D-57 NEWPORT
Still mostly intact although well abused by vandals and taggers and overgrown by nature, the Newport Nike Missile Base is perhaps one of the best preserved examples of the cold war we may still have in Detroit. Although the 6 missile batteries and magazines are long gone, the blast plates and pads, barracks, hanger, generator plant, fuel barn, assembly shed, maintenance shed, IFC radar platforms, guard shack, helicopter pad, radio shack, and even the hexagonal landing strip are still open for exploration.
Originally designed and built as an airfield in the early 1920's, Newport boasts two perpendicular runways and one huge hexagonal landing pad which was originally painted to represent short-run approach and take-off similar to what pilots would experience on an aircraft carrier at sea. This pad was used in conjunction with the Grosse Isle Naval Air Station located a few miles to the east in the Detroit River.
I have been told stories about Newport at one time being home to a dirigible hanger complete with mooring mast but have not found any evidence to support that.
Nike Park is a playground and picnic area just west of both the base and the former officers housing (now a residential area). At the south end of the park is a field for flying model airplanes. It is along this fence row where one can find holes cut by other urbex photographers by which to traverse the facility.
The perimeter fence is topped with barbwire in some places and clearly marked as private and government property. The area is considered a "brown-field" due to the excessive amounts of leaked rocket and diesel fuel that permeates the ground and therefore cannot be developed without great expense.
Originally designed and built as an airfield in the early 1920's, Newport boasts two perpendicular runways and one huge hexagonal landing pad which was originally painted to represent short-run approach and take-off similar to what pilots would experience on an aircraft carrier at sea. This pad was used in conjunction with the Grosse Isle Naval Air Station located a few miles to the east in the Detroit River.
I have been told stories about Newport at one time being home to a dirigible hanger complete with mooring mast but have not found any evidence to support that.
Nike Park is a playground and picnic area just west of both the base and the former officers housing (now a residential area). At the south end of the park is a field for flying model airplanes. It is along this fence row where one can find holes cut by other urbex photographers by which to traverse the facility.
The perimeter fence is topped with barbwire in some places and clearly marked as private and government property. The area is considered a "brown-field" due to the excessive amounts of leaked rocket and diesel fuel that permeates the ground and therefore cannot be developed without great expense.
