Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Until we arrived at Badlands National Park, we were not aware that the National Park Service had recently opened two nearby Minuteman Missile sites to visits by tourists. The sites, which had been run by the air force during the Cold War, were shut down as part of the arms reduction treaties negotiated with the Soviet Union. A launch command center and one of the silos it controlled, were turned over to the National Park Service several years ago, and the Park Service now conducts tours of very small groups (six people per tour, two tours per day). We were lucky enough to be able to make an advance reservation for our last scheduled day in the Black Hills to take one of these tours.

At the launch control facility, you go down a small elevator to the underground bunker where the missile control officers could turn the keys that would launch the 10 missiles under their command. Entry into the command bunker was through a massive, blast proof steel door several feet thick . Two missal control officers would be stationed in this bunker on a rotating basis, twenty four hours at a time. The tiny space inside was filled with a large variety of communications and electronic control equipment leaving only space for a small bunk and toilet. We had an opportunity to see where and how the “two-key” launch mechanism would operate and how the missile control officers would select targets for their missiles, bring them up to launch readiness and then conduct the launch in the event of a nuclear war. A very spooky reminder of the Cold War.

The tour then takes visitors 11 miles down the road to one of the ten missile silos controlled by that launch facility. It was surprising to us that all of the missile silos scattered around South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming were all unmanned – the only personnel were those stationed at the launch control center miles away. An understandably labor-efficient way to operate, but in these days of terrorists threats, it was more than a little unnerving to find out how many missiles had been scattered over the country-side with no immediate, on-site security personnel. Those were the good ole days !!!!!! A very enjoyable tour, albeit a bit of a strain since the temperature out at the silo was 100 degrees in the sun – and there were no shade trees to be seen for miles and miles and miles.

p.s. For those interested in seeing the nuclear silo in question, it can be found on interstate 90 at exit 116 which is 287th Avenue. What in the heck is the basis for naming that dirt track in the middle of nowhere 287th Avenue???????