nike missile site ms-70

During the Cold War from 1959 until 1972, the Twin Cities were protected by four missile battery sites. This is one of those four locations. The actual Nike-Hercules missile (or a reproduction of one) can be seen in a park in nearby St. Bonifacius.

The missiles were stored on underground rails and were brought to the surface by elevators. They were meant to bring down long-range enemy bombers.

All of the Nike sites were decommissioned on Feb. 4th, 1978.

Nike missile installations comprised two sites: a launch site and a control/radar site. Due to the limitations of radar and guidance systems at that time, the radar site had to be a mile or two away from the launch site. This location on Nike road is the control site where the radar and guidance systems were. The launch site where the missiles were stored underground and from which the missiles were launched is about 1.5 miles northwest of this site. The launch site ison county road 127 (across the road West from Timber Creek Golf Course) at 44.95216786241208, -93.77922309841064. In aerial photos, you can see the steel doors through which the missiles were raised from underground storage before being launched.