Angel Island became one of several Nike
Missile Bases in the Bay Area during the Cold War. While the Nike
magazine area is off limits to visitors, we are able to provide pictures
of the site, taken in the spring of 2002.
The top of Mount Livermore was lopped off to provide a helicopter
landing pad and a radar control booth. Three magazines were placed
on Point Blunt below, and berms built in pyramid shapes to provide some
level of protection from the firing of missiles as well as line of
sight control from the top. Although the missiles on Angel
Island were located on the south side of the island, they were aimed to
protect Marin County to the north. It was called an 'over the
shoulder' installation. Missiles fired back toward the operators
in the control booth and over Mount Livermore.
There are no longer any missiles on Angel Island. The Golden
Gate National Recreation area has a demonstration Nike missile base that
is open for touring, however.
Click on any of the pictures below for a larger view.
