Scouting An Abandoned Cold War Missile Base Hidden In The Adirondacks
Quick note: Though you may have read about this property before, most articles have simply reprinted the same stock real estate photos over and over. As always, all pictures are my own work, and I don’t think you’ll find a tour like this anywhere else.
When you first see it in the distance, you wouldn’t think it anything other than a picturesque home in the Adirondacks:
But this house has a secret.
As you head for the door, chopped wood piled high around the porch almost invites you in to warm up over a roaring fire.
Inside, the spacious living room is indeed a cozy place to escape the winter’s cold…
…with enormous windows offering breathtaking views of the surrounding Saranac Valley:
Just about the last thing you’d notice is this door:
After all, it seems like nothing other than a closet, or maybe a door to the basement. But if you were to try the door, you’d find it locked.
It’s about then you might notice the keypad on the wall beside the door, and perhaps become curious about what was on the other side. If you were to enter the correct keycode, the door would swing open…
…revealing a long staircase surrounded by cement walls…
…leading to a 2,000 pound steel blast door:
Why would you need a 2,000 pound steel blast door in the middle of the Adirondacks?
Because this particular house was built on the site of a 9-story Cold War-era Atlas F underground missile launch site – and it’s still there:
Backstory: I was in upstate New York over Christmas break when I read an article in the local paper about a man who had purchased a decommissioned 1960’s missile launch site in 1995, built a few houses and an airstrip on the property, and was now looking to sell it ($750k and it’s yours! click here!), or perhaps lease it for film production use.
I. HAD. TO. SEE. THIS. PLACE.
I immediately contacted the owners, who graciously provided me with a tour which I am thrilled to present below.
There are not one but two blast doors at the entrance to the facility:
Here, you find yourself at the top of a cement staircase, which takes you to both the missile launch control room and the 9-story silo:
Our first stop was the former launch control room, which has been renovated by the owners into a multi-story living space.
Back in the 1960’s, this would have been filled with computers used to launch and guide an intercontinental ballistic missile armed with a nuclear warhead in the event of, well, Armageddon ala Dr. Strangelove. Hundreds of such launch sites were built throughout the United States, including 12 Atlas F facilities in the Plattsburgh area.
To get a sense of where we are in the facility, here’s a schematic of the launch control center (we entered down that long staircase, passed through the blast doors, and continued into launch control):
See the tube marked Escape Hatch? The original escape hatch is still there to this day, and actually was one of the easiest ways of loading building materials in and out of the complex during renovations:
But of course, the real question is: what did the missile launch computer look like? Here it is, courtesy of the insanely informative SiloWorld.net site.
That’s an actual Atlas-F Launch Control Center pictured above. While skimming through the 537 page Atlas base instruction manual (of course there was a manual! Click here to read it – 29mb PDF), I came across a schematic of the computer layout complete with labels. I’m not exactly sure which one is the launch button – click below for a much larger picture:
I’m curious if this phone was also involved – it looks like you’d insert a key to “Commit.”
Meanwhile, this is the countdown monitor panel, located on one of the banks of computers in the background of the picture above:
A facility like this cost around $18,000,000 in 1958, nearly $400,000,000 in today’s dollars. And yet by the mid-1960’s, all of the Atlas facilities were decommissioned, rendered obsolete by the next generation Titan II rocket (and later, the Nuclear Arms treaty). In fact, this particular silo, which opened in 1962 and closed in 1965, was never even equipped with a missile.
Sadly, the military ripped out anything of proprietary value from the launch control and silo, including the computers. A lot of cool ornamentation remains though, like these original lighting fixtures:
I’m not sure why, but circular rooms centered around enormous cement columns have such a definitive retro-by-way-of-1950’s-futurism feel:
A winding staircase was installed by the new owners…
…taking you to an additional room below…
…complete with a marble bathroom!
But now for the good stuff: the silo. We continued down the main staircase to the bottom floor:
From there, we passed through another enormous steel door…
…into a tube-shaped hallway…
Reverse on the door: these doors would all be latched shut in the event of a launch:
We continued through yet another huge door…
Beside it, cables connecting the launch control room to the silo would have passed through these openings:
The mesh floor, now rusted with age:
One final steel door…
And then we were in the missile silo:
The missile would have originally sat in the space beyond the railing…
…and man is that a drop!
