Kentucky is well-known for a variety of things, including horse racing, bluegrass, and bourbon. However, did you know that it also features a covert nuclear plant that is now a tunnel-based ghost town?

During the Cold War, the Clarksville-based facility was a component of the US nuclear weapons program. Approximately one-third of the United States’ nuclear arsenal was once stored in this facility, one of the nation’s 13 nuclear weapons storage facilities. The Soviet Union, which placed it as high as No. 3 on its list of locations to destroy in the event of a nuclear war, also targeted it.

The History of Clarksville Base

In 1948, the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP) and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) collaborated to create Clarksville Base. It was constructed on an old Army base that saw action in World War II as a camp for prisoners of war.

The nuclear weapons were assembled and stored in the Q part of the site, while the administration and support facilities were housed in the A area. The Q area was defended by armed guards, double fencing, and a number of security features, including cameras, alarms, and dogs. Though less secure, the A sector was still only accessible by approved individuals.

Both military and civilian employees worked at the base, and they were subject to stringent guidelines for handling nuclear weapons. They also had to keep a tight lid on things because the base’s location and presence were under wraps. The laborers commuted daily to the base from surrounding communities like Clarksville and Hopkinsville.

Throughout its 20-year existence, which spanned 1948 to 1968, the site was used to store and build a variety of nuclear weapons, including bombs, warheads, and missiles. While some of the weapons were held in reserve, others were moved to different locations for use. The weapons were also tested, maintained, and inspected by the base.

The Closure and Abandonment of Clarksville Base

The U.S. government made the decision to reduce and consolidate its nuclear weapons stockpile in the late 1960s due to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. One of the locations that was chosen for closure was Clarksville Base since it was thought to be unnecessary and redundant.

The nuclear weapons were taken out of the site and deployed to other places when it was formally declared inactive in 1968. After then, the base was given to the Army, who utilized it for training, storage, and disposal, among other things. In addition, the Army filled in parts of the tunnels and bunkers and destroyed some of the buildings and other infrastructure.

The Army did not, however, entirely eradicate or eliminate every hint of the base’s nuclear heritage. A large number of the base’s infrastructure, including the roads, bridges, gates, fences, and signage, remained intact. Access to the subterranean network that once held the nuclear weapons was made possible by the opening of a few tunnels and bunkers.

The Exploration and Preservation of Clarksville Base

Many people developed an interest in the abandoned base over time, particularly those who were curious about history, the military, or the paranormal. A few of them entered the installation, either authorizedly or not, to investigate and record the ruins of the nuclear plant. They discovered a variety of antiques and artifacts, including records, apparatus, tools, and signage that disclosed the secrets and narratives of the base.

A few of the explorers also spoke of weird and unsettling experiences they encountered, including voices, lights, shadows, and noises that seemed to indicate the presence of ghosts or spirits. A few of them thought that the base was haunted by the spirits of the laborers who perished or suffered there, or by the people who were killed making nuclear weapons there.

Historians and preservationists were also drawn to the base because of its importance to culture and history. Since the base was one of the few surviving examples of its kind in the nation, they fought for its preservation. They also aimed to enlighten and educate the public on the background and significance of the facility during the Cold War.

With the assistance of former employees and explorers, the Don Pratt Museum at Fort Campbell, which is devoted to the history of the 101st Airborne Division, developed an exhibit and a website on Clarksville Base in 2014. In addition, the museum provided self-guided tours of the base so that guests could view and discover more about the nuclear plant.

The Future of Clarksville Base

The Army still owns and operates Clarksville Base today, and it serves a variety of functions there, including training, storage, and disposal. Additionally, entry to the base is still controlled and restricted, and it is still guarded. Except on exceptional occasions and during museum-organized tours, the base is closed to the general public.

Additionally, there is ongoing discussion and interest in the base since some people want to rebuild and maintain it, while others want to demolish it and build something else. There is still mystery and mystery around the site since some people report seeing or hearing unidentified or unexplainable things.

The history and legacy of the Cold War and the American nuclear weapons program are reflected in the unique and amazing location that is Clarksville Base. Given that it represents a component of the history and identity of the country, it is a location that should be honored and remembered.

Conclusion

The Kentucky covert nuclear installation known as Clarksville Base is now a tunnel maze devoid of residents. It was built in 1948 as a component of the American nuclear weapons program, and its duties included assembling and storing different kinds of nuclear warheads. The Soviet Union, which placed it as high as No. 3 on its list of locations to destroy in the event of a nuclear war, also targeted it.

1968 saw the deactivation of the base and the removal and relocation of its nuclear weapons to other sites. After then, the base was given to the Army, who utilized it for training, storage, and disposal, among other things. In addition, the Army filled in parts of the tunnels and bunkers and destroyed some of the buildings and other infrastructure.

The Army did not, however, entirely eradicate or eliminate every hint of the base’s nuclear heritage. A large number of the base’s infrastructure, including the roads, bridges, gates, fences, and signage, remained intact. Access to the subterranean network that once held the nuclear weapons was made possible by the opening of a few tunnels and bunkers.

Many people developed an interest in the abandoned base over time, particularly those who were curious about history, the military, or the paranormal. A few of them entered the installation, either authorizedly or not, to investigate and record the ruins of the nuclear plant. They also claimed to have witnessed odd and unsettling occurrences, including voices, lights, shadows, and noises that implied the presence of ghosts or spirits.

Historians and preservationists were also drawn to the base because of its importance to culture and history. Since the base was one of the few surviving examples of its kind in the nation, they fought for its preservation. They also aimed to enlighten and educate the public on the background and significance of the facility during the Cold War.

The Army still owns and operates Clarksville Base today, and it serves a variety of functions there, including training, storage, and disposal. Additionally, entry to the base is still controlled and restricted, and it is still guarded. Except on exceptional occasions and during museum-organized tours, the base is closed to the general public.

The history and legacy of the Cold War and the American nuclear weapons program are reflected in the unique and amazing location that is Clarksville Base. Given that it represents a component of the history and identity of the country, it is a location that should be honored and remembered.

I really hope you had fun reading this piece. Visit the Don Pratt Museum website at Fort Campbell or view this movie from the YouTube series Exploration Unknown, which examines deserted locations, to discover more about Clarksville Base.