Trip Report: Destination Dover
First published in 2014. Reformatted 2025. We hadn't been to a NASCAR race in four years, so it was time to get out to a track. We enjoy the racing at Dover International Speedway, Delaware, so that's how this trip materialized. We added a visit with a friend at Gettysburg, an overnight stay in West Virginia, and some other sightseeing. Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them.Saturday, 27 September 2014
From New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, we headed southeast. Harrisburg AF Storage Station PA, PIN 1700, 40-11-58, 76-45-10. In 1942, 2.91 acres were acquired and called Harrisburg Storage Annex. Another 2.54 were acquired in 1951, and 1.14 additional acres in 1955. In the mid-1950s the name was Harrisburg Air Force Storage Station, and by the time of disposition it had changed to Harrisburg Air Force Storage Annex. The property was reported excess in 1961, after 3.68 acres under permit had been terminated in 1960. The remaining 2.91 acres were disposed of 22 August 1962. The property was used as a parking area for Olmsted Field / Air Force Base, with an underpass leading south under the highway to the base. There was also some warehouse storage on the site.General view
General view Olmsted Air Force Base PA, PIN 1696, ILC SHYQ, 40-12-00, 76-45-45. This base had its start in 1917, as Middletown Air Intermediate Depot. By 1939, the flying field portion of the base was called Olmsted Field, and on 13 January 1948 it was designated Olmsted Air Force Base. The base was closed in 1968, with approximately 70 acres retained and established as Olmsted State Airport--that property is still in use as an Air National Guard facility. Today, the flying field is Harrisburg International Airport (MDT). Most of the northern part of the base is now occupied by Penn State Harrisburg and Capital Business Center. The warehouse is an interesting type; a ribless, long-barrel thin shell design the Air Force built in the late 1950s. It appeared to be under preparation for demolition, sadly.
Chapel
Chapel
Chapel
Chapel and chapel annex
Personnel building
Personnel building
Headquarters building
Headquarters building
Headquarters building
Fire station
Fire station
Warehouse
Warehouse
Warehouse
Steam plant
Steam plant Fort DuPont DE, 39-34-15, 75-35-10. The fort was first used as Ten Gun Battery in 1863, acquired by the War Department in about 1871, and established in 1898. It was officially named on 13 July 1899, after Rear Admiral Samuel F. DuPont, USN. The fort continued to serve through WWII, and was declared excess on 4 May 1946. Much of the property is still in use by various government and military activities. I was disappointed to find that access to the gun batteries was denied. We only had a glimpse of the side of the mortar battery.
Sign
Probably a cable hut
Path to gun batteries Battery Rodney-Best DE, 39.5714, 75.5815. This 12-inch mortar battery was named Battery Rodney in 1902 after Caesar Rodney, major general of Delaware Militia and signer of the Declaration of Independence. The battery originally had 16 mortars, four in each of four bays. In 1906 the battery was administratively split in in half, with half named Battery Best after Major Clermont L. Best, Artillery Corps. In 1914 and 1918, half the mortars were removed, to relieve crowding in the mortar bays. The mortars and carriages were scrapped during WWII.
Features on north side of battery
Features on north side of battery We settled into lodging in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Sunday, we attended the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway, which Jeff Gordon won.
Monday, 29 September 2014
Once we checked out of Rehoboth Beach, we spent time in the local area before heading west. Fort Miles DE, 38-46-15, 75-05-15. A portion of land was set aside as U.S. Fort Reservation in 1873, and a 6-inch gun battery was operational during World War I. The installation came into its own for World War II. Established as Cape Henlopen Military Reservation in 1938, it was renamed Fort Miles on 7 August 1941 for General Nelson Miles. Fort Miles had a number of gun batteries, listed separately below. It also had a number of observation or fire control towers supporting the batteries. Most of the fort was declared excess by the Army in 1961, and it was discontinued as a Department of the Army installation on 27 February 1970.Facility 130 - Observation Tower 9
Facility 130 - Observation Tower 9
Facility 312 - Barracks and Facility 310 - Supply and Administration
Facility 313 - Mess Hall
Facility 314 - Barracks
Facility 322 - Wastewater Treatment Plant
Facility 322 - Wastewater Treatment Plant
Facility 385 - Observation Tower 8
Facility 385 - Observation Tower 8
Facility 403 - Mine Storage Warehouse
Facility 410 - Post Administration Building
Facility 560 - Chlorination Building
Facility 560 - Chlorination Building
Facility 560 - Chlorination Building and Facility 570 - Observation Tower 12
Facility 560 - Chlorination Building and Facility 570 - Observation Tower 12
Facility 570 - Observation Tower 12
Facility 570 - Observation Tower 12
Facility 570 - Observation Tower 12
Facility 570 - Observation Tower 12
Facility 668 - Observation Tower 7
Facility 668 - Observation Tower 7
Facility 668 - Observation Tower 7
Facility 668 - Observation Tower 7
Facility 668 - Observation Tower 7
Observation Tower 5 and Observation Tower 6
Cable Hut 3
Cable Hut 3
Perforated Steel Planking in sand Battery 118 Smith DE, 38-46-13, 75-05-10. Construction on this 16-inch gun battery started 24 March 1941 and completed 31 October 1942. It was transferred to the Coast Artillery for use on 21 December 1943, and was deactivated in 1948. It became an integral part of Naval Station Lewes in 1962, with the battery called the Auxiliary Service Building. Navy use ended in 1996 with the closure of the Naval Reserve Training Center and return of the land to the State of Delaware.