The silo would have of course looked completely different during its operating days:
Something like this today…
…would have looked like this in the 1960’s:
So what happened to the facility after it was decommissioned? Incredibly, the entire complex was flooded with water. This was actually standard government policy for decommissioned silos, as it was a surefire way to prevent trespassing. Also, according to one person I spoke with, the area around this particular silo was quite a bit more rough and tumble during the 1960’s due to a local mining operation, and there was concern that bodies might end up ditched in the silo.
This is one of many pipes that brought in water from the nearby Saranac river:
It took months and months to pump out the water, and it was actually in pretty good condition when it first came out. In fact, a bunch of silos remain flooded to this day, and you can actually scuba dive in some!
The missile was held in a “crib,” which would have raised it up for launch through a pair of doors at ground level. Those doors have since been sealed…
However, if you go above the silo…
…there’s still a vent over where the missile would have risen up:
One very cool artifact remains from this process…
The enormous hardware which would have opened the silo doors:
Below, a schematic showing how it functioned:
Another cool relic from the silo’s operating days…
The entire missile crib apparatus was attached to enormous shocks, which were intended to absorb the kick-back of a rocket taking off:
The springs pictured above attach to enormous crib supports mounted on the walls:
Today, it’s a bit difficult to get from level to level. A spiral staircase still runs up all nine levels…
However, the elevator is long gone:
Below, what the silo elevator would have looked like, with emergency breathing masks:
It’s almost unbelievable to think that in just 50 years, this…
…and this…
…became this:
Maybe that’s a good thing, in a way.
Being located north of Albany, it’d be quite a commute for your average film crew to go that far from New York City for a film shoot. But for the right movie or TV show looking to spend days or weeks on location, this could be a dream location (ahemJamesBondahem). Not only do you get a beautiful mountain home and defunct missile silo…
There’s also an FAA approved 2,050-foot runway…
…acres and acres of woodland…
Gorgeous views…
And even a log cabin!
Just be sure to set up the Locations Department in this room:
Touring this place was really incredible, and I can’t thank the owners enough for allowing me access. For additional information and to get in contact, simply go to www.silohome.com.
I’ve been to pretty much everything, from abandoned castles to top of the line penthouses, but an Adirondacks vacation house built over a defunct Cold War-era missile silo? That’s something special.
-SCOUT
PS – This is from the beginning of the Atlas F Missile Site Instruction Manual – I love that a cute girl was used among the pictures to get you to STOP! on this page:
PPS – Fore more info, pictures, and videos of missile silos, definitely check out:
Seems too good to be true, and after the Sleep No More post I don’t know when to believe you!
cool! great pics
Amazing! Thanks for this one.
Are they taking reservations for 12/21/12?
amazing! a bit claustrophobic for me….would be a great site for a movie!
Very interesting love to visit or even have a place like that.
Fascinating – thanks very much for posting it. The first of the archival photos is chilling, BTW – maybe one of the best illustrations of the banality of Cold War evil that I’ve seen.
I would buy that in a minute if I had $750K. I always wanted to be an evil genius with a lair. It seems I’m only lacking 3 things: the genius, the evil and the money to purchase the lair.
Is that a disco light hanging in the living room???
WOW….great place. Calling 007…..perfect for a James Bond movie!
Very cool. Thanks for this post Scout.
Fascinating!
My only complaint: the material you’re referencing is concrete, not cement. Cement is an ingredient that goes into making concrete. Just an FYI. 🙂
$750k? Living in the bay area is depressing.. my apartment costs more than that if I were to buy it…
I love this place. Angie and I are saving to buy one of these for our Zombie Survival bunker! Thanks Nick!
That launch control room bedroom is amazing. Except I don’t think I could live in a room with no windows…
Just put a 60″ HD LED connected to some HD CCTV and you get some exterior view…
$750K, I would have thought some survivalist would have been all over that property.
