National Register of Historic Places

Nike Missile Site C47

Portage, Porter County, Indiana
Listed
January 21, 2000
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
99001669

About this property

Nike Missile Site C-47 is a former missile site near Portage, Indiana. The Nike defense system was a Cold War-era missile system in the United States. Nike missiles were radar guided, supersonic antiaircraft missiles. The planners hoped that Nike would make a direct attack on the U.S. so costly as to be futile. Nike missile sites were constructed in defensive rings around major urban and industrial areas. Chicago was likely selected because of its population, the presence of several military bases, and the Gary, Indiana, steel industry. Nike C-47 (Nike 1B, 1C/12H, 20A/12L-U, (8L-H)) near Portage was designed with two units nearly a mile apart. The first section was the Launcher Area located on the south side of County Road 700 North, approximately 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) west of County Road 500 West, in Porter County, Indiana. The second area was the Control Area, also known as the Administration Area, located on the north side of County Road 600 North, near Wheeler. Construction of the base began in 1954 and it was operational by 1956.

Location

Portage, Porter County, Indiana
41.52943, -87.17219

Categories

MILITARYPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Industrial
1.5 mi
Pennsylvania Railroad Station
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3.9 mi
Hobart First Methodist Episcopal Church
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4.2 mi
First Unitarian Church of Hobart
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4.2 mi
Wood, John, Old Mill
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4.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Nike Missile Site C47 listed on the National Register?

Nike Missile Site C47 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 2000.

What type of historic resource is Nike Missile Site C47?

Nike Missile Site C47 is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Nike Missile Site C47?

The period of significance for Nike Missile Site C47 is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Nike Missile Site C47?

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