The Incredibly Unique Park That’s Right Here In Illinois’ Own Backyard
Few Illinoisans know about the incredibly unique park hiding in Addison. Even fewer know about its devious history. Some of the old structures on site were built more than 30 years ago, and you’ll be surprised to learn why.
This play place that is now for children was once a dangerous military zone. Scroll on to check it out:
Nike Park in northern Illinois is situated in a western suburb of Chicago where you'd never expect to find something like this. It is an old missile launch site that was converted into an exciting public park.
Built during the Cold War, this is just one of many launch sites that popped up around the nation during the 1950s. Today, it is surrounded by beautiful baseball diamonds, fun playgrounds, and tennis courts.
This 6.5-acre land was given over to the Addison Park District once all the missiles, launchers, and equipment were removed. There is really no evidence of the actual launch site, but an ancient control tower still exists on the northwest side.
Today, the park is part of the Fullerton Country Forest Preserve, which spans 197 acres in total. In addition to man-made attractions, you'll also find meadows, marshes, forestry, and swamps.
It can be difficult to find this unique park. The entrance is off Rohling Road with just a small sign (pictured above) to alert you. Stop by anytime during daylight hours.
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