Main entrance
Main entrance
Main entrance
Emplacement 1 entrance
Emplacement 1 entrance
Emplacement 1 entrance and Naval Multi-Purpose Building
Emplacement 2 entrance
Emplacement 2 entrance Battery 22 DE, 38.7682, 75.0881. Construction on this 155mm gun battery started 15 December 1941 and completed 15 June 1942. It was deactivated in 1944.
Panama Mount 1
Panama Mount 1
Panama Mount 1
Panama Mount 1
Panama Mount 2
Panama Mount 4
Panama Mount 4 Battery 221 Herring DE, 38-45-55, 75-04-58. Construction on this 6-inch gun battery started 15 January 1942 and completed 31 August 1943. On 17 September 1942 it was named for Lt Col Ralph E. Herring, and it was deactivated in 1948. The battery structure was taken over by the Navy in 1962 as part of Naval Station Lewes, and a Terminal Equipment Building was constructed adjacent to the front of the battery. Navy operation stopped 30 September 1981.
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
Emplacement 2
Emplacement 2 Battery 222 Hunter DE, 38.7883, 75.0888. Construction on this 6-inch gun battery started 15 April 1942 and completed 29 October 1943. It was named for Col Charles H. Hunter on 17 September 1942, and was deactivated in 1947. Navy use began as early as 1949, and the land was formally acquired by the Navy in 1964. The Naval Radio Station was activated here June 1963, but the radio station relocated to Battery 519 in 1964. Navy use ended in 1981 when the land was returned to the State of Delaware.
Facility 240 - General view rear of battery
Facility 240 - Main entrance
Facility 240 - General view top of battery
Facility 240 - Battery Control Station
Facility 240 - Battery Control Station
Facility 240 - Battery Control Station
Facility 240 - Battery Control Station interior
Facility 240 - Battery Control Station interior
Facility 240 - Emplacement 1
Facility 240 - Emplacement 1
Facility 240 - Emplacement 1
Facility 240 - Emplacement 1 Battery 519 DE, 38.7768, 75.0873. Though originally intended for 16-inch guns, this battery was built for two 12-inch guns instead. Construction began 15 November 1942 and completed 31 August 1943. The battery was deactivated in 1948. In 1964 the Naval Radio Station relocated here from Battery 222 Hunter. The land remained under Army control for many years as part of the First Army Recreation Area.
Facility 640 - General view from Observation Tower 7
Facility 640 - Main entrance
Facility 640 - Main entrance
Facility 640 - Top of battery
Facility 640 - Top of battery
Facility 640 - Top of battery
Facility 640 - Emplacement 1 entrance
Facility 640 - Emplacement 1
Facility 640 - Emplacement 1
Facility 640 - Emplacement 1
Facility 640 - Emplacement 2
Facility 640 - Emplacement 2 Lewes Naval Station DE, ILC NDNK, 38-46-16, 75-05-13. A portion of Fort Miles (about 593 acres, including Battery 118 Smith) was transferred to the Navy 13 December 1961, followed by about 16 additional acres on 21 September 1964. A portion of the land (about 240 acres) was disposed of to the State of Delaware on 31 October 1972. The Navy disestablished the installation in 1981. It was variously known as Naval Station Lewes, Naval Facility Lewes, Naval Oceanographic Research Station, and SOSUS NAVFAC. In about 1982, most of the remaining land was transferred to the State of Delaware, except about 15 acres for a Naval Reserve Center. The Naval Reserve Center finally closed in September 1996.
Multi-Purpose Building
Multi-Purpose Building
Multi-Purpose Building
Multi-Purpose Building
Multi-Purpose Building
Multi-Purpose Building
Multi-Purpose Building
Multi-Purpose Building First Army Recreation Area DE 38-46-38, 75-05-22. On 26 January 1962, a portion of Fort Miles including Battery 519 was retained by the Army for a recreation facility. In 1978 about half of the land was disposed of, making the size of the installation about 96 acres when it was disposed of to the State of Delaware 23 October 1991. The Air Force had a Fort Miles Recreation Annex, PIN 7437, under Dover AFB as of 1967. I have not learned the location or size of this Air Force installation, but I suspect it was part of the First Army Recreation Area property.
General view from Observation Tower 7
Facility 600 - Company Day Room
Facility 600 - Company Day Room
Facility 601 - Supply and Administration Building
Facility 601 - Supply and Administration Building
Facility 603 - Barracks
Facility 603 - Barracks
Facility 604 - Barracks
Facility 604 - Barracks
Facility 606 - Barracks
Facility 606 - Barracks
Facility 606 - Barracks
Facility 607 - Barracks
Facility 607 - Barracks
Facility 608 - Building
Facility 608 - Building
Recreation building foundation
6-inch gun as used in Batteries 221 Herring and 222 Hunter
6-inch gun as used in Batteries 221 Herring and 222 Hunter
8-inch gun on railroad mount
8-inch gun on railroad mount
Railroad tracks for future 8-inch gun display
16-inch gun as used in Battery 118 Smith
16-inch gun as used in Battery 118 Smith We headed west, stopping for the night in Annapolis, Maryland.
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
From Annapolis, we had a short drive north to the airport. Crownsville Comms Site GWEN 889 MD, ILC EXVU, 39-00-40, 76-36-20. This Ground Wave Emergency Network site, sometimes listed as Annapolis, was operational from about 1987 until the late 1990s. It was disposed of 1 October 2000.General view
Antenna base and signage
Antenna tower
Equipment shelters We turned in the rental at BWI, after driving a mere 947 miles and spending nights in five states on this eight-day adventure. By dinner time we were home in Denver. Updated May 10, 2025
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