Instead, they sent a crew of 28 people to dismantle it. Google and visit the North Truro Air Force Base. Author: Gin Minsky – www.GinMinsky.com, The hydrant “Out of Service”. Today, it is a different world. However, part of the land was transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration, an organization that uses coastal-mounted radar to track international flights into both Logan Airport in Boston and Kennedy Airport in New York. In 1960, the tower suffered severe damage due to Hurricane Donna. Here’s how … North Truro Air Force Station (AFS) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. ( Log Out /  But beware, asbestos warnings and broken glass are everywhere. Ruins of old military bases are now nothing more than graveyards. From December 1969 until early 1970, North Truro was the location of Operation Have Horn, the launching of sounding rockets under project Nike-Hydac. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The National Park Service has had possession of Highlands Center, previously North Truro Air Force Station, since 1994. However, the military did not want to abandon Old Shaky for fear that the Russians might seize it. Over the years, we had heard many rumors and stories about the North Truro Air Force Station. NORTH TRURO, Mass. Charles and Heidi travel to the abandoned Cold War-era North Truro Air Force Station in North Truro, Massachusetts. Those sections of the former station that were given to the National Parks Service operate as a park that is open to the public and guided tours are offered by the Cape Cod National Seashore, the organization which operates the site. What Truro lacks in population, it makes up for in community spirit. Neighborhood. The work was still ongoing in the winter of 1961 when another severe storm struck. Lining a short stretch of road are what remains of the on-site housing for the military personnel. In 1966 Matthews was 19 years old and newly inducted into the United States Air Force. Take a look. North Truro Air Force Station was the most covered one. And out of those dark emotions came a massive military build-up that spanned across the globe. It is easy to start, difficult to end, and impossible to forget. It was an era of fear, anger, and paranoia. Across the country, missile defense bases began to emerge. Feb 8, 2012 - Explore Jeremiah Genest's board "Ghost towns and Abandoned Places" on Pinterest. The station was supported by off-coast radar called Texas Tower and by the assistance of Navy ships. In 1985, the station was officially decommissioned, and most of the land was sold to the National Parks Service. The Highlands Center core is its partners, an interactive community of artists, scientists and educators pursuing their work in a national park setting. If you like cape cod abandoned. ABANDONED AIR FORCE BASE. Watch your step. Upon arrival, the first thing to greet you is what appears to be a large open field. The radar dishes are no longer there, but the concrete pads on which they stood are still in evidence. Discover North Truro Air Force Station in Truro, Massachusetts: This abandoned radar station from the Cold War era now only broadcasts a seriously ominous air of isolation. — High atop a cliff overlooking what was once one of the world's most dangerous maritime routes is a decaying relic of the Cold War, the former North Truro Air Force Station. Due to hazardous chemicals, parts of this place have been left untouched since the Cold War. (Vlog #36) Urban Explorer Discovers Abandoned WW2 Tunnels (Busted Exploring) Abandoned 1700s Time Capsule House / Funeral Parlor *FAIL* I Fell Through the Floor of an Old Abandoned House . Find all the transport options for your trip from Hyannis to North Truro Air Force Station right here. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Rome2rio makes travelling from Hyannis to North Truro Air Force Station easy. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. They are hidden, amongst the darkest corners of our forests and our memories. And one of the best kept ones is this abandoned military base. It housed hundreds of American military personnel over the years, and was complete with on-site housing and recreational facilities. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Here lies the ghost town. It … Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Established in 1951 and became operational as North Truro Air Force Station manned by the 762nd AC&W Squadron. There’s no road to it nor is there really any footpath. This artsy and agricultural town is home to the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Highlands Center, the former North Truro Air Force Station. The base is technically part of a national park, and is legal to visit. It may be one of the most picturesque parts of New England, but it has its share of secrets. All photos were taken by Gin Minsky – a tap dancer, burlesque performer, and photographer from Brooklyn, NY. The North Truro Air Force Station was built in 1951, and was active until the site's closure in 1994. Records show that over the years that these towers were operational, there were 32 fatalities. However, the military did not want to abandon Old Shaky