Thursday, October 4, 2012Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2008. Mattie came home from school on this particular day and decided he wanted to fly his kite. His preschool friend gave him this wonderful dragonfly kite for his 6th birthday and Mattie was determined to learn how to fly it. In the courtyard of our complex, after many tries, Mattie learned the art of kite flying.
Quote of the day: Emotions are naught to be tormented, for they can kill a person in more ways than one. ~ David Garrison
Today was another foggy and rainy day on the Cape. For almost a week now, this is how we have been greeted in the morning..... by our resident Great Blue Heron. Very, very different from our city life and daily existence. 
We drove to Woods Walk today, which is a trail in Truro. This is something Peter never did before. So it was a new adventure for both of us. As you can see we had FOG all around us. This trail was beyond fascinating because in and amongst the trail is the Former North Truro Air Force Station, which is rich in Cold War history.
This is the home of one of the Country's first radar squadrons - The North Truro Air Force Station (AFS). Squadron members played a crucial role in Cold War air defense from 1950 to 1985, keeping a constant watch for Soviet bombers and missiles. Most airmen lived and worked on the station. But they forged bonds with neighboring town by volunteering within the community, hosting bingo nights at the non-commissioned officers (NCO) club, and playing baseball with local teams on the Station's field. For many airmen the outer Cape became a home away from home.
We began our visit by taking a trail through the woods. Despite the mist and fog, the woods and seclusion were beautiful. Yet on this walk it became very evident that we were walking through a piece of history. It wasn't just your typical trail through the woods!
As we walked along the trail we were dumped out onto this..... I call it "The Lost City." You can see Peter walking down this street, with his hands flapping. He is basically saying..... "What is this?!" Well this is a 27 unit housing development that was once used by military personnel and their families. At one point there were 500 civilian and military personnel stationed here. As I was looking at this street, it was eerie, as if I could feel the vibrancy of what this town must have been like at one point in time. In a way, we walked through a ghost town today and learned more about the Cold War era. 
The street Peter was walking on above was called Wilson Lane. Here is one of the abandoned houses on this Lane. It was a very weird feeling to be here, and if this house and land could talk, we would have learned even more today.
On the Station's property were sculptures. This one was entitled, "Aerometer." There was clearly life, a community, and a town in this secluded area at one time, and the sculptures seem to illustrate this vibrancy all too well.
This sculpture is entitled, "Fire Dragon."
Here is what this sign says..................
Remnants of the 50 year long Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union surround you at the Woods Walk at Highlands Center. In response to the Soviet detonation of an atomic bomb in 1949, the US military established hundreds of radar facilities across the Country. From 1950 to 1985, personnel at the former North Truro Air Force Station kept a constant radar watch for Soviet bombers and missiles. The site you see today is still used by the Federal Aviation Administration to monitor air traffic. An off shore radar facility, assembled 110 miles East of Cape Cod was also operated from this station during the height of the Cold War. Men aboard Texas Tower-2 (pictured above) lived with constant vibrations and loud noises from machinery. However, personnel did enjoy reading the Tower's newsletter and swapping ice cream for lobster brought by fishermen. These radar installations gave the East coast an additional 30 minutes to prepare for an atomic attack during this time of fear and uncertainty.
Quote: There exists in the present generation a definitive and grave threat to a peaceful people - that of a potential air attack by a nation that we know would not hesitate to use the most terrible weapons of physical and human destruction at its disposal. ~ John Sherwin, Major USAF Commander (1953)
The sign above was located in the place I am standing. As you can see I am surrounded by FOG, but notice all the buildings in the background. These are all a part of the abandoned station. For just a short moment in time, I too was part of this ghost town. 
This afternoon, Peter's parents drove from Boston to the Cape to visit with us. I snapped a picture of them on our deck overlooking the marsh. We had a chance to have lunch together, catch up with one another, and we even enjoyed an apple pie Barbara made for us.
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