Posted in Texas December 18, 2018 by

One Of The Last WWII Blimp Hangars Is Right Here In Texas And It’s So Worth A Visit

Texas is home to some pretty amazing war history, one piece of which is located in a tiny town where less than 7,000 people live. The Hitchcock Naval Air Station, located approximately 15 miles northwest of Galveston, is one of the country’s last remaining blimp hangars. Have you seen it?

Hitchcock Naval Air Station was built during WWII to house lighter-than-air crafts, otherwise known as blimps.
texashistory.unt.edu
Construction began in 1942, and the base was commissioned the following year.
The $10 million hangar was 1,000 feet long, 200 feet tall, and accommodated six blimps. Other buildings included barracks, warehouses, a mess hall, gymnasium, auditorium, and Olympic-sized swimming pool.
hitchcockpubliclibrary.org
Its purpose was to seek out German U-boats in the Gulf of Mexico.
Sold in 1949 as war surplus, the building was later used in the Korean War.
hitchcockpubliclibrary.org
Half-track vehicles and WWII tanks were re-manufactured here to be utilized in battle.
In 1961, Hurricane Carla damaged the structure so heavily that it had to be demolished a year later.
Wikimedia Commons
These two pillars and the concrete foundation are all that remains of the hangar today.

Were you aware of this historical landmark hiding in Texas? It’s located just west of Highway 6 on FM 2004 and Blimp Base Blvd. Public visitation is discouraged, so you’ll have to view the hangar from your vehicle only.

The Lone Star State played an integral role in many crucial battles. Read more about our state’s bloody history in This Is The Oldest Place You Can Possibly Go In Texas And Its History Will Fascinate You.