You need to Stop! That was too wild to be real. This was the best ever.
I live not far from there. I’ve been in the area many times and we have places around our town with decommisioned missal sites. We met alot of the people building them. They were from all over the country. Our neighbors were from California. I believe the sites around here are not in as good shape as this one. I wouldn’t like to live in one unless it was made more cozy. I like cushy furniture and frills. You know, plants and quilts and paintings, etc. I agree it would make a neat place for a spy film.
I am so jealous. I have always been so fascinated by anything underground. Especially some missile silos!! Crazy to think of how many were all over the country not long ago.
I lived in something like that once… it was called a Ballistic Missile Nuclear Submarine.
Cool pics though. Kinda makes the $10,000 toilet seat seem trivial when you consider it was never even used!
If one should use the bottom of the silo to grow (ahem) plants for a niche market, would the heat be noticeable?
A minor correction: you say “A facility like this cost around $18,000,000 in 1958, nearly $400,000,000 in today’s dollars” but in fact that would be about $134,000,000 in today’s dollars.
Source: http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi
Owning this would be really fun if you were an experienced model-rocket builder, with the ability to scale things up significantly, and could obtain some uranium. All you’d need are the GPS coordinates for Teheran and you’d be good to go!
“All you’d need are the GPS coordinates for Teheran and you’d be good to go!”
That’s a disgusting thing to say, even if you’re joking.
Your take on it is the best laugh I’ve had today -but sadly,
you’re so right! I think I’ll just read it over and over.
That must have been a bit scary! TKS for your efforts.
You would love to visit this underground munitions factory if you ever get the chance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machon_Ayalon
Hey Scout! We think you did a really wonderful job with this article! I have forwarded as far away as Australia, and several other places! What a cool place! Thanks for the article!
Oh Bupi… spooky wants! spooky waaants!
Thanks, Thanks, and Thanks!!
Nick,
We have all seen the realty ad shots of this site for many years.
Your shots and story totally brought it home for me!
By far your best post ever. Very well done.
Holy crap that was so freaking cool. Now where can I find 4750k……
Cool post, but I wouldn’t want to spend a night in that house, seriously.
Was there a giant Big Boy statue stowed in the silo, ready for launching? Oh Behave!
But really, Wow. How creepy and cool to see this!
Just yesterday I was looking at these photos: Lana Slator sneaks into a Russian rocket factory. She’s your Moscow counterpart, maybe!
Chris lol my thoughts exactly. Without winning the lottery, there is no way in **** that I could afford this. Still fun to fantasize about it but I’m going to have to wait another 15 years when I’m 35 to afford something like that, if were still here lol. I really enjoyed the pictures posted. I had no Idea the shape of actual silo but looks pretty good considering it was flooded with water for years. If I were to buy it, I’d probably spend another 15 years fixing up the silo section. I’d try to make it floors with stairs leading to the next level all the way down. Overall I’d say it looks pretty cool and opens up doors of possibilities.
меняю на квартиру в Москве
Nice shots! The place has been for sale for years. Always wanted to see some pics, thanks!
Wow, this really blew me away! Excellent job w/t pics and the story. I’m surprised some apocalypse survival nut hasn’t bought it.
А в России некоторые ракетные комплексы взорвали по договору с Американцами, в том числе и под моим городом, жаль конечно, но зато я могу в пределах города посещать убежища времён холодной войны:P
GREAT post! How interesting! The whole ‘this house has a secret’ really captured my attention 🙂 Fantastic photos… makes me want to visit this place!
Nick, you have the coolest job ever. Viewing these pics took me to one of my most favorite movies, Dr. Strangelove. Hard to believe in this day and age that this was normal once upon a time.
