(Sub)Urban Abandonments: Missile Silos for Exploration, Visitation and Even for Sale

Missile Silo Architectural Drawing

Missile silos might be the world’s most amazing abandonments. There is something about their immense scale, implicit secrecy, loaded history and and underground location that makes them an exciting target for urban exploration. Here are some fascinating examples of deserted silos one can visit and even purchase!

Above the Missile Silo

One set of intrepid building infiltrators set about breaking into the above missile silo (location undisclosed) at risk of both personal injury and federal penalty. Despite their retroactive warnings not to follow their example, these adventurers produced an amazing photo-documentary of their journey. As you navigate their website, it becomes a kind of choose-your-own-adventure tale allowing you to pick your path.

Missile Silo on Tour

Missile Silo Complex Tour

The Minuteman Missile Tour exists at the opposite end of the legal spectrum, providing a fun and interesting but completely safe and legitimate tour through an abandoned missile complex. Located in South Dakota, annual summer tours regularly fill completely with people who are curious about America’s past and the days of the Cold War, when fears of Mutually Assured Destruction haunted the country’s psyche. Also be out this amazing collection of missiles, rockets and other weapons.

Missile Silo in Washington

Missile Silo for Sale

Missile Silo Complex

Last but not least, it is even possible to buy your own abandoned missile silo and associated complex! Even better: you can do so from the comfort of your computer via eBay for 15 million dollars. Of course, you may have have to sell your house to afford the $300,000 downpayment, but wouldn’t it be worth it? The people who bought one and converted it into a luxury home with a private landing strip certainly thought so (below) as well as the retired couple living in one shown in this video.

Luxury Home in a Missile Silo

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Posted by Urbanist November 2nd, 2007
Abandonments, Architecture, Guerilla Action, Urban Images, Urbex, Various
Comments: 11

Comments

Comment from Justin
Time: November 3, 2007, 6:45 am

Truly amazing abandonments! If I had the money I’d totally buy one!

Comment from prayas
Time: November 4, 2007, 3:57 am

wow… I really like such stories of underground/unknown spaces and the interest of different people in it. any examples of people using silos as homes? yup $300,000 sounds really steep, wonder if there such things in India and what they would cost…

Comment from DJ Rozz
Time: November 4, 2007, 12:04 pm

Very interesting post. I watched discovery channel a bit ago to learn about the minute man, and it made me wonder if there were any other things similar! Thanks for the post.

Comment from david
Time: November 5, 2007, 12:52 pm

I want one to be my art studio! too bad they are so expensive… I’m poor =[

Comment from Heather
Time: December 19, 2007, 11:41 am

back in 96 i think it was i was privileged to go along on an exploration of an abandoned missile silo in idaho somewhere. don’t have a clue how we got there and couldn’t get there again. i also heard that some of them were being used to store bio-hazardous waste later on. A shame, it was one of the most amazing things i have ever done. There were signs everywhere stating ‘buddy system beyond this point’ and ‘Danger, open pit’ There was a very scary climb down in the dark 5 or 6 stories down ladders and steep stairs and then a LONG tunnel continuing deeper still for a 100 or more yards. Awesome experience!

Comment from Remove my pictures too
Time: February 28, 2008, 11:09 pm

More stolen pictures on this web page too.