Weird Military fixture south of Chicago??

I live in a town called homewood, which is a south suburb of Chicago. Ever since I was young, I was aware of this one military instillation about a 1/2 mile from my house. It is supposedly a National guard armory, but about 4 weeks ago I became really confused as to what this really is.

I was out taking a walk in the park adjacent to the facility, when I noticed what appeared to be a group of about five unknown individuals all dressed in a what seemed to be green jumpsuits. I am not really sure if they were or not, because I was looking from at a distance. But out of curiosity when I got home, I went on google maps and typed in National guard there was no entries, then I tried about 5 other services still nothing. Eventually on live maps I found information that states US Army Department, 18960 Halsted St, Homewood, IL. but that is it I can not otherwise figure out what this thing really is. I don't think it is "top secret" but at the same time it is kinda weird and really just plain creepy. I might also point out that there is a veterans only retirement home next door.

Here are some images
Live Maps Birds Eye

Recently repaved via Google Maps

I will also try to take some pictures myself when time permits, or if needed to help determine what this is. So any ideas people.

I just didn't see anything unusual,having been raised on military bases I can tell you that everything they build is weird and creepy .but it's usually just a place where they 'push paper'


they generate paper work and then shred it mostly

It's good to here that, the only real info I can get on any thing in my town is something about a NIKE Missile holding facility, whatever that means. But it feels good to have others think this is not anything really that scary, and it comforts me.

Okay sorry people, i figured out what this place is but know I am freaked out. It is apparently designated NIKE Missile site C-50 per this link:

virtualglobetrotting.com...

Is this some like nuclear testing site, geesh what THE CRAP is this place

no it's some administrative stuff ,staffing, logistics,whatnot
trust me 99% of everything the military does is make work by people who wouldn't know which end of a rifle to fire

one hand has no idea what the other is doing and it's almost all show ,it's all smoke and mirrors designed to make you believe we have magical super weapons

relax

Anyone notice there are around 7-9 baseball fields there?

... you guys play that much baseball?

Actually, it WAS a surface to air missle site. Apparently this site was defending the Illinois/Indiana region. I did some digging and came up with this:

Nike Site Locations and Status

Please note that the Nike defense system was ever changing during its life in the United States from 1954 until the "SALT" treaty in 1974 (1979 for Anchorage Alaska). Sites were constructed, equiped and manned, sites re-named, their units renamed, and sites were closed at a much higher rate than most people were accustomed to. (People tended to think that a military installation was as permanent as taxes, at least until recently.) Some of the reasons for the frequent changes were:

1. The much greater range and power of the Nike Hercules which started replacing the Nike Ajax in 1959 reduced the number of sites required to protect a given area with the same effectiveness.
2. Changing air defense priorities - example the Cuban Missile situation in October 1962 caused some re-location of some systems to quickly constructed above ground sites in Florida.
3. Changing manpower commitments - moved some Nike people to Vietnam.
4. Review of existing situations - such as the merging of the Buffalo and Niagara Defense Areas in 1961.
5. The ever changing funding situation from congress, such as the 1970 defense cut backs.

It has been decommissioned:

C - W of Il. 1, H of 187th St. ((P)IL ArNG recruiting
[[Burgess, P] (3/2002) ... . The ING abandoned the site several years ago and it has only just been demolished and converted into a public park. I am trying to get the local park district to erect a plaque remembering the site, but so far no go. I am a US navy vet and thought that the efforts of the Army here should at least warrant a plaque. We'll see how it goes. ]

L - Il 1, S of 187th St ((P)Mercy Health Care/USAR Center)

And, if you interested in reading more, this is the Nike Historical Society webpage.

[edit on 15/2/2009 by Iamonlyhuman]

Thank you all, I think I can walk by this site in peace now.