By Bruce Haulman and Terry Donnelly

For The Beachcomber

Vashon has a long history of military presence on the Island that began with the site for a never-to-be-built fort to defend the Tacoma Narrows at Point Dalco in the 1850s to the 1980s when what was known as the “Nike Base” became part of Vashon Parks.

With the end of World War II and the emergence of the Cold War, the perceived vulnerability of Seattle to atomic attack by air led to the deployment, in 1953, of the U.S. Army, 513th Air Defense Battalion, Air Defense Anti-Aircraft Battery C “Charlie Battery” on Vashon. The base had anti-aircraft guns to ward off potential air raids, magazine bunkers for artillery shells, and a barracks and a mess hall located where the Eagles Aerie is today.

The anti-aircraft Nike Ajax missiles were introduced in 1953, and from 1956 to 1957 the government purchased land for the Sunrise Ridge administrative site (IFC – Integrated Fire Control), the Paradise Ridge missile launch site (LA – Launch Area), and Oakwood Terrace housing complex. These three Vashon sites became collectively known as the “Nike Base.” “Charlie Battery” was decommissioned and some of the troops moved to the new base. The Vashon base, designated S-61, was one of a series of twelve Nike missile sites surrounding the Seattle area known as the Metropolitan Defense Ring.

The U.S Army, 433rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Missile Battalion, Battery A, was stationed on the island and operated the base until it closed in 1974. The advanced technology and logistic demands of the Nike Missile led to the construction of a series of major buildings at Sunrise Ridge for the administration, search and tracking radar, launch control, barracks, and mess hall functions of the base. The missile launching facility with underground launch silos for four missiles, magazines for storing warheads, a missile assembly building, and fueling facilities were constructed at Paradise Ridge. Oakwood Terrace, which went under a variety of names, was a 16-unit housing complex for personnel just north of the Sunrise Ridge site along Vashon Highway.

In June of 1961, the Nike Ajax missiles on Vashon were converted to the new more powerful Nike Hercules missile. The larger Nike Hercules with three times the range of the Ajax was designed to be armed with a nuclear warhead that could destroy an entire formation of high-altitude bombers rather than take out a single airplane. Although few islanders knew about it, Vashon became a depository for nuclear warheads. Of the eleven Nike Bases in the Seattle Defense Ring, only two other sites received Hercules missiles, the other eight bases were closed.

The Vashon Nike Base was closed in 1974, and at the time there were proposals to turn the site into a community center, a youth hostel, and other community uses, none of which developed much beyond the talking stage. In 1976, the U.S. Government quitclaimed the Sunrise Ridge property to The Vashon-Maury Health Services Center. The Vashon Health Clinic was established at the site, and Granny’s Attic was moved to the site to continue to raise funds to support the Health Clinic. Today, Sunrise Ridge is still the home of the Health Center and also houses Vashon Veterans, the Vashon Food Bank, Voice of Vashon Radio, The Vashon Rowing Club, the Fruit Club Orchard, and two sports fields. Granny’s Attic moved into Vashon Town in 2014.

The Paradise Ridge site was deeded to King County, but in 1983, the county proposed returning the site to the federal government. This mobilized a number of Vashon islanders to propose the creation of a Park and Recreation District. This proposal came before the voters in 1984 and was approved. In 1985, the newly created Vashon Park District acquired the Paradise Ridge land from King County and two years later voters passed an operating levy that allowed the site to be developed. Paradise Ridge Equestrian Park is a multi-use facility with a cross-country equestrian jumping course, a show arena, hiking and cross-country track trails, and mountain bike trails.

The Oakwood Terrance site and the 18 aces of the Sunrise Ridge site not quitclaimed to VMHSC were sold to private individuals who then subdivided and sold the properties.

The Cold War legacy of the Nike Base continues on Vashon through the public parks at Sunrise Ridge and Paradise Ridge; the “Nike Kids,” the children of the servicemen stationed on Vashon who married island young women and stayed to raise their families; and the realization that Vashon once was a depository for nuclear warheads.

Bruce Haulman is an island historian and Terry Donnelly is an island photographer.