three tiers. Literally hundreds of black-light flourescent tubes still function on the ceiling. Tube amplifies line the walls at the ceiling. The floor in this room is false. Underneath are more electrical devices and some very large tanks. An old timer once told me that he thought these were used for water storage.

[Bender, D} This Missile Master served to coordinate the firing of all of the Nike missile batteries in the Seattle Defense Area (10 sites). Personnel identified hostile aircraft and directed the batteries to engage specific targets. 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 hostile aircraft.). It also assisted with the identification of friendly (U.S. or possibly Canadian) aircraft operatin in the region and prevented the Nike batteries from accidentally firing on them.

Missile Master was linked to the nationwide SAGE (Semi Automatic Ground Environment) air defense system which linked radar sites, computers, digital land lines, command and control facilities, fighter interceptor aircraft and anti-aircraft missile batteries.

Missile Master was very expensive to buy and was expensive to run (labor intensive). It was replaced during the mid-1960s at the Ft. Lawton site by a simpler and less expensive system known as "BIRDIE" for "Battery Integrated Radar Display Equipment". ]

S-92 Kingston C - 1 N Kingston, 27055 Ohio Ave ((I) AGC Laborers Training)
[{Bruni, F} (2012) all that is left of the Administrative/Tracker site is the original Administration building. The housing area located not to far from there is shut down and long since abandoned and it looks like that will soon go away as well. ]
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 474826, Long: 1222932 I first visited the site in '88 or thereabouts and a couple of the towers were still standing. ]
[{Needham, A} (the control site is somewhere on this map, east of the north/south road and south of the east/west road)]

L - W Kingston, 8998 Kingston Rd ((I) North Kitsap County School District; Specturm Alternative Center)
[{Bruni, F} (2012) not able to locate [laucher area]. This area has seen some considerable growth in recent times and the future is looking like all of this will soon be a memory. ]
[{Morgan, M} Lat: 474751. Long: 1223056 Note: Centered... ]

H-06 Saddle Mt. [{Morgan, M}at the northeast corner of the {Hanford] reservation, ... north of WA 24.]
C - 2 S Corfu, Saddle Mountain ((O))

L - 5 S Corfu, WA 24 ((O))

H-12 Othello C - 14 SW Othello ((O))

L - 15 SW Othello, Grant/Franklin County Line ((O))

H-52 Rattlesnake Mt. C - 11 WNW Benton City, Rattlesnake Mt. ((O)abandoned)
[{Jonasen, D} (April 2013) says the observatory is observing wind - lots there ;-)) ]
[{Packard, D} is atop Rattlesnake mountain and now houses an observatory operated by Battelle Northwest.]
[{Snowberg, P} The H 52 C control center at the top of Rattlesnake combined administrative, radar, and barracks functions in one building. Observatory - Rattlesnake mountain ]
[(Murdock, S) GPS 46-23-43 119-35-45 ]

L - 10 NW Benton City ((O)abandoned)
[{Jonasen, D} (April 2013) says the magazines are on Indian land and will be blown up. ]
[(Murdock, S) GPS 46-23-32, 119-32-03 ]
[{Houck, L} ... one of the underground silos was located at the base of Rattlesnake Mt. not much there that you can see but some concreat pads and some fences around the entrance to the underground facility. You cannot get to it unless you have a need to go there as it is within what they call the Arid-Land Preserve. Battelle switchboard (509)375-2121 ask for observatory. You can see the site from Hwy 240 between hwy 24 & 225, around here it is called 52L - If you come up here looking around and need a guide contact me and I can help ph.509-943-5502. ]

H-83 Priest Rapids [{Morgan, M}on the bluff above WA 24 across the bridge over the Columbia. ]
C - 8 E Desert Aire, N of WA 24 ((P) Saddle Mt. National Wildlife Refuge)

L - 8 E Desert Aire, N of WA 24 ((P) Saddle Mt. National Wildlife Refuge)

go to top


.
Wisconsin

For locations and views, fly in using Google Earth thanks to NikeSiteSearchers
Milwaukee
M-02 Milwaukee [River Hills]
M-20 Milwaukee
M-42 Cudahy
M-54 Hales Corners/ Paynesville
M-64 Muskego/ Prospect

M-74 Waukesha
M-86 Lannon [Menomonee Falls]
M-96 Milwaukee
Minneapolis/ St. Paul
MS-20 Roberts

