Did You Know...

• It comes to a shock to visitors that the "Nike" in Nike Park does not refer to the shoe company.  It's named after what's  around and underneath the field complex... a Cold War Nike Missile site.  Great Falls Nike Fire Control Site W-83 was one of 13 different integrated sites that were erected in the Baltimore - Washington area in order to defend against an aerial attack 1955-1962.  Forestville Elementary School is located where  the personnel barracks existed.
• The missiles were around 20-35 feet long and stored underground.  If we we were under attack, doors would swing open and the missiles would pop up and launch.

How cool is that?

For more information, take a look at the Reston Now article.