Did you know Denton housed SAM Sites?

[All About UNT]

Walkthru of Denton Nike Missile Base

Ohhhh yeah....I am totally going there.

[eulesseagle]

NT leased the site for a while and I took an astonomy class (pass/fail) one summer to qualify for enough full time hours to get full benefits for my G.I. Bill. A buddy of mine leased some space, at this site, for part of his photography studio.

This site was built to protect dallas/ft worth from incomming.

The other interesting site is the complex east of denton, just south of university dr, that was one of three or four that was a massive underground bunker complex that was designed to house the president and his staff in case of war. i once took a tour of the place....impressive.

Edited August 10, 2011 by eulesseagle

[Green2012]

NT leased the site for a while and I took an astonomy class (pass/fail) one summer to qualify for enough full time hours to get full benefits for my G.I. Bill. A buddy of mine leased some space, at this site, for part of his photography studio.

This site was built to protect dallas/ft worth from incomming.

The other interesting site is the complex west of denton, just south of university dr, that was one of three or four that was a massive underground bunker complex that was designed to house the president and his staff in case of war. i once took a tour of the place....impressive.

I only skimmed through the article and didn't see a reference to UNT but I do know that UNT's Discovery Park (once owned by TI) was a major contributor to this missile site. If you go to the basement of Discovery Park there are huge tunnels and a configuration of elevator bays. Back when these missiles where being manufactured, parts would come in and get sent down into the basement. As the project reached the next phase it was sent down the elevator and moved down the tunnel and up into another part of the building via tunnel and elevators. This allowed them to be manufactured secretly. Upon completion it was sent back down into the tunnels and hauled to the missile site on locust via a long ass tunnel. The long tunnel to locust was cemented after UNT bought the building and you can see where the new cement was poured. I believe there were 36 elevators to do all this secretly. UNT now only uses 3 or 4.

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

I remember having a few astronomy labs out there circa 2000. When did the university stop using the site?

[Denia Park Pedro]

I remember having a few astronomy labs out there circa 2000. When did the university stop using the site?

When DISD built its new stadium. The lights pretty much ruined it for astronomy if I remember correctly.

[KRAM1]

I recall seeing the site when it was operational. Missiles were surface to air...non-nuclear Nike missiles. At the time folks were worried about an air attack by the Soviet Union. BIG TIME Cold War fear. As I recall, they were manned by US Army personnel. Pretty classified site at one time. Somehow made the folks around Denton feel a bit safer I guess.

Part of Denton's varied and colorful past.

GO MEAN GREEN!

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

I recall seeing the site when it was operational. Missiles were surface to air...non-nuclear Nike missiles. At the time folks were worried about an air attack by the Soviet Union. BIG TIME Cold War fear. As I recall, they were manned by US Army personnel. Pretty classified site at one time. Somehow made the folks around Denton feel a bit safer I guess.

Part of Denton's varied and colorful past.

GO MEAN GREEN!

---I remember seeing them in the 60's on the road that went north from TWU... there were signs there to prohibit parking and stopping in the area. They were there to protect the defense capabilities and defense industry of Dallas/Ft. Worth. The end of the cold war allowed us to cut defense spending which Bush Sr. and Clinton administrations did.

..

[FirefightnRick]

Thanks for the link. Very cool. I'd love to go out there some time. I've been to the TI plant but never went inside.

I'll have to go by the missile sight and check it out someday?

Rick

Edited August 10, 2011 by FirefightnRick

[All About UNT]

Thanks for the link. Very cool. I'd love to go out there some time. I've been to the TI plant but never went inside.

I'll have to go by the missile sight and check it out someday?

Rick

2 and a half miles north of 288 on Locust. You will see it on the left. If you go....you better take pics!

[Mean Green 93-98]

2 and a half miles north of 288 on Locust. You will see it on the left. If you go....you better take pics!

I did cleanup on the site back in the 90's. I really don't remember seeing anything all that spectacular when I was there.

[HoustonEagle]

I kicked around there back when I was in school mid 90's. The site itself is a big let down but fun to walk around and think of the history. Upon the proliferation of the ICBM these sites, which were all over the country, became obsolete and were closed down. I believe the current FEMA building is the one with the massive underground bunker that was built during the cold war and could withstand a close proximity nuclear blast.

[Marty]

Pretty cool! I always wondered what that was.

[greenminer]

Never been during the day.

[Legend500]

I kicked around there back when I was in school mid 90's. The site itself is a big let down but fun to walk around and think of the history. Upon the proliferation of the ICBM these sites, which were all over the country, became obsolete and were closed down. I believe the current FEMA building is the one with the massive underground bunker that was built during the cold war and could withstand a close proximity nuclear blast.

As has been discussed, and as was a favorite topic in the PoliSci department, the Locust sites are one of several NIKE-system batteries built - partially - to defend the DFW area from ballistic missiles in case of attack. Here's a tour. By the time the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty went into effect, there were about 250 such sites in the US and Europe.

Why partially? Because the FEMA site is the far more interesting reason. The Denton FEMA site serves as the first prototypical continuity-of-government site for the United States. As its still in full operation, you won't find much info online about it (aside from some wild speculation) but a contemporary article in the New York Times will give you some info.

[Army of Dad]

As has been discussed, and as was a favorite topic in the PoliSci department, the Locust sites are one of several NIKE-system batteries built - partially - to defend the DFW area from ballistic missiles in case of attack. Here's a tour. By the time the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty went into effect, there were about 250 such sites in the US and Europe.