for fear that the Russians might seize it. The North Truro Air Force Station was one of the first stations to monitor Soviet bombers traversing the Arctic Circle. Even many locals don’t know about the North Truro Air Force Station: an abandoned 1950s neighborhood and military installation on Cape Cod. Of all the former military bases we have explored, North Truro Air Force Station was the most intact and most interesting. We Adopted a Dog!! According to the Park Service website, Highlands Center is … One of these towers was located at North Truro. Cold War History: North Truro Air Force Station Caught up in the excitement of transforming the Highlands Center at Cape Cod National Seashore into a thriving community for the arts, science and education, it’s hard to think of a time when the site housed the United States’ first line of defense against potential enemy bombers. Controllers at the station vectored fig… This fact provided the base with 30 minutes from the moment of detection of an enemy bomber to prepare for an attack. Author: Gin Minsky – www.GinMinsky.com, Hidden earthquake recording system. The Seashore has tried to raise funds to get rid of them but has so far been unsuccessful. North Truro Air Force Station September 10, 2015 September 24, 2015 / ginminsky / 3 Comments When one thinks of Cape Cod, beaches, sail boats and quaint cottages usually come to mind…unless you grew up there like me, then you think of catnip smoking, Robitussin-chugging derelicts who steal used cars as a method to curb boredom. Finally, in the early summer of 2016, we were finally able to stop by the curious facility. At one point, more than 500 members of the military, as well as civilians, worked out of the station. The early warning mission involved tracking and identifying all aircraft entering their airspace while the GCI mission involved guiding Air Force interceptors to any identified enemy aircraft. The place is located at the end of Old Dewline Road, which is off South Highland Road. The towers were named “Texas Towers” because of their resemblance to oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. The history of the land is interesting, where this base was built in retaliation of the Cold War. 0. ( Log Out /  Very creepy at dusk. The former site of the North Truro Air Force Station is about two miles to the east of North Truro. The old dugouts and diamond can still be seen if you look hard enough. No conflict in human history has ever been truer to these words than the Cold War. The abandoned neighborhood is located neat the North Truro Air Force Station. But when the Cold War came to a sudden end in 1991, the future of the station became cloudy. In 1951, the North Truro Air Force Station was born. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. The Cold War broke out in the early 1980s, and the need for North Truro Air Force Station decreased. Has an abandoned cold war feel to it.. Most of the site is owned by the Seashore and they have redeveloped some of the land (like the library and classroom mentioned above) into the Highland Center, a performing arts center that offers art shows and educational events. I do NOT vandalize or cause any trouble. From the many feral dogs that used to roam the area, to the boulders with words on them, to a supposed "Queen of the Witches," it adds up to a potentially haunted area. Many tools and pieces of scrap metal could still be found in a few garages. A slight breeze from the nearby ocean blows through the tall sea-grass. But on the far reaches of Cape Cod, there is one that stands out from all others. In another tale, a sailor who steals donuts from a witch is also haunted and ridden each night. But to us, this place, much like the Cold War, will be impossible to forget. However, despite their usefulness, the towers could be quite dangerous for those who worked there. Following instructions, Matthews took a bus on October 1 to Dutra's Market* in Truro and then used a payphone to call the Station. Four towers were built in the waters off the Atlantic coast and equipped with long-range search radars. 0. in Ghost Towns. In order to turn this place into a public park, several buildings had to be modernized and renovated, such as the library and a classroom. NORTH TRURO — When Kyle Hinkle walks onto the old North Truro Air Force Station, she sees beyond the unoccupied, 1950s barracks and the grass sprouting through the pavement. Down the road were the officer’s houses, which were larger and included garage bays. Author: Gin Minsky – www.GinMinsky.com. There are no roads to the tower although there is a road nearby that leads to the North Truro Air Force Station. Her website is a blog with interesting stories and wonderful photos. It was completed in 1951. During the Cold War, the base scanned the airwaves around Cape Cod to detect Soviet bombers. These experiments were conducted at the now closed North Truro Air Force Station. Those buildings still standing contain asbestos and mold, which are expensive to remove and make demolition unwise. By NOAA’s Historic Coast & Geodetic Survey (C&GS) Collection. But it’s not all dangerous! Change ), Exploring Abandoned Locations in New England, Follow