Hi, Without knowing what you were reading, you actually listed the launch mechanism. its the figure with the phone. The first step once a message was received and authenticated was to remove two keys from a lock box. The silo had two operators who sat about 15-20 feet across from each other. Both were officers and one was the commander. Keys were inserted into the keyhole next to the phone. At this point a series of buttons and switches were flipped/turned, pressed to enter the information. The phone would ring at the secondary officers station for final verification and the keys would be turned and the missle committed……
It would go something like this:
***Warble************
(over speaker)
Message Follows: AABTY872V9……
A(Commander) I have a valid launch message
B(Secondary) I concurr
A: Remove Key
**each officer would then open a lock on thekey box and take out their respective key*****
—Now they would start entering information from a manual that was also kept under lock and key. They would read from the manual step by step to arm, program, and launch—–
A: Unstable the missle
B: Check
A: Program in-flight switch enable
B: Check
B: Program online codes inserted
A: Roger
A: Enable Switch enabled
B: Roger
–at this point one of the two phones would ring with a final authorization call———-
A: Key turn on my mark
5….4…3…2…1
The key was turned and the missle launch was committed…….the doors would fly open—literally and the missle would launch. The silo crew, now having done its mission gets to kick back and wait to die……
The reason the survivalists have stayed away from this one is mostly New York State’s high taxes and restrictive gun laws. There are plenty of silos in a more do-it-yourself condition available cheaper in more desolate locations.
There was a GREAT Strategic Air Command communications relay bunker in north Georgia a couple years ago. Wish I could have gotten that one.
Wow, this makes me nervous just looking at it. Too many “bomb” drills done at school as a little kid in the 60’s. Gets my heart racing just thinking about it. It is really cool though, except I wouldn’t go down there! I can’t believe you can scuba in them too, that really freaks me out! BTW there was a really cool bomb shelter built into the side of a hill next to the fire station in Wilbaham MA as an example for the townspeople to see how to build their own. It got covered up in foliage since people stopped going to look at it in the 70’s, but I poked around last summer and took some pictures through the filthy windows. Inside were all the food products and toys of 1958, but the mannequins inside were a little disheveled. I just went by there last week and saw they destroyed it, cut the trees down in front of it and emptied it out. I can’t help thinking they saw me nosing around, opening the hatch etc. It was so untouched for years, I feel bad. But maybe they were planning on doing that anyway, I’ll never know.
Ah yea my first kiss from the girl under her desk next to me,i told her man i’ll never get to kiss a girl before we get blown up,she met me later behind the baseball backstop 🙂
now i know why deferiet/carthage ny felt so comfy during the late 40’s and 50’s. best place on earth.
I’m going to buy a lottery ticket tonight. If I win, I’ll buy the place!
LOST!
Hey Scout!
This location is being covered on CBS Sunday Morning in a couple minutes. Maybe they read your blog too!
Oh, no! It was a silo in the midwest being turned into condos. My mistake!
I have known about and have studied this particular property for a number of years now. I must say that this by far the most detailed and most accuracte depiction that I have run across to date. You have done an outstanding job. The use of the pictures as a slide-show type presentation is more powerful than the use of video. Also you concentrated on the “good stuff” which is the silo where as most approaches are from a Real Estate Sales person trying to sell a luxury home perspective. I believe the owners are asking $750K just for the silohome and all other properties are “extra” bringing the entire package upwards of $1.8 Million. My prediction is that this will sell by the end of 2012. Not because of the Mayan calender but because America may be going on another 4 years without a president. -TJ
codes require living/sleeping rooms to have windows etc.
I live in this area.
As a very young guy I worked on the perimeter lighting(for the 24 hr work schedule)
Picked beautiful jewel stones off the bottoms of the several I was involved with.
A note about the computers- there were two whole floors, with air conditioning to keep the Vacuum tubes cool — it could only tell the missile where it was in relation to the north star!!
Later while working for the power company in Ellenburgh 3 am call out to that missile base. One leg of the three phase power was out so the missle ran through its –every-bodies desd procedure-
as we drove up to the fence those giant doors opened lights were flashing and sirens wailing My heart still races as I can still picture it. The Officer in charge calmed us and after we corrected the power problem gave us the grand tour.
When you opened that escape hatch many tons of fine sand filled the tube as protection to the occupants came flooding into the interior/ VERY eerie/scary even after all these years!!
even if you bought it for $1.00 ,Enviroment would step in and make the new owners clean it up. and that would be millions.
