Titan One Missile Complex 2A, .3 miles west of 129 Road and 1.5 miles north of County Line Road, Aurora, Adams County, CO

Significance: Beginning in 1962, the US deployed its first Inter-continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) - the Atlas and the Titan I. These powerful weapons dramatically altered the Cold War by introducing the capability to destroy enemy targets anywhere around the world within an hour of launch. The Titan I complexes were the first hardened missile sites, capable of surviving all but a direct hit from a nuclear attack. The two-stage missiles - another key innovation of the Titan I - were stored in underground silos and raised to ground level for launch. The Titan I missile system was deployed in six squadrons, each consisting of three dispersed launch complexes, at five Air Force bases across the western US. Each complex consisted of three missile silos controlled by a single launch center and supported by a network of underground fuel storage tanks, equipment terminal, antennas, and connecting tunnels. These facilities played a crucial role in the Cold War until removed from active service in 1965, replaced by the more advanced Titan II and Minuteman I missiles.

Survey number: HAER CO-89

cold war guided missile bases silos underground buildings military art and science military facilities nuclear weapons industry adams county titan missile complex titan one missile complex miles line county line road aurora adams colorado historic american engineering record photo ultra high resolution high resolution library of congress

1969 - 1980

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/

No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. Government; images copied from other sources may be restricted. http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html