Map of Chicago-Milwaukee Radar Ring (88 K bytes) Cities in red
[{Cocherell, H} text]
Web Site
Milwaukee Defense Area, by Neal Pritchett
Designation General Location Detailed Location (Current Status)
M-02 Milwaukee
[{Schafer, J}River Hills]
2040 W Brown Deer
[{Usher, R} (Sept 2004) Have been watching the site over the years go from dismantling,to being reclaimed by nature for awhile and now a subdivison. Pops shack (pump house) may still be standing. I know the guard shacks and gates were standing for quite awhile after the remainder of the site had been demolished. Launcher area looks to be a subdivison now also. ]
[{Schafer, J}Both radar and missile sites are gone and now an upper middle class subdivision, only a pump house remains on the north side of brown deer road within 1 mile west of interstate 43 on private land.]
M-20 Milwaukee 1200 Harbor Drive
[{Schafer, J} Radar and crew quarters are now a senior center 1/4 mile north of college avenue on south lake shore drive.]
[{Schafer, J}Launch site gone, was downtown on the lake front and is the Summerfest park just north of the Milwaukee river outlet.]
M-42 Cudahy 6100 S Lake
[{Piland, D} Our current Google Earth location for Cudahy, WI - M-42 - Launch Area says it is approximate. I have taken a look at the 1963 Aerial image from Historical Aerials and located the real location. Historical Aerials returns the lat/long as:
Lat 42.9448 ; Long -87.8479
It seems that they used that area to expand the golf course.]
M-54 Hales Corners/
Paynesville
2400 W Ryan

C -
[{Siegfried, William (Bill)} (Dec 2012) The IFC area, located east of S 76th street and north of W Ryan Rd. (100) seems completely obliterated. If there is anything left it may be some concrete roads that are currently under a couple inches of snow. The grounds north of the area is a prison and a police training facility. The area where most of the IFC area was is open field. Nothing to see here.

L -
[{Siegfried, William (Bill)} (Dec 2012) The Launch area, today located in the middle of an industrial park, is now used by the Franklin Fire department. The original entrance is a street just south of Airways Ave just behind the buildings. Make a left on 57th and right on Airways and you're following the original entrance route in. No trace of fencing or buildings remain. The parking area directly across from the Fire Department building still retains the outline of the refueling berm area but it has been leveled. Behind the Fire Department building, one of the magazines has been converted to a water storage facility with a pump house built on one end of the concrete covered elevator roof door. There is a hatch with a lock visible at the other end. There is no gate and the missile pad area is used as a parking area. The other two magazines to the north are covered, in part with a few feet of dirt and a paved parking area. We noticed an area in the pavement with cracks that look like it could be an elevator but not enough to say conclusively. No one was around during our visit but it's the kind of place that you could walk around without being considered a trespasser. Best to mention what you're doing if people are working though.

A -
[{Bandlow, K} ... the barracks located on 2400 W. Ryan road were recently torn down but as of a few years ago were used as a work release facility for the House of Correction.The launch site is in the middle of an industrial park, I've worked in the building next to it for almost 23 years, 23 years ago I'm told the facility was flooded for use as a water supply as the city of Franklin used a community well and could not adequately fight a fire in the industrial park. About 15 years ago they built a pumphouse on top of it, and within the last 10 years they paved over it for parking for my company. One of my coworkers reiterated a story to me that a few years ago it was pumped out and he and 2 management officials went down in it to check out its potential to be used for parts storage for us, they decided against it and it was reflooded.]

M-64 Muskego/
Prospect
C- College Ave.
[{Siegfried, William (Bill)} (Dec 2012) the IFC is located on Martin Dr. in between Ranch Dr. and East Dr. It is now the grounds of the I M Reynolds Machine Shop. It is a gated and secured area with many original buildings and perimeter fence. They were closed when we stopped by. This is not somewhere to walk through without permission. It appears from aerial photography that some remnants of the towers remain. A park next to the IFC opposite Ranch Dr. allows access to the rear fence line. We did not have time to walk up there to check it out but it looks like there may be a clear view of the rear area where the towers were. ]
[{Rzeznik, J} (May 2006) The Control center is on Martin Road, and was a machine shop (as of late last year). Many of the original buildings are still there along with the fence--but heavily modified.
[{Schafer, J}Radar and crew quarters are now a tool company on the north side of College Avenue 1/4 mile east of Small Road.