Scout, thank you for an informative article. As an electrician, for the state of NY, in the 70’s, SUNY Plattsburgh had us going down into a few of the silos in the area. Prior to the college closing out their operations there, we had to go remove some of the cables the USAF left in there, and emergency generators. A slight correctionas well: the doors to that silo were 20 ton concrete slabs, and they opened in about 30 seconds or so. The missiles were lowered into the silo through those concrete doors. And the end of that runway is over those doors. (A friend of mine is the mechanic that works on the two planes of the owner of that facility. He couldn’t believe it the first time he went there.)
Cool pics but where are all the pics of “Naked Guys” !!
Frightening when you realize that aliens could have triggered these things like they did in England and Kansas…
I want to film my next project there! Who do I contact?
Silohome.com
Ground control to Major Tom, Lift off is counting down,
10,
09,
08,
07,
06,
05,
04,
03,
02,
01
We have a lift off – All systems are a go and counting.
I lived in one those 24 hours on duty, 24 hours off duty for 18 months in Altus OK area
I worked for the FAA in that era but folks in our office didn’t have any information on such operations. kbk
I was a 46350 during my 4 years, (USAF, ’64-’68).
Our nukes were delivered horizontally, not vertical.
HOW Much JUST for the “HOUSE” or RENT???????????
June–You are the most informed person to view this article. I, like you, cringe at the number of times people refer to concrete as cement! Even in many of the do it yourself programs the host refers to concrete as cement. How uninformed. Concrete is a mixture of sand, aggregate, cement, and water with cement being the glue that holds it all together. Good for you for knowing the truth.
WOW! I am so impressed by your vast knowledge regarding concrete. You must be a cement truck driver. Oh, I’m sorry, I meant a concrete truck driver.
That was the most incredible facility that I have ever seen and would love to see more of these taken over by people who would preserve them.
I agree Becky! That was the most amazing thing I’ve seen in a long time! Thanks Scout for making it so interesting.
Dick and Jane are correct about the “cement”.
The renovated portion is very cool. I’d convert the escape hatch into a reflective light tube and bring daylight into the space. All that grey paint is lead based: an enormous environmental issue.
So gald we’re past the “Duck and Cover” phase. Had we fired these monsters, the world would be a different place, if it was a place at all. Let’s hope Iran and Isreal have the wisdom to restrain themselves.
who cares whether its cement or concrete…
What memories these pictures stir. Spent a couple of years in one of these as a part of the 550th SMS at Schilling AFB, Salina, KS. Much more pleasant surrounding at the present time.
Hi, This was really interesting to check out. Especially since I was stationed at Plattsburgh Air Force Base and lived in Malone, NY. Thanks for taking the time to post.
You would be the sitting duck in the next big one!
There were a large number of these sites around the 60s Nike days. A few miles outside Alvarado Texas are 2 sets of 3 silos, a control/barracks facility, runway and misc. buildings. It’s still under government security and inhabited.
I was an LGM-30A (Minuteman) missile commander in the 1960’s. The Air Force phased out the Atlas F missiles in favor of the solid fuel minutemen. Although I had plenty of time in Minuteman launch control facilities, I had never seen an Atlas F launch control site. This was really interesting.
One heck of a place this is what every home owner needs.
If I had the BIG$$$ I would buy that place and turn it into a dungeon/nightclub/private club! Unlimited Imagination!
Quite amazing. Potentially, it might even make for a great location for a brewery. They could call it ‘Cold War Brewing Company’, and produce such notables as Atlas Amber Ale, Nuclear Pale Ale, Silo Stout, and Apocalypse Barley Wine.
wow! all that earth dug up! all that money spent! all that energy used! and all because of ‘hate’
This site is where I pulled my first crew duty as a Deputy Crew Commander in 1962.
I was stationed here with the 556th Strategic Missile Squadron (1961-1965). Don’t know why you were told there was no nuclear missile in this site….there was!
I worked for Bethlehem Steel in the early 60’s and I was at Rapid City for the installation of Titan missel sites and at Minot N. Dakota for the intallation of 150 Minuteman missel sites and 15 centers. They all held neucular missels at one time.
