Mt. Tamalpais USAF Base, CA
In 1951 the US Air Force built a radar facility and military base at the peak of Mt. Tamalpais as part of a radar network that was part of the military’s Cold War defenses. The station was connected to Hamilton Field, 10 miles away where fighter jets could be deployed in seconds to intercept suspicious aircraft. The base was in use until 1983 at which point the maintenance of the facility was left to the National Parks Service and the local water district. The FAA currently operates the radar.
In its day the base touted living quarters for the 666th airborn division, a swimming pool, basketball courts, a tennis court, movie theater and mess hall. Today a few buildings still stand, but the majority have been demolished leaving only their concrete foundations.