Abandoned Wonders on WordPress.com, Places to Visit this Summer – Seaside Sanatorium, Angel of the Asylum – The Mystery of Saint Mary. The crew was told not to evacuate but to keep working, and ultimately this decision saw all of them losing their lives when the Tower sank. It is in a class all its own. North Truro Air force base was a general surveillance air force station, and was active through 1994. The weekly farmers market and summer concerts bring folks together as does the annual Truro Treasures Weekend each September. We only ran into two other people, an old couple walking their dog who were more than happy to tell us what they knew about the site. If you truly wish to see urban decay at its finest, without running the risk of being arrested, then this place is a must see. Whichever version of the story is true, there remains a haunting beauty in the legend. The sun was shining. #2 – North Truro Air Force Station, Truro, Massachusetts. For example, take the case of Robert Matthews. North Truro Air Force Station (AFS) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. The former North Truro AFS is the site of a radar station and several abandoned buildings including barracks, a library, a bar, a bowling alley and a family housing area . Texas Tower #4 at North Truro was known as “Old Shaky” because it swayed quite easily in the wind. Inside, kitchen supplies, mementos, and relics of the past have been simply left behind. At least 50 homes stand vacant and abandoned on the base. 19T E 412537 N 4653780. The beaches were busy. If you truly wish to see urban decay at its finest, without running the risk of being arrested, then this place is a must see. It truly is a ghost town, as if everyone just got up and left someday. The North Truro US Air Force Station was a radar station which was among the first 24 stations built around the United States. ( Log Out /  Situated on the far end of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the base had many different jobs during the Cold War conflict. Most notice it from a distance when playing golf at Highland Links or if they go for a long stroll before seeing a concert at the Payomet Performing Arts Center, as its located between Highland Light and the old North Truro Air Force Station. PREV VIDEO NEXT VIDEO MORE VIDEOS. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket … The North Truro Air Force Station was one of the first of twenty-four stations of the Air Defense Command radar network – which was a network essentially created to spy on the Soviet Union immediately after they tested their first atomic bomb. It doesn’t look like much, but hidden amongst the heavy underbrush and beach foliage is a ghost town, as old and as spooky as the Cold War itself. It is located 2.2 mi (3.5 km) east of North Truro, Massachusetts.. In 1960, the tower suffered severe damage due to Hurricane Donna. The United States wanted 24 bases built around the nation in an effort to, by satellite, intercept any and all incoming potential enemies. The station also incorporated barracks, a library, a bar, a bowling alley, and a family residential area. The houses at the front of the street were for enlisted men. Former North Truro Air Force Base - Truro, MA. The Texas Tower could observe aircraft flying over the sea from 300 to 500 miles away. Never to return. Never to return. AUTO NEXT. His first assignment as an airman was to the North Truro Air Force Station. It is a short walk down the old road, though, where things start to get interesting. Of all the former military bases we have explored, North Truro Air Force Station was the most intact and most interesting. Texas Tower #4 at North Truro was known as “Old Shaky” because it swayed quite easily in the wind. YouTube/Exploring With Josh. In Truro, on the eastern shore of Cape Cod and in an area called the Highlands, is a facility that used to be the North Truro Air Force Station, which operated a radar during the Cold War era. The doors aren’t even boarded up. Each one has simply been left to rot. Check her page here and enjoy! In one, Captain Sylvanus Rich is abducted every night by a witch who rides him like a horse, leaving him exhausted until the spell is broken. All of these fears and doubts have faded away, but the ghosts of the Cold War conflict have not. Decades of mutual hatred between the East and the West brought our entire planet to the brink of destruction. N 42° 01.872 W 070° 03.396. Yes, another great place to visit on Cape Cod. Several buildings were demolished. The U.S. Air Force ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to build 24 facilities after the USSR made its first atomic bomb test on August 29, 1949. Sea birds and gulls caw overheard, singing a soft eulogy for this forgotten place. These public and private program partners enrich each other's work and the center's mission through their distinctive activities. A big thank you to Gin Minsky for allowing us to share her photos with our readers. It is actually only a short drive from the fabled Bates Motel, which is more than worth a visit. It is located 2.2 mi (3.5 km) east of North Truro, Massachusetts. 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