The Cold War was a time of fear, fear of both Communism and nuclear attack. Students practiced “duck and cover” in school, families built fallout shelters in their backyards. All across America there were plans about civil defense, and one plan that was put into action was the Nike Missile system. With bases across the country in strategic locations, it was the first line of air defense.
Between 1959-1974, the Army built dozens of missile bases at strategic locations. Four of those locations formed a protective ring around the Twin Cities, at sites near St. Bonifacius, Farmington, Bethel, and Roberts, Wisconsin. It is the site near St. Bonifacius that is of interest here. Battery C of the Third Missile Battalion of the 68th Artillery was stationed between Watertown and St. Bonifacius, located on one of the highest spots in Hennepin County.
This base was located in two sections, about a mile and a half from each other. Staffed by between 100-115 officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men, these sites were the launching area and the fire control area. The fire control area, located 1 ½ miles east of the launch area, closer to St. Bonifacius, held the radar and computer equipment and controlled the flight of the missile. The launching area, located 3 ½ miles from Watertown, held the underground magazines and the raising platform, to launch the missiles within minutes. The base opened in late 1959.
During the fourteen years that this base was in operation, it was a boon to the local economy. Between $3000 and $4000 a month was spent on purchase of food for personnel, payroll income for local workers, leasing of houses by the base, and rental of additional homes by personnel, roughly 55 homes in total. Each year, the base commander also held an open house for local residents to see how the base operated and see how they were being protected.
In 1962, the Minneapolis-St. Paul post of the Army Air Defense Command filmed a special documentary. This documentary was a dramatization of “tense moments of action and decision” by Nike Missile staff after an unidentified aircraft is identified on radar and a missile is launched to intercept. This documentary was filmed on location at the Army Air Defense Command post downtown and the missile base near Bethel. Airing on February 8, 1962 on WCCO-TV, it was touted in local papers as of interest due to the nearness of the St. Bonifacius base.
No missiles were ever launched from any of the four Twin Cities bases. The St. Bonifacius base was closed in 1972. When the base shut down, one of the deactivated Nike Hercules missiles was donated to the St. Bonifacius Commercial Club, who spent money to have it installed in the city park. It was installed in 1974 with a marble slab memorializing those who served at the base. Over the years, civic groups and city workers have repainted the missiles white coating and black letters as needed.
As the years passed, local residents began to forget why a missile was located in the city park. In 2010, Fred Keller, president of the St. Bonifacius Area Community Development Group and navy serviceman during the Cuban Missile Crisis, spearheaded efforts to tell the story of the Nike base and Cold War. A $14,000 grant was received through the Minnesota Historical Society, through the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund, supplemented with donations from local groups. As a result, two large interpretive panels were created and installed around the missile. The site is now popular among those riding the regional bike trail, local history classes, and those who knew of or served at the Nike base nearby.
When learning about the Cold War and the nuclear era in schools, students learn on a national scale. Having the Nike missile and former base in St. Bonifacius allows students to bring national events down to a local scale. Students can see how the local area was effected by the Cold War and what part local areas played. Thanks to the efforts of locals groups, this history is now preserved and interpreted for future generations.
“Ground Work is Started on Nike Missile Base.” Carver County News, July 10, 1958.
“Here’s Aerial View of Nike Missile Site near Watertown.” Carver County News, July 30, 1959.
“Here’s What a Nike Guided Missile Installation Would Look Like.” Carver County News, August 1, 1957.
Meersman, Tom. “Former Nike Hercules Missile in St. Bonifacius Stands as a Reminder of the Cold War.” Star Tribune, September 4, 2013. http://www.startribune.com/local/west/222201881.html
“Missile Base at St. Boni Aids Area Economy.” Waconia Patriot, September 12, 1963.
“Missile Launches City Interest.” The St. Bonifacius Extra, supplement to the Waconia Patriot, April 6, 1995.
“Nothing New Officially on Nike Missile Base.” Carver County News, August 1, 1957.
“Open House at St. Bonifacius Missile Base is Sat., June 6th.” Waconia Patriot, June 4, 1964.
“Special TV Show on Nike Missile
