Record #:

7984

Author(s):

Allen, Joseph Baneth

Abstract:

On Topsail Island, off the central coast of North Carolina, eight concrete towers sit an average of 2.4 miles from each other. Few people are aware of what the purpose of these towers once was. Some locals have perpetuated rumors that the towers were used to observe German submarine activity in World War II or that they were used for the Cape Canaveral space program. But the real purpose of these towers relates to the United States missile program in the last years of the Second World War. The towers housed photographic equipment which was used to track missiles. The site was active from 1946 to 1948, when it was relocated to Florida.

Source:

The State (NoCar F 251 S77), Vol. 53 Issue 2, July 1985, p12-14, il

Subject(s):

Topsail Island--History; Guided missiles--Topsail Island