Minuteman Missile NHS

The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in rural western South Dakota tells the story of the Cold War through the lens of America's land-based nuclear deterrent force. For 30 years, over 1,000 intercontinental ballistic missiles were kept on constant alert in underground silos across the Great Plains. These missiles functioned as a deterrent against a nuclear attack, and their mere existence helped to prevent an all-out nuclear war. Of the 15 launch control facilities that dotted the western portion of South Dakota during the height of the Cold War, only two remain preserved at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Today, hundreds of these missiles remain on alert, ready to be launched at a moment's notice. This site is the only National Park site specifically designated for the understanding and interpretation of the Cold War. Today visitors can tour the launch control facility and the silo.