And so, the argument went, the very fact that any attack (even if successful) would also mean certain destruction of the attacker should serve as a powerful deterrent-the more missiles we build, the less chance we’ll need to use them! Thus, in the time-honored tradition of spending vast sums of money on absurdly illogical military projects, the United States government built nuclear-capable Atlas and Titan intercontinental ballistic missiles and Nike surface-to-air missiles-and planted them in hundreds of hardened underground launch facilities scattered around the country.Ī typical missile silo cost more than US$3 million to construct in 1960. Although there was no way to stop incoming missiles, we could certainly return the favor by launching our own missiles to wipe out vast portions of our enemy’s country. Where Have All the Missiles Gone?īack in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the conventional wisdom of the Cold War held that the United States could come under nuclear attack by the Soviets at any time. At any given time, astute shoppers can find several such properties on the market in various parts of the United States. In fact, however, there are dozens of missile silos (and other missile sites) that have been-or soon will be-renovated for use as private homes, schools, businesses, and other non-military applications. That would be a curiosity, but little more. I’m not even talking about just one particular abandoned missile base. And for the highest bidder, it can become home. Looks a bit unusual, sure, but think of those high ceilings, the nicely insulated walls, the privacy. Or wait-what’s this?-an abandoned underground missile base? Incredible but true. Maybe even that little cabin in the mountains of central Costa Rica. Or perhaps on a small ranch in New Mexico.
I imagine how nice it would be to live on an island somewhere. I don’t have the means to purchase a rural getaway, but just looking at the ads and daydreaming about them for an hour or two usually puts me in a better mood. At times like these, I like to browse the real estate listings online. The noise, traffic, crime, and cost of living occasionally make me long for a quiet, affordable home out in the middle of nowhere.
As much as I enjoy urban life, there are times when it gets to me.
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