Post-Attack Command and Control System Facility, Hadley, Underground military bunker in Hadley, Massachusetts, United States
This facility is an underground repository with two levels that combines military fortification with advanced construction methods. The spaces offer controlled conditions and protect valuable academic collections from external elements.
The facility was built in 1957 as a command center for the Strategic Air Command and served the 8th Air Force until 1970. After its military deactivation, it was gradually adapted for civilian uses.
The site connects military history with academic purpose, housing collections from five colleges in its underground spaces today. This repurposing shows how Cold War sites were transformed to serve education.
The underground location offers consistent temperatures and conditions year-round, ideal for accessing large collections. Visitors should expect that navigating the facility requires planning, as it is not a public museum.
The Federal Reserve temporarily used this former military site to store currency reserves before it took on its academic function. This unexpected episode shows how the location served multiple national security purposes.
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