In the middle of the Everglades was a Nike Missile Site that was
operational between 1965 and 1979. The Park Service now gives tours of
this site, the last operational Nike Missile Site. The site use to house missiles with nuclear war heads. Our tour guide, Scott Gabriel, was a
retired Marine. He did a spectacular job setting the stage for why we
had these sites (Cuban Missile Crisis), what it took to operate this
site in such a remote inhospitable environment, and the day-to-day
personal challenges the soldiers faced. Fascinating tidbit - most of the buildings were pink (but coral sounds more manly)--this was the cheapest paint that the Army could get in the quantity they needed. This tour was a highlight of our
visit to the Everglades, and the price was right (free).
We looked on Trip Advisor after the fact and there were so many 5 star reviews of this tour that are well deserved. Definitely worth the time!!!
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| Missile bunkers in the distance |
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| German Sheperd dogs and their handlers guarded the site | ($250k to train each dog) |
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| Missile bunker up close |
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| Restored Nike Missile |
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