Did you know you could visit a nuclear missile launch site, near Baltimore? The Maryland Wing, Civil Air Patrol (CAP) just began hosting open houses of the nuclear missile bunker and other original buildings associated with site BA-79. BA-79 is an Cold War historic site and headquarters of the Maryland Wing of the Civil Air Patrol. The site was an anti-aircraft missile site deployed to protect Baltimore from Soviet bombers armed with nuclear warheads.
During the tour, you’ll learn about the importance of the site — one of several around Baltimore and Washington DC. You’ll learn about the Ajax and Hercules missiles housed at the sites. More importantly, you learn how close the Cold War came to Baltimore. You’ll also get to go underground in two of the missile magazines / bunkers.
Check out the Eisenhower Farm National Historic Site for more Cold War history!
The Nike Missile Sites
During the Cold War, the Baltimore region found itself on the front lines of America’s air defense strategy. The military built seven Nike nuclear missile sites to protect the city and the nation’s capital from potential Soviet attacks. These sites played a crucial role in deterring and defending against nuclear-armed bombers.
The Nike missile program, named after the Greek goddess of victory, began in the 1950s. It was the first surface-to-air missile system capable of intercepting high-altitude enemy aircraft. Baltimore’s defense network initially relied on Nike-Ajax missiles. In the 1960s, the more advanced Nike Hercules missiles, capable of carrying nuclear warheads and targeting both aircraft and short-range ballistic missiles replaced the Nike-Ajax missiles. The Nike missile program was the nation’s last line of defense after fighters and other interceptors failed.
Key installations around Baltimore included Nike Site BA-30 in Lutherville, Nike Site BA-09 in Fork, Nike Site BA-18 near Davidsonville and Nike Site BA-79 in Granite. Strategically positioned on the city’s outskirts, these sites created a defensive ring intended to shield vital infrastructure and population centers. Each site featured a launch area, with the missiles stored in underground bunkers, and a control area equipped with radar and communications systems to detect and track incoming threats.
By the 1970s, advancements in missile technology and shifts in military strategy led to the deactivation of the Nike sites. After decommissioning, some sites, such as the Lutherville site, became public parks. Other sites were simply abandoned. Maryland and other local governments acquired several of the sites. In 1974, the Army de-activated BA-79 and it became a National Guard training base. In 1992, it became a Maryland correctional facility. But in 2014, the Maryland Wing of the Civil Air Patrol rented the facility from the State of Maryland. That’s when the site’s fortunes changed. Between 2018 and 2024, stabilization and restoration of the missile magazines and bunkers began. It’s now a national historic site. The site opened to public tours earlier this summer. For that, we can thank the six years of hard work by volunteers and the Maryland Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.
The Cold War, in Two Paragraphs
The Cold War lasted between the late 1940s to the early 1990s. It was a period of intense geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, along with their respective allies. The Cold War was characterized by a fierce ideological struggle between Western democratic capitalism and Eastern communist authoritarianism. Though it never escalated into direct large-scale conflict between the two superpowers, it led to numerous proxy wars. There also was a global arms race, and the constant threat of nuclear war.
During this era, both the United States and the Soviet Union invested heavily in military technology and defense systems, including developing nuclear weapons and missile defense networks like the Nike missile sites around Baltimore. These installations were part of the broader effort to protect against a potential Soviet attack. More importantly, they reflected the pervasive fear and mistrust that defined much of the Cold War period. The eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the end of the Cold War. With that, decades of global tension and competition evaporated (or did it?).
Today, the remnants of these Cold War-era installations serve as reminders of when the threat of nuclear conflict loomed large. Though the military removed or repurposed most of the infrastructure, these sites remain a testament to the nation’s vigilance during one of the most tense periods in modern history.
Know Before You Go
This is a great place to bring school-aged kids to learn a little more about the Cold War and to see this really interesting aspect of both national and Maryland history. There is parking on site. Tours are available during the summer months during open houses on the fourth Sunday of each month. Knowledgeable guides will lead tours during the open house.
Getting there: 3085 Hernwood Rd, Woodstock, MD
Hours: April – September. Check the site below for specific times.
Website: BA-79 Missile Site
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