Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/20/2019
NRHP Listing Date 08/07/2019
NRHP Reference Number SG100004266
The Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM) Nike-Ajax Launch Site N-75 near Carrollton in Isle of Wight County is one of Virginia’s few surviving intact surface-to-air Nike-Ajax missile sites. A vestige of the Cold War era, the site was established in 1954, after the United States began in 1953 deploying upwards of 200 Nike-Ajax batteries at strategic locations throughout the country. The nation’s first surface-to-air missile defense program, the Nike system was a significant aspect of military planning following World War II. The nation’s 75th Nike-Ajax battery to be activated, the Isle of Wight installation was one of eight Nike-Ajax sites deployed within the Norfolk Defense Area. The Nike-Hercules missile eventually replaced the Ajax, forcing deactivation of Site N-75 in 1961. The Army Signal Corps then adapted the facility for reuse as a radio relay station between 1961 and 1971, after which the U.S. military ceased using the property. With nearly all its original concrete block buildings standing and design elements still intact, the site retains its historic character. Historic features include three underground missile magazines, earthen berms, and distinct, separate launcher and administrative areas.
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Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: July 30, 2021
