The Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex (SRMSC), located near Nekoma, North Dakota, rises dramatically from the flat prairie landscape—a striking Cold War relic shaped like a futuristic pyramid. It is known to locals the Pyramid of North Dakota. More than just an architectural curiosity, it stands as a powerful reminder of technological ambition, evolving military strategies, and the possibilities of repurposing historic infrastructure.
Authorized by Congress in 1969 and constructed between 1970 and 1974, the complex was built to defend the U.S. Minuteman ICBM silos based at Grand Forks Air Force Base. It featured two major phased-array radar systems: the Perimeter Acquisition Radar (PAR), which scanned for incoming missiles over the North Pole, and the Missile Site Radar (MSR), housed within the five-story concrete pyramid. This structure served as the central command hub, directing 30 long-range Spartan missiles and 16 high-speed Sprint interceptors. The complex also included four Remote Sprint Launchers (RSL) sites, which held an additional 54 Sprint missiles.
Despite its advanced capabilities, the complex had a shockingly short operational life. It became partially active on April 1, 1975, and reached full operational status in October. But just one day after it became fully functional, Congress defunded the project, citing concerns over its effectiveness and cost. The site was shut down by early 1976—only six months after reaching full readiness. The closure had a profound impact on the surrounding region, causing a sudden loss of thousands of jobs and significantly shrinking local communities like Nekoma.
The SRMSC was an enormous engineering feat. At the height of construction, more than 3,200 workers toiled through extreme weather to scorching summer heat. The build required 714,000 cubic feet of concrete, 27,500 tons of reinforcing steel, and over 2,200 miles of wiring. It boosted the local economy and left behind a structure that, even in silence, commands attention with its stark, brutalist design.
After decades of abandonment, the site found new life in 2012 when local Hutterite farmers purchased it at auction for around $530,000. Later, the Missile Site Radar pyramid and adjacent land were acquired by the Cavalier County Job Development Authority. Plans soon emerged to convert the facility into a data center powered by sustainable energy, with excess heat repurposed to support greenhouse farming. Backed by a proposed $500 million investment, the project also includes plans for a Cold War museum to educate future generations.
Today, the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex remains one of the most visually and historically compelling remnants of Cold War America—a monument to nuclear-era anxiety, rapid technological development, and shifting defense priorities. The National Park Service has even identified it as a potential National Historic Landmark.
Though its missile systems are long gone, the SRMSC will hopefully experience a rebirth—no longer a relic of war, but a beacon of innovation and adaptation. Its story continues to evolve, bridging the tensions of the past with visions for a more sustainable and informed future.
Photographs below are in no particular order - they include the remaining buildings on site and the inside of the pyramid.
