Nike Missle Base C-47 (Abandoned)

C-47 information:
http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/aviation/nik.htm
http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/6540/wheeler.html

Nike Missle Program information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Nike

My Name is Joe Bencze. I remember very well the tours that our school had took through C-47 missle base. I also remember clinbing to the roof of our house and seeing the big golf ball. Which was the radar tower. Me and a few other buddies even climbed the fence at the missle silo after it closed down just to be able to say we were there. The underground doors had no locks on the latches at that time. We were gonna go down and check things out. But we all chickened out. I really wished now we would have and took some pics. I also remember one day walking to school(george l myers) and they did a missle test. I watch the missle go up and they detonated it. It was so loud and caused the ground to shake. It brought me to me knees. I really truely think that someone should make it a historical site. I wished I would have took pictures of the site when it was operational. Was really a site to see back then. Both the nike base and missle silos. Just wished I could see some pics when it was operational, would really bring back memerories. Even the abandoned pics do that. Just dosen't show the true nature of the bases when they were operational. Was really a couple sites to see back then. Would really be cool if they do make it a historical site and bring everything back as it once was. I bet you'd make the money back. Even at $20.00 a ticket. I'd be the first in line. I can At least say they are very bold memerories to be.  Just wished someone would take it and show some of the history that once was in our back yard.

Joe,

I went to college at Valpo and, for a photography class, spent an entire day photographing the base -- luckily, there was a massive gap in the fence that I could get through ;)  It was absolutely one of the best locations I've ever shot and one of the more surreal memories of my life so far.  The silos are all still open, but completely filled with water.  Most of the buildings are still in pretty good shape, but heavily grown over.

And I was very dissappointed to learn that the separated command center (a mile or so north), including the supports that use to hold the radar towers, is now a paint-ball range.

After doing a lot of research, I believe there had been a movement a few years ago to get this listed as a historical site, but it's fallen through for some reason.  It was still owned by the goverment, but I seem to remember it being recently privately bought.

I've been meaning to post many of the pictures I took out there.  I'll mention it here when I do!

i took my 7 year old son there a few weeks ago just to show him the base, and took some photos and posted them on my facebook page. to bad it's run down now, but what a great place to explore and see the past. and the radar site is neat also, now it's a paintball camp, but the radar towers are still there. pics can be found on my facebook page bobby ruszel