History in Motion

Susan Beckwith Truscott / Marco Island Historical Society

Remember when we could fish off the sea wall of the tracking station?

Fast facts

In the 1950s, the U.S. Air Force began launching small test missiles such as the Matador and the Snark “down range” into the Atlantic Ocean from Patrick AFB, south of Cape Canaveral.

Under the direction of RCA, Pan American contractors established missile tracking stations on land bases and ships at sea to monitor these missiles, as well as later unmanned and manned space flights, with radar and more advanced telemetry. A blockhouse was built for this purpose at the southwestern corner of Marco Island where Cape Marco now stands.

After the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the U.S. agreed to dismantle missile bases in Turkey and several specific sites here at home, because the Cuban government felt threatened by some of them. This included Marco Island, never an offensive installation in the first place.

The government deeded the land to the Mackle brothers’ Deltona Corporation, which had purchased most of the island for development in the early 60s. Deltona used the building for storage of chemicals and construction material, but eventually, the place was vacated and deteriorated into a mass of giant concrete blocks.

A fence was erected around it and the property abandoned until developer Jack Antaramian acquired the land in the 1990s and began building the Cape Marco Towers. He completed four of these and then sold the entire project to WCI, which finished the last two towers. All six are now occupied by private owners.

What’s new with the museum?

Whatever your skills, chances are the Marco Island Historical Society can use them. We are in the process of getting organized to run a museum. As you’d expect, we will need docents and tour guides for the new museum, so teaching and interpretive skills are always in demand. But we also need re-enactors for living history events and help of all kinds at archaeological digs, community festivals and other special occasions. We will need volunteers to assist with our Appraisal Faire in 2010, people with computer skills to help with membership and writing our newsletter.

Hone your party skills to help with our frequent celebration and hospitality events. Won’t you come join us? Whether you have computer know-how, can help with mailing or would like to dress in coonskin and calico, the MIHS needs you!

Contact Betsy at (239) 304-6917.