I lived in the area for about 3 years starting in 1986 (graduated Westover in 1989) in the Alberson subdivision. Hated every minute I was in Albany, GA. In 1988 and 1989 we'd go out to the Nike missile base and look around try and scare each other and generally F* off. One time we even got permission to leave school and go out there for a journalism class.

Don't think we ever got chased or even saw anyone else out there. Once we were driving through in the middle of the night, and a German shepherd came out of nowhere and jumped up barked furiously at my friends window. He about pissed himself and we were dying with laughter.Well, nervous laughter anyway. Truthfully, we were all a little freaked out and left soon after.

Did have a UFO encounter also there in October of1986. Not much to it really. I was outside at the grill before dusk, so there was still plenty of light. What I can only describe as a completely silent silver craft without wings flew overhead in a straight line, twice. One end was bulbous. It was fairly low, and looking back now, if I had a quarter and held it up at arms length, it would stretch it's diameter. I also recall a strange wall-like cloud formation in the sky as well that stretched seemingly forever. I didn't dwell on the sighting much. To be honest I got more of a "secret government craft" vibe more than anything. And in the interest of full disclosure, i'd been reading about UFOs since I was 5.

So yeah Albany is kind of weird huh?

Anyone else go out to the Alberson house? It's the abandoned mansion that was on land in the middle of the Alberson subdivision.

And how about the guy whose last name was "Noid" and was convinced the entire Domino's Pizza Ad campaign was aimed at him. He took hostages at a Domino's somewhere else, but he was living in Albany.

Alright, well I do really hate to bump this thread after what..nearly two years of inactivity, but I do have questions still. I live on Hawkstead drive in Holly Plantation and am within 5 minutes walking distance of this place that has been referred to as TU-79 L-10. I paid a visit to the place earlier today. As of recently, apparently, the side where the silos once stood has been fenced off (A sign sits there now stating that trespassers will be prosecuted). However, the side with the playground has no fence. I find that to be very strange. Can anyone tell me if there's actually anything UNDER that huge amount of dirt? It seems that someone has previously attempted to dig down, but without any luck. I tried my hand at it but it's so hot out today I did not last for long. I would just like to know if there's anything under the dirt or if the place was leveled entirely and everything was destroyed.


ALSO, I paid a visit to The Anchorage earlier today as well. It is still operational and I noticed quite a few people walking about the courtyard. Everything is just as it was 30 years ago, so it appears.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Currently, there is nothing underneath that dirt. Nike missile site TU-79 used to consist of 3 underground magazines which would hold the Nike missiles until the were brought to the surface and launched.

However, around the late 90's, the site was purchased by a development company. The underground magazines were demolished. The concrete and steel removed. And the site filled in with dirt. However, it looks like they still haven't started building anything.

My dad was posted to a Nike base outside of D.C. or Baltimore (where I grew up) when he was in the National Guard in the late 50's. He took me there once when I was very young, probably around 1980 or so, and it was much as you described. Just like an asphalt parking lot with the missile tubes covered over with steel metal plates. I found it pretty interesting, I remember, imagining the missiles down there.

He told me a crazy story about when as a prank his entire unit dismantled a Nike Ajax missile and reassembled it in the base commander's house (hopefully without the warhead and propellant!). In retrospect, as a 40-something year old man, he realized how much trouble they all could have been in, but fortunately the base commander was a cool guy and just found it hilarious.

Sounds very interesting. Wish I could have been around to see the inception of Project Nike. Maybe I would of gotten the chance to see this big ole' mound back when it was actually something worth looking at.

I do. The information came from a few newspaper articles found through the Google News archive. I don't have the exact papers written down, though.

According to my notes, the site was closed in 1966. Slated for disposal in 1988. Sold some time in the 1990's and demolished for a housing development. I don't have the exact year.

The launch control center for this site was also sold and turned into a drug and alcohol rehab facility.

The other Nike missile site, TU-28, was also slated for disposal in 1988 and is now an auto salvage yard.

thats amazing