An Unexpected Piece Of History Is Hiding Underground In The Middle Of Nowhere In North Dakota
Deep underground in this spot miles from any town or city, out in the middle of nothing but fields, lies an unexpected piece of history that at some point might have saved the entire country – or sparked World War III. From the surface it doesn’t look like there’s much to see other than a few buildings, but underneath the ground is more than you could ever imagine at first glance.
This site lies north of Cooperstown, North Dakota and was once a key and integral part of the United State’s defense against potential nuclear warheads coming in from places like the Soviet Union, now Russia, during the suspenseful and tense days of the Cold War. The state of North Dakota once held enough nuclear power in hidden, underground silos to be considered one of the most powerful places in the world.
Today, all of the missiles have been removed and the silos have been either repurposed or left abandoned, except for here. The Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site has been left intact like a time capsule. It’s open for tours, and the experience is one of a kind.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
Although this is filled in now, this was the silo that used to hold the actual missile. It was over 90ft deep in order to fit a suspended 60-foot tall Minuteman Missile inside. The missile was built and ready to destroy any incoming missiles headed for the United States. While the silo has been filled, 50 feet under the surface is a hidden bunker that holds all of the launch controls and more.
After riding an elevator down 50 feet underground, you will enter through this passage to the control bunker, where history could have easily been made but luckily never had to happen.
You can see in this photograph from the 1960s one of the men who worked at the controls and could have had to act in a vital moment to protect the country.
These were the very controls that could have done just that. Notice at the top it says "TOP SECRET." There are not many places where you can see these kind of things up close and personal. You are even allowed to hold the very launch key that would have been used to set the missile off while touring the place. It is truly a unique experience!
To discover more information about the site, visit the Historical Society of North Dakota’s page on it here.
Another unusual and unexpected historic site in North Dakota that is a remnant of the same era is this strange pyramid standing out in the middle of the prairie. Who knew that the Peace Garden State was so integral during the Cold War?
Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
Love North Dakota?
Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!
