Arlington Heights Air Force Station, Military radar station in Arlington Heights, United States.
Arlington Heights Air Force Station was a ground-based radar facility located northwest of Chicago, Illinois. It operated as part of the broader US air defense network, using several radar systems to watch over the surrounding airspace.
The station opened in 1960 under the 755th Radar Squadron of the US Air Force and remained active for about a decade before closing in 1969. The land was then converted into a private golf course, which still occupies the site today.
The name of this site comes directly from Arlington Heights, the suburban city northwest of Chicago where it was built. Today, golfers use the grounds without any visible sign that the land once held military equipment pointed at the sky.
The site is now a private golf course and is not open to general visitors. Access is only possible as a club member or with a guest invitation from a member.
The station used radar systems from General Electric and Bendix, and both were upgraded at least once during its years of operation. This layered approach to radar technology was part of how the US military tried to keep its continental defense network current during the Cold War.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.