Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

“It's one of the newest National Park Service sites. Sits right on I-90, just north of Badlands National Park.

http://www.nps.gov/mimi/



A picture of the missile site I took around 2004.

There are only two tours a day, weekdays only, and only one per weekday in the winter, with only six people per tour. You have to make reservations.

I just got on one today for when I return from South Dakota. Of course, I did have to play the ace-in-the hole, travel writer card to do it... ;-) Otherwise, I would have had to call two days before the day I hoped to go, and hope to have gotten into one of the few spots they leave open.

I think it sounds cool!! A two-hour tour:

"Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction." President Eisenhower, January 1961

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is one of the nation's newest national park areas. It was created to illustrate the history and significance of the Cold War, the arms race, and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development. The National Park Service is currently involved in the planning process to determine the future of this site. We encourage you to contact us with any questions, comments, or suggestions.

Minuteman Missile NHS consists of two significant Cold War sites, a Launch Control Facility (Delta-01) and a missile silo complex (Delta-09). The facilities represent the only remaining intact components of a nuclear missile field that consisted of 150 Minuteman II missiles, 15 launch control centers, and covered over 13,500 square miles of southwestern South Dakota.

A park ranger leads visitors through the above and below ground structures at Delta-01 and then to Delta-09, the missile silo and ICBM.

Getting Around
SAFETY MESSAGE

Visitors on tours at the Launch Control Facility will be guided through Delta-01 grounds, the topside support structures and the underground launch control center. The underground launch control center was not originally designed to accommodate the general public. This underground center is accessed by an elevator and ladders. In the event of an elevator failure, visitors that are below ground will need to be capable of climbing the ladders for a safe and timely exit.

Because of this design of the building, it will be neccessary for visitors who wish to participate in this underground segment of the tour (lasting up to 30 minutes), to meet the following requirements:

- Physically capable of climbing two 15 foot ladders. These ladders are permanently attached to the wall and are very sturdy.

-Children must be at least 40" tall and be able to climb the ladders unassisted.

-Be comfortable in a small elevator

-Be comfortable with heights of approximately 35 feet or about 3 stories. The elevator is an open grate, not a solid door.”

“In Arkansas, there were several that were shut down with the silo's filled in with rock and concrete. It was sort of spooky to realize they were just off the side of a road in small communities.”

“the Stanley R. Mickelson Complex with a pyramid radar building and a FIELD of 150 Minuteman missiles...

The Army Command I work for maintains the Mickelson Complex.......

”

“Super Troll just went on the Homeland Defense watch list.”

“Yes, as the light of day creeps into the room , the truth of the night long party is exposed.”

“My company is busily refurbishing all of the minuteman missiles. We wash the old propellant and liner out, refurb all of the hardware, re-line the cases, re-cast the propellant, fit them with all new nozzles, hardware etc. and send them on their merry way. Yes, you can still sleep soundly tonight.”

“During college, my class and I on a field trip to SE Wyoming got to take an elevator down to the floor at the base of a live Minuteman Missile silo

because at that time (1980), the folks responsible for targeting the missiles were considered the most advanced surveyors in the world.”