I live a 1/4 mi. from one of these sites and actualy went down inside the silo back in the late 70’s. Pretty amazing!!!! What is more amazing is that i never realized what it was or why it was there as i was growing up. Just new it was called the “Missile Base”. Was to young to comprehend what it’s purpose was. It has since been filled in and closed up, but the perimeter fence and gates are still there!!! Hope such a place is never needed again!!!
Great website. Great photos and story line.
Great place to hide from Obama
I was a lowly airman in the USAF in late 1960’s, stationed at Stewart AFB in Newburgh NY, home of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) at that time. I was a carpenter and at one point I had to get a security clearance to do a job in the huge door and windowless blockhouse. I can’t recall just how monstrous this concrete cube was but it was big!!! There was a single entry behind a blast wall and I was told that the building was designed to withstand a direct nuclear hit, something tells me that was a very optimistic design parameter and no one would be around to certify its invulnerability after a direct hit. Once I passed the security check, I was given a can of WD40 and told to report to the guardhouse. I was escorted into a huge amphitheater that was right out of Dr. Strangelove. On both sides of the stage were lists of all the major cities in the Northeast and the caption at the top of the list was “Number of Deaths in Megadeaths”. I stood frozen at the sight and was brought back to reality by my escort informing me that I needed to attend to my mission. One of the General’s was complaining about his swivel chair squeaking, distracting him from tallying up the death reports, I guess. I sprayed some WD40 (it could have been 3 in 1 oil, I was too distracted to make note of it) and my job was done. I have no idea if the blockhouse remains, the base is now a civilian airport but it is another cold war relic you might want to look into.
This looks like Site 10 of the 556th Strategic Missile Squadron. I pulled duty (with my crew – total of 5) in all Atlas F silos at one ti9me or another between 1962 and 1965. In i962, we were on alert with contractors there because they would have had to help us elevate the missile (the silos were’ne fully finished). We were there when they were shut down. There were 12 sites around Plattsburgh AFB. They had to be at least 24 miles from the base. The silo at which I normally pulled my 24 hour stint was at Chazy Lake, NY – beautiful spot. The site you show, is, I think, site 10, our alternate command post. Normally, we were taken to and from the pad by helicopter so we could be on duty before the rest of the crews changed over that day. I have too many swtories to tell to cover here, but I am looking, right now, at my blue Missile Combat Crew Commander hard hat (on top of the desk at which I now sit. We had to spend two periods of training at Vandenburg AFB, CA to be fully qualified. Only there did we ever see an actual Atlas F shot. Ours, around Plattsburgh AFB, had a nuclear weapon as its “re-entry vehicle,” so you can see that it wouldn’t have been prudent to shoot one of ours.
Generally speaking, the firing sequence was, 1. Load the liquid oxygen (Lox) onto the missile (it sat there with RP-1 (pretty much kerosene) on borad, while the Lox was s5tored in huge “vacuum tanks” along the bottom sides of the silo. 2. After the guidance checked itself, we turned the keys at two at different levels of the “cocoon” which was our “office” 40 feet along its own tunnel from the silo containing the missile, Lox tanks, two huge generators, and many other things. We had to turn the keys within 2 seconds of each other or the sequence did not happen. This was to ensure unintentional or intentional firing without proper Presidential authority to launch. There were other safeguards too. The huge cement and steel ground-level doors would then blow off, and the missile would rise to the surface on iots elevator. When it was all the way at the surface, it would than fire and that was it. Thank God we never had to fire one. That proves, that all that money and time spent by thousands of people worked! We never had WWIII.
Bob McCartney
Colonel, USAF (Ret)
I imagine heating, air-conditioning and the overall electric bill is kind of steep.
Not sure that a 2000 pound blast door would keep my wife out. Could the owner put in a 3000 pound one.
Thanks,
Great place
Randy
Pretty cool stuff…right in our own backyard
So cool! There are sites all over upstate NY and Vermont.
Attended Paul Smith’s College (1954-1956) Intersection of Routes 30 & 86 approximately 12 miles North of Saranac Lake. Wonder how far missle site location is from Paul Smiths, N. Y. George S.
