America has never been short on its fair share of secrets, some hidden deep underground, others barbed and protected by patrols, and a few so secret that only a few have any clue about what truly happens inside. For those who’ve taken a look at defence and intel studies, these places aren’t just conspiracy fantasies or Hollywood movie plots, they’re the pillars of national defence, the training ground for elite operatives, or some defence technical research facilities, and every now and then, the site of decisions that can make history. Here’s a countdown of the 10 most secret places in the US, moving from interesting Military classified U.S. bases.
10. The Point, Hertford, North Carolina (Harvey Point Defense Testing Activity)
Hidden in North Carolina, Harvey Point is a mysterious naval base situated in complete secrecy. It was begun in the early 1960s following the Bay of Pigs, and these days this classified U.S. bases is utilised by the Navy and CIA for counter terrorism and paramilitary training. It’s rumoured that SEAL Team Six practised the bin Laden raid here in a replica compound. Security is tight, you won’t get nearer to it and just found the news reports of faraway explosions or helicopters rumbling through the trees in the area.
9. Forbidden Island, Hawaii (Niihau)
The “Forbidden Island,” Niihau, has belonged to the Robinson family since the 1800s. The island is inhabited by about 130 individuals who live free from the use of modern technology and is closed to the world at large. Celebrities are no exception, they too have turned down from visiting it. While not a military base, its isolation and restricted public access make it one of the most fascinating off-limits places in America.
8. P.O. Box 1142, Fort Hunt, Virginia
In World War II, Fort Hunt operated under the secret code name “P.O. Box 1142” there, American solders and spy’s were trained on how to combat and escape, and German POWs were also secretly interrogated. The structures were assigned farm-bloc code names, including “The Creamery” and “The Warehouse.” The camp was largely disassembled after the war, but the site remains off-limits to the general public, and much of what happened here remains concealed in secret files.
7. The Coca-Cola Vault, Atlanta, Georgia
Not all secrets belong to the government. Perhaps one of the best corporate secrets in the world is the formula for Coca-Cola, written out in 1919. It’s stored in a vault at the Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta. Visitors may view the outside of the vault, but the formula is off the limits, it’s with security almost as strict as some government buildings.
6. Granite Mountain, Utah
Deep in the Wasatch Mountains just outside of Salt Lake City lies the Granite Mountain Records Vault. Built by the LDS Church in 1965, it holds billions of genealogical records from all over the world on microfilm and digital media. The vaults are well ventilated and air-conditioned, well-guarded, and accessible only to authorized personnel. Its size and inaccessibility generate a lot of myths about the place.
5. Area 51, Nevada
Perhaps the most famous secret site in the world, Area 51, has long been linked with UFO rumours and advanced aircraft testing site and a very classified U.S. bases used to research on Military and Air Technology. For decades, the government didn’t even admit it existed. Today, it’s understood to be a hub for experimental aerospace research. With restricted airspace, constant surveillance, and armed patrols, Area 51 remains off-limits, keeping its secrets well out of reach of common peoples.
4. Bohemian Grove, California
Every summer, powerful politicians, industrialists, and artists descend upon Bohemian Grove, a private 2,700 acre California retreat. Shrouded in ritual and intrigue, the Grove has spawned rumours for a decades. History confirms that portions of the Manhattan Project were negotiated here during World War II. Whatever happens inside, stays inside.
3. Mount Weather, Virginia
West of Washington, D.C., Mount Weather is one of the country’s most secure disaster centres. Officially, the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Centre it’s a government disaster relocation centre. With its own services and infrastructure, it’s a secret city underground. As a continuity of government backup since 9/11, it’s been important.
2. North Brother Island, New York
Between Rikers Island and the Bronx, North Brother Island is a ghostly, abandoned site where a quarantine hospital once stood. Known as the site of Typhoid Mary’s death, it has been closed to the public for decades. It is a bird sanctuary today. With decaying, poisonous buildings and restricted access, the island is frozen in time.
1. “The Farm” (Camp Peary, Virginia)
Number one on the list is Camp Peary, or “The Farm.” This secretive base just outside Williamsburg has been suspected for years of being the CIA’s principal school for foreign operations trainings. Here CIA Officer trainees are taught some of the toughest things possible, espionage trade-craft, marksmanship training, survival techniques, and resistance to capture. The training is intense and clandestine, and graduates rarely speak of it again.
These above sites, some of them historical and inoperative, and few are still functional, show us how secrecy is added in America’s culture and security. Whether a very secured formula, training secret agents for covert operations, or safeguarding the government itself, these off-limits Classified U.S. Bases and facilities remind us that what we can see on the surface is merely half the story.