L - End of Arcadian Dr. off County Rd Y
[{Siegfried, William (Bill)} (Dec 2012) The Launch area is located at the cul-de-sac end of Adrian Dr. and is unfenced and accessible. From the numerous tracks in the snow it seems like a popular place to walk dogs. Two Nike buildings near the entrance are in current use as a home and a shed. The closest elevator is in the down position and a chain link cage is built over a missing section of the elevator roof door. Water level appears several feet deep inside. The second elevator is up and the crew stairway doors are locked with a modern key. The third elevator is up. With the exception of the locked crew door on the middle magazine all of the other entrances and hatches are covered with dirt, concrete blocks or debris. It would be a major job to dig one out. The entire area is in full view of the nearby homes. While there are several "No Trespassing" signs it seems like its commonplace for people to walk through. We saw no one on this cold, snowy day. ]
[{Rzeznik, J} (May 2006) The launch site was sold in 1965 to private hands, and is currently the site of a new subdivision. When I drove by there a few weeks ago, I saw nothing that indicated a Nike installation was there--just some really nice homes. ]
[{Schafer, J}The launch site is at the end of Arcadian Arive off of County Y. This site is perched on a hill and was hidden in the woods. My friend and I literally searched several miles of fields and woods on foot after biking 15 miles to the area. This took several searches after I located the radar site. My search area was a two mile radius from the radar site; I was an ambitious kid. The site was largely intact but underground doors were welded shut. This site was for sale three years ago and the land is being gradually converted to subdivision lots.]

M-74 Waukesha
Community Park ... Abandoned Cold War Missile Site and M-74 Nike Missile Site - Nov 16, 2022 - from Ron Plante
a web site from David J. Brouchoud - Dec 2017
[{Boggs,A} (Feb 2009) Web Site
[{Page, T} (March 2008) "Ex-missile site may become a park" - (Web site gone)
C - Davidson Road
[{Siegfried, William (Bill)} (Dec 2012) The IFC area is now called Hillcrest Park. Two radar towers are still standing. One is fairly complete (no radar unit) and the other is just the frame. If they could safely be made into observation towers the view would be great. There are a couple buildings in current use and there is a plaque near the flag pole which tells a little of the sites history. This area is open to the public. While part of the perimeter fence still exists it is not complete and the entrance is not gated. ]
[{Rzeznik, J} (May 2006) ... owned and maintained by the City of Waukesha--city received the parcels on October 30, 1972 under the Legacy of Parks program. Subsequently, an underground reservoir was put under the site. There is renewed interest in the site, and last I've heard from the mayor, the city was looking into having a Cold War museum established on the site along with refurbishing the two remaining buildings (mess hall and a radar building). Then again, for this to happen, the federal government would need to approve of it. ]
[{Schafer, J}Radar/crew quarters are now Hillcrest Park on Davidson road and buildings are over half gone. GPS coordinates N43 00.176' W088 11.641']

L -
[{Siegfried, William (Bill)} (Dec 2012) The Launch area has a padlocked gate which prevents vehicle access but there was a lot footprints and dog tracks in the snow. The concrete building on the right is accessible and the trail leading up to the launching area has some old light posts and fixtures that are not in use today. The actual launch site has been plowed over and filled in. Just some concrete areas poking through the snow. The city uses the place to store wood chips. ]
[{Rzeznik, J} (May 2006) The Federal government currently holds the deed to the launch site (was dismantled in 2000/2001; all three magazines filled in, launch rails, doors, etc. removed). However, the city can use the site to hold woodchips. There is one cement building that resembles a house--I believe it's a ready building. ]
[{Schafer, J}Launch site is now missile park, mostly dismantled, underground filled in. 1/4 mile east on county D from highway 164]

M-86 Lannon
[Menomonee Falls]
C - Lannon Rd (Menomonee Falls)
[{Siegfried, William (Bill)} (Dec 2012) gated and locked. All of the buildings look to be intact and in use. The radar tower site, located directly across the street, is also gated with a No Trespassing sign in the open entrance way. The fields surrounding both sides of the IFC are used as snowmobile trails with lots of activity today. ]
[{Morgan, M} (Oct 2012) This is the IFC that's split by Lannon Rd (N<>S), north of W Main and W Good Hope. Buildings are contained in the extreme northeast corner of Monomonee Park, surprisingly complete but also rotting into the ground, roofs collapsing, etc. "Radar row" was on the east side of Lannon, guard shack still standing and the road to the site quickly disappears into undergrowth. Also, a couple of "no trespassing" signs so I didn't attempt to get around the gate and up to the radar locations. Both components have signs on their fencing indicating Milwaukee Telephone Company. From looking at recent aerial imagery, the line where the radars were located is still out there, along with some foundations, junk, etc. Didn't see any shadows indicating the presence of towers (43-09-48N/088-09-49W)
[{Rzeznik, J} (May 2006) The Control Site was split by Lannon Road. Buildings on west side, radar on the right. The Buildings form the Park Offices for Menomonee County Park--the former barracks is used as a storage shed for mowers, etc., the Admin building's a shed, and the mess hall is a recreational building that can be rented out--my troop stayed there a couple years ago--really cool. Radar site is privately owned and gated. I did not see any structures on the site as of about two weeks ago. ]
[{Harris, T} Jan 2006, Lon=-88.0856849 Lat=431691964
[{Schafer, J}Radar Site (east side Lannon Road) and is vacant and privately owned]