Why partially? Because the FEMA site is the far more interesting reason. The Denton FEMA site serves as the first prototypical continuity-of-government site for the United States. As its still in full operation, you won't find much info online about it (aside from some wild speculation) but a contemporary article in the New York Times will give you some info.

Missiles no, long range bombers yes. The ability to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles came along on in the late 80s, not when these sites were built and manned in the 60s. The concern was Soviet long range bombers might make it through our fighter defenses and these types of sites were the last line of defense if the bombers got through. Remember the Persian Gulf War and how everyone was amazed a Patriot missiles being able to shoot down SCUDs?

[SilverEagle]

Went there once while I was working for the University back in 72/73. Went into the old missile launching cavern. Big underground warehouse, otherwise pretty unremarkable.

[UNTLifer]

I only skimmed through the article and didn't see a reference to UNT but I do know that UNT's Discovery Park (once owned by TI) was a major contributor to this missile site. If you go to the basement of Discovery Park there are huge tunnels and a configuration of elevator bays. Back when these missiles where being manufactured, parts would come in and get sent down into the basement. As the project reached the next phase it was sent down the elevator and moved down the tunnel and up into another part of the building via tunnel and elevators. This allowed them to be manufactured secretly. Upon completion it was sent back down into the tunnels and hauled to the missile site on locust via a long ass tunnel. The long tunnel to locust was cemented after UNT bought the building and you can see where the new cement was poured. I believe there were 36 elevators to do all this secretly. UNT now only uses 3 or 4.

Sorry, but this is incorrect. The Texas Instruments facility was built in the late 70's/early 80's, if memory serves me right, on land that was previously undeveloped. I also believe TI never even moved into the facility. The missile site was operational in the 60's, or roughly a little over a decade prior to the TI facility ever being built.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Sorry, but this is incorrect. The Texas Instruments facility was built in the late 70's/early 80's, if memory serves me right, on land that was previously undeveloped. I also believe TI never even moved into the facility. The missile site was operational in the 60's, or roughly a little over a decade prior to the TI facility ever being built.

Agree.... the TI plant and did not exist when I was at NT but the SAM bases did and I doubt TI was built until they were closed.... TI did do defense work but I know nothing about what they did in Denton if anything....A lot of TI plants were sold and closed in the 90's after the Cold War ended.... I suspect it was better to have them scattered out defense-wise and TI was doing defense work a lot. Abilene, Midland and many others places had plants that were shut down then.

Edited August 12, 2011 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[greenjoe]

My Dad took me to the grand opening.  This was a day for Denton citizens to come and see what was going on to some extent.  The area nearer 288 was the barracks and about 1 or 2 miles further, were the actual missile silos.  Underground of course.  We couldn't see what was underground but we were told about the installation and it's capabilities.  Throughout the 60s Army personnel were a common sight around Denton.   

Edited June 5, 2018 by greenjoe

[Censored by Laurie]

whoa. didn't check the time stamp on this at first and thought @eulesseagle was posting again

[Quoner]

53 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

whoa. didn't check the time stamp on this at first and thought @eulesseagle was posting again

The greatest trick @eulesseagle ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist.

[Censored by Laurie]

1 hour ago, Quoner said:

The greatest trick @eulesseagle ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist.

ironic, given the man's position on...certain things.

[VideoEagle]

On 8/10/2011 at 10:56 PM, Legend500 said:

The Denton FEMA site serves as the first prototypical continuity-of-government site for the United States. As its still in full operation, you won't find much info online about it (aside from some wild speculation) but a contemporary article in the New York Times will give you some info.

I did a series of feature stories for KNTU on the FEMA facility back in 1979. I interviewed a number of the people who worked there, but everything was carefully supervised by their public info guy. Can't remember how many I interviewed but it was a five part series. They closed the blast door for me so I could record the sound.

It was set up for "continuation of the government" after a nuclear attack. They had finished a drill the day before i toured and still had a number of things set up. They had a map with tracking the spread of radiation based on weather from the day before. There was a conference table with note pads and phones and name plates designating each seat as "Dept. of Commerce," "Postal Service," etc. I remember there was NOT a spot for the DOD marked and they didn't answer my question about why. That was one of the few questions they didn't answer.

I asked if that was the place where they had planned to take Johnson from his ranch back in the 60s. PR guy said they couldn't confirm that, then showed me the VIP suite with a small bedroom and bath - everyone else would sleep in bunks. He also showed me a place on the grounds designated to land a helicopter. 

Here is an article I just found that includes a photo of a DMN article written when the place was being built in 61. Check out the price - $2.5 million for a blast protected facility that could run much of the US government. I think NT spends more than that on annual restroom maintenance.

[eulessismore]

On 10/28/2016 at 10:34 AM, Quoner said:

The greatest trick @eulesseagle ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist.

I still think he may be just around the corner, right up the street.

[TheWestie]

 

Now as for the missile base, it was used up until they opened the new Rafes Urban Astronomy Center in 2007. The lights from C.H. Collins Athletic Complex on Loop 288 introduced too much light pollution. That and the place was literally falling apart.

I took astronomy lab classes there from 2003-2005 and the classroom was the old guardhouse, the building at the top closest to the road in the photo below.

 It had barely functioning A/C and barely had enough space for a lab class. Parking was a nightmare. 

I loved it. I thought that was the most badass place at all of UNT.