WOW. As a Schenectady NY girl, all of NY was my playground, you never know what is in your own backyard!!! AMAZING!!!
sick. echo’s of adolf hitler, and a super power.
Quite an improvement over the Pima Air Museum Green Valley Museum site south of Tucson, AZ.
This is absolutely amazing, and a brilliant piece of photojournalism. Thanks for sharing !
one of the 12 Atlas F missile base sites was half a mile from my home in Willsboro NY. I clearly remember that particular time when the sites were active.
Having lived in Platssburgh since the early 60’s, with the Strategic Air Command base flying B-52’s loaded with nukes, the Tactitcal Air Command flights, and the active Atlas silos (which occasionally shook the apples off the orchard trees when tested in Peru and Chazy) we were constantly aware of living in a state of near war. The fact that the Plattsburgh AFB was involved in the loss of 3 nuclear weapons in flights over Greenland and Spain did contribute to its closure, but the silos remain, as do memories of some rather revelatious revelry at times in my youth.
As owner of Atlas F site S-6 near Lawn, Texas, I wanted to complement you on a superb tour of a site I’ve seen “documented” more than any site in America. In spite of the proliferation of photos and comments over the years, your detailed site review is SECOND TO NONE! Congrats on a very well done job. Come to Texas anytime you’re interested in visiting Dyess AFB’s Atlas F sites. Again, thank you for your excellent work. Larry “Satch” Sanders
Hi Larry,
Just read the article on the old Atlas rocket site in up state NY and saw you actually own one too, near Lawn, Texas. I’m curious if your site also was filled with water and/or soil when you got it. Also, did you get yours directly from Uncle Sam and if you would share I am interested what yours cost you?
Thanks in advance for your reply and for your time.
Hey Scoutingny,
I just stumbled across this and During the Cold War, nuclear strikes were amongst some of the greatest fears American’s experienced. The threat of a nuclear weapon attack spurred the development of civil defense in the United States. This was an effort to prepare non-combat citizens for military attack and the aftermath of a nuclear attack. Different plans were put in place to give citizens some peace of mind as to how to survive after major devastation took place.
Keep up the good work
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return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post.
I’ll certainly return.
My siblings inherited an abandoned missle base outside of Winters TX. Our father built a 3 bedroom home on it. He didn’t fix up the two floors underneath. The silo is 180 feet in diameter. I’m not sure of the depth. However it is half full of ground water. This property may come up for sale after we finish putting it through probate.
Billy, I live in TX and would love to show my kids an old silo as part of our homeschool program. If your family would be up for it can you email me back at keah_jax@yahoo.com
I personally with enough money behind me, would remove all the stuff from the silo and turn it into something liveable.. or gut it out build one heck of an underground lair.. i love basements have since i was a kid, and to me this scream one heck of a basement to play with. you can use artificial lighting that mimics sunlight put in an elevator for easy access to all levels. not sure how to control temps during winter, but come summer youd literally have the coolest house around. from what ive seen or the missle silos for sale, you have typically a small house disguising the underground silo, an entry way that has 2-3 rooms, a tunnel that leads to a silo that could make at least 5 levels (40 shaft /8ft ceeiling = 5 levels) thats a heck of alot of potential real estate (and if your state has recycling of steel, cut out the steel beams and flooring your replacing and turn it in for cold hard cash to build your new domain.
Excellent post, i for sure love this website, continue on it.
Great article. My plan is to purchase a bunker/silo before my first home. Do you have any suggestions? I live in western Massachusetts. Would preferably like to have something before December. Thanks. Jess
My tax dollars at work building this! I can just imagine the upkeep the owner has with water problems. I have a sump pump in my basement, I would guess he has a massive size pump in his “basement”.
These are the freakiest places ever! I know people who’ve been in freaky places like inside grain elevators and old power stations; but this tops as the freakiest of all! I would go down there just to take photos. To live in it would be a wonderful thing! I have an unlimited list of things I can do with a missile silo like this!
I find this so utterly fascinating. I’m just green with envy at wanting something like this!!! Spectacular!!