Northbrook Historical Society: Nike missiles are just one not-so-distant Cold War memory

As tragic events continue to unfold in Ukraine, many around the world are thinking back to the Cold War-era that began after World War II and extended into the early 1990s.

The Cold War included a number of tense confrontations between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, among them the Berlin Crisis (1961) and the Cuban missile crisis (1962). The possibility of nuclear war was a very real threat - especially during the 1950s and 1960s - and the accompanying effects were felt worldwide, even in the small-but-growing Village of Northbrook (1950 population - 3,348; 1960 - 11,635).

This description from "Northbrook, Illinois: The Fabric of Our History" recalls local life during part of the Cold War era:

"Civil defense, the protection of citizens in case of atomic attack, was an important issue throughout the 1950s. The first Nike missiles in the Chicagoland area were placed not far from Northbrook, near Tower Road and the Skokie Lagoons. In preparation for possible air attacks, children in schools were given air raid drills and taught to 'duck and cover,' crouching next to the interior walls of schools away from windows, heads down, hands clasped over the backs of their necks. Homeowners were encouraged to build bomb shelters for their families. Plans were available at the Village Hall that explained how a basement shelter could be constructed in a corner with concrete blocks and a brick roof for $350. Citizens were advised to store two weeks of supplies including clothing, bedding, water, salt and vitamin C.

"The soon-to-be constructed Glenbrook South gymnasium was planned with a 12-inch concrete ceiling over the basement to make it safe against atomic attack. Glenbrook North did not have enough shelter space for all students and staff; there was shelter in 12 designated areas for only 1,400 people. Consequently, if there were more than a three-hour warning of approaching attack, students would be sent home."

Nike missiles were one of the most visible local manifestations of the Cold War. Nikes were surface-to-air missiles designed to guard against attacks by high-flying jet bombers or ballistic missiles. There were about 300 Nike sites in the U.S. including 15 that were part of the Chicago-Gary (IN) Defense Area.

The Nike site closest to Northbrook was just east of Edens Expressway near the Skokie Lagoons. The missiles were kept in underground silos but sometimes were test-raised above ground, and then the missiles - or at least their tops - were visible to those driving by.

Nike sites were in operation from 1955 to 1974. The one near the lagoons was officially designated as site C-93 in Northfield/Skokie. According to a Backyard Nature Center resource packet, the remains of C-93 can still be seen along the North Branch Trail. The portion of the bike trail from Tower Road to the launch complex was the actual road used to access the base, but the launch area is fenced off and not open to the public.

Other nearby suburban Nike sites included Arlington Heights, Palatine, Libertyville/Mundelein, and Fort Sheridan.

There is more to Northbrook's connection to 20th century military facilities than just those Nike missiles of the 1950s and '60s. An early link involved the production switch made by the Northbrook-based Culligan Zeolite Company during World War II.

As described in "The Fabric of Our History," Culligan retooled its production to make M-48 fuse bodies for use in anti-aircraft shells. Culligan produced a half-million such fuse bodies in their building located in downtown Northbrook. Culligan also produced a key desiccant (drying agent called silica gel) used in military packaging, and the overflow of boxes containing the material was stored in various barns in and around the Village. Culligan's efforts earned the company "the Army-Navy Production Award for high achievement in the production of materials of war" in 1945.

Another obvious military connection for Northbrook was the Glenview Naval Air Station. Now the site of The Glen Town Center, the area was an operational U.S. Naval Air Station from 1923 to 1995. Nearly 9,000 aviation cadets received their primary flight training at busy NAS Glenview, and an additional 17,000 were qualified for carrier landings.

The history of the Glenview Naval Air Station is a story in itself. But anyone who lived near central Northbrook especially during the peak Cold War years of the late 1950s, '60s and '70s can recall the earsplitting sounds of jet fighters with takeoff and landing patterns that often passed directly over downtown Northbrook. Some claimed the jets were so low that pilots' faces were clearly visible. The number of personnel stationed at NAS Glenview helped influence housing patterns in Northbrook.

Many may remember the U.S. Coast Guard facility along the north side of Dundee Road between Waukegan and Pfingsten roads. On July 24, 1978, the Northbrook Park District acquired just over four acres of land from the U.S. Department of the Interior after the antenna/transmitting towers were removed and the property declared surplus. The Cook County Forest Preserve and the U.S. Postal Service split the rest of the 25-acre parcel.

The current Northbrook Post Office on the site opened in January 1980. On Sept. 29, 1993, the Park District chose the name Coast Guard Park for its portion of the land, which now also includes a popular dog park.

As for other military-related sites not far from Northbrook, Fort Sheridan in Lake Forest/Highwood/Highland Park opened as an Army post in the late 1800s before officially closing on May 3, 1993. The Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago opened in 1911 and remains the Navy's largest training installation.

Missiles, jet fighters, communication towers, military production, Naval training centers ... all components of a Cold War era that suddenly seems not quite so far in the distant past.