Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Offers a Glimpse of the Cold War
Visiting the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (www.nps.gov/mimi) is like taking a step back in time. Back to the days of the Cold War, the threat of Communism, duck and cover drills and fallout shelters. It’s hard to comprehend today, but ballistic missiles that had the capability to destroy humanity were once buried in missile silos across the Great Plains. These Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles were poised to launch at a moments notice, and the facilities were manned around the clock in case the launch command ever came down. Luckily it never did.
Today the launch facilities have been shut down and the weapons have been disarmed. That said, in an effort to preserve a piece of American history and help visitors understand this often confusing era, one South Dakota minuteman missile site has been preserved and is open to visitors. And although wheelchair access is difficult if not impossible in a missile silo, the National Park Service has made access improvements so wheelchair-users and slow walkers can now explore a portion of this historic site.
A Little Background
There are actually three separate attractions, which are a short drive apart, at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. The visitor center is the best place to begin your visit. It’s located off of Interstate 90, about 75 miles east of Rapid City South Dakota. And although it’s a bit off-the-beaten track it’s just four miles north of the Northeast Entrance to Badlands National Park.
Accessible parking is available in front, and a sidewalk that leads over to the front door. Inside there’s ample room to maneuver a wheelchair in the galleries, and over to the information desk and gift shop. An accessible restroom is also located in the building. There’s level access to the theater, which shows the 30-minute film “The Minuteman Missile on Alert”. Wheelchair seating and adjacent companion seating is available in the theater.
The interpretive exhibits focus on the missiles and the men and women who manned the launch control facility, as well as the history of the nuclear weapons and arms race. Add in photos of fallout shelters, information about duck and cover drills and a vintage video clip of the US Civil Defense film “Bert the Turtle”, and you have a comprehensive look at the Cold War. And don’t forget to pick up a brochure, which has a map of the other stops at the site.
Tour the Launch Control Facility
The historic Delta-01 Launch Control facility is located four miles west of the visitor center, at exit 127 off of Interstate 90. The facility is behind a locked gate, but visitors are welcome to peer through the gate and take the cell phone tour to learn more about operations at the launch control facility. The pathway from the parking area to the launch facility is level, but it does cross a dirt road at one point.
Guided tours are also available for a fee, but advance reservations are required. The standard tour is not accessible as this Cold War era facility was built to house two missile officers and has a tiny elevator and restrictive space underground. A wheelchair-accessible topside tour was added in 2019, to make this site partially accessible. This tour does not go to the underground area, but instead focuses on the topside structures and uses technology to offer a virtual visit to the underground space.
To insure adequate staffing, this tour must be booked at least five days in advance. The minimum number of participants required for the accessible tour is two. This tour can be booked on the park website or by calling (605) 717-7629.
Visit the Silo
The final stop at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is the Delta-09 Missile Silo. It’s located 11 miles west of the launch site, at exit 116 off of Interstate 90. Although the missile in the silo today is disarmed, a fully operational missile which contained a 1.2 megaton nuclear warhead was housed here until the early 1990s. In fact, this Delta-09 missile silo was one of 120 buried across western South Dakota.
Parking is available in a level area, and although the path to the silo itself is level, the gravel driveway may be problematic for some wheelchair-users. There’s also an accessible porta-potty near the silo. The silo, which is made of reinforced concrete with a steel plate liner, is 12 feet in diameter and 80 feet deep. The top of the silo has been removed and replaced with a glass roof, so visitors can peer down inside.
There is a small step up to the concrete apron that surrounds the silo, so most wheelchair-users won’t be able to get close enough to see the missile. It’s still worth a stop while you’re in the area though, as you can see the support building, personnel access hatch, the ultra high frequency antenna, and the interpretive panels. There’s also an excellent cell phone tour available which touches on everything from why South Dakota was chosen as a launch site, to how they installed the missiles in the silos, and even some details about the technology on board these 1963 vintage weapons. It’s a comprehensive presentation, and a good way to conclude your visit at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.