L -
[Launch site near the corner of Menomonee road and Lannon Road and is privately owned and largely intact.]
[{Siegfried, William (Bill)} (Dec 2012) ... appears to be occupied with a home built near the launching pads. The snowy entrance was plowed clear and road inside the fence showed lots of recent tracks in the snow. The main entrance has a modern gate and is padlocked. No one was around to ask permission to enter so we didn't. This launch site appears to be very much intact and generally clear of clutter. This would be a great place to request a tour if the present owners are willing. ]
[{Morgan, M} (Oct 2012) North side of Menomonee Ave, NE of M-86C, east of Lannon. Privately owned, guard shack still standing plus a second cinder block building to the left of the gate. Could see the assembly building down the road; aerial imagery indicates the roof's off the assembly building but the launcher area is intact. There's also a house immediately south of the launchers with driveway access to the launcherrs, must be an entertaining drive in and out of the house (43-10-40N/088-09-32W)
[{Rzeznik, J} (May 2006) The ex-launch site has been up for sale--not sure if it was sold. There was a fire that severely damaged one of the buildings in April 1986. ]
[{Kosmeder, R} April 2005, ... is still intact and now up for sale. It is privately owned and has a house on it. I as just there for an open house. It needs work.
[{Neil, J} March 2005, Home on property listed for $530,000. MLS # 730751 ]
[{Schafer, J}Crew quarters are on the west side of Lannon Road and are now the Menomonee park headquarters.]
[{Gibson, J} (Sept. 1999) completely filled in and there is a house on top of it. No signs of any base there now, topside buildings are gone and mound barriers have been dozed over. ]

M-96 Milwaukee C - 4228 Silver Spring

L - 5010 Silver Spring
[{Mittermaier, Beth} (Jan 2005) We have site M-96 here at Havenwoods State Forest in Milwaukee. It is true that the site has been collapsed and filled in, however the detention pond that you refer to is not on the missile site; it is to the west of the site. ]
[{Holdorf, D} (Jan 2000) The city has just filled in the missile area after a clean-up and is now in the process of building a flood water retention pond on the north end where the missiles were. ]

MS-20 Roberts (about 25 miles E of St.Paul, 10 miles E Hudson,WI
[{Schilling, C} - May 2007 - I was not able to get into the site as the security has been updated and is active but from outside the gate I could see 3 tracking radar's on trailer's, a hipar and a lopar on site at the launch site. There is an anti aircraft gun outside the main gate.
- April 2007 - MS-20 privately owned ( I know his son-inlaw ) pits and elevators still work and the control center is a mini storage now. Buildings (C) are in a state of disrepair. I have not seen the launch site but am told that every thing works. Even the security is still functional. There is still a Nike on site at the Control Center. I plan another trip to the location this week to inspect further. ]

C - (abandoned)
[Anonymous - May 2007 - Sandy Brink owns the IFC site and has converted it to a self storage facility. His email address is: brink@nikestorage.com ]
[{Gibson, J} MS-20 is located on 120thST in Roberts Wi. Take Hwy12 West from Madison, When you get to Roberts you go past the citgo gas station on the right, go down 1/4 mile and on the right is 120th Street. Turn Right and go exactly 1.5 miles, the administration/radar site is on the left and the launcher area is 1/4 mile down 120th to the right. ]

L - (abandoned)
[Anonymous - May 2007 - ... also a storage facility and is owned by Jim Zeller. .. he and his brother have a variety of real estate business in Hudson, WI and Stillwater, MN ]
[{Gibson, J} (Sept 1999) MS-20 is 100% entact]

A tale involving this Nike site location
When I [Ed Thelen] was starting this web site in 1996, I of course purchased the book "Rings of Supersonic Steel" and then found there had been a Nike site near my home town. After a little investigating, I was on the phone with the owner of ?the launcher area?. He said that he had been trying to set up a Nike Museum, buying Nike equipment, but was now in trouble with the U.S. government, which said that the equipment he had been buying had been stolen, and wasn't his after all. He did not sound happy!
Here is a write-up in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, 24 July 1997 image of newspaper, OCRed text.

go to top

Return to Home Page, Return to Nike Location index
go to previous, go to top, go to next


If you have comments or suggestions, Send e-mail to Ed Thelen

Updated Dec, 2022