Delta-09 Minuteman Missile Site – Wall, South Dakota - Atlas Obscura
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Delta-09 Minuteman Missile Site

Wall, South Dakota

One of the first intercontinental ballistic missile sites in the United States. 

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The glass dome that encloses the missile silo opening. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
The glass dome that encloses the missile silo opening. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
"Goldie, how many times have I told you guys that I don't want no horsin' around?" klean9 (Atlas Obscura User)
"Goldie, did you say Wing Attack, plan R?" klean9 (Atlas Obscura User)
"Major Kong, I know you're gonna think this a crazy but I just got a message from base over the CRM 114. It decodes as Wing Attack plan R" klean9 (Atlas Obscura User)
This sign marks the entrance to the parking lot for the Delta-09 missile site. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
Rattlesnakes are active during the warm weather months. Caution is advised. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
A combine sits in a field near the Delta 09 site. The missiles were placed in rural areas away from population centers. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
The intended destination of the Minuteman II missile was somewhere in Russia. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
The hatch that allowed the launch crew the enter their capsule. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
The enormous concrete door that once covered the silo opening. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
A dummy warhead sits atop the deactivated Minuteman II missile. The public cannot enter the silo. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
The public can only access the site at certain times. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
A sidewalk leading up to the Delta-09 site. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
A sign at the the bottom of the Exit 116 ramp off Interstate 90 directing visitors to the site. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
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Beginning in the early 1960s, Minuteman 1B missile launch sites were installed in several locations throughout the central and upper United States. Their purpose was to deter Russia from launching a nuclear strike against the United States.

At one time there were 1,000 active Minuteman missiles arranged in six wings. The Minuteman II replaced the earlier models beginning in the 1970s. Some even featured multiple warheads inside one missile. Each Minuteman II missile had an explosive yield of 1,200,000 tons of TNT.

As a result of nuclear arms reduction talks between the Soviet Union and the United States, there are now only 400 active Minuteman missiles in the United States. The Delta-09 site was deactivated and serves as a public display.

Know Before You Go

The Delta-09 site is open daily from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, subject to change. Admission is free. It is a short drive from the Interstate to the silo. The silos are 60 years old and require periodic maintenance.


The Delta-01 Launch Control Facility is closed for repairs, but the nearby Visitor Center remains open. Please phone 605-433-5552 or go online at www.nps.gov/mimi.

missiles cold war war history
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Edited by
Gavin, klean9
Published
November 22, 2021
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  • Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, South Dakota
Nearby
Wall Drug
5.89 miles
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