Trip Report - Living on Lowry

Living on Lowry

6 Aug 2011 - Split the non-Lowry entries into the separate Wanderings trip report.
27 Nov 2011 - Added Lowry AFB Fac 1491 photos.
4 May 2012 - Added Lowry Communications Facility Annex.
19 May 2012 - Added Lowry AFB Fac 607 photos.
9 Dec 2012 - Added Buckley Annex.
22 Mar 2013 - Added Lowry AFB Fac 354, 957, and 1433 photos.
31 Mar 2013 - Added Lowry AFB Fac 773, 779, and 965 photos.
6 Apr 2013 - Lowry AFB: merged Fac 555 (erroneous) with Fac 1435 (correct), added numbers for Facs 24, 26, and 967, added names for Facs 22, 607, 880, and 1435.
7 Apr 2013 - Added Lowry AFB Fac 1, 4, 5, 23, 24, 205, 206, 207, 629, and 777 photos.
4 May 2013 - Added Lowry AFB Fac 2, 3, 20, 21, and 959 photos, added number and name for Fac 1002.
11 Dec 2014 - Added Fairmount Cemetery, grave site of Lt. Francis B. Lowry.
29 May 2016 - Added Lowry AFB Fac 2304 photos.
11 Jun 2017 - Added Buckley AFB Fac 801 photos.

This page covers Lowry AFB and it's related annexes, as seen during my time in Denver starting in 2007. The former catch-all visits formerly captured here are now in the Wanderings trip report. This page is alphabetical rather than chronological, since my visits span several years.

Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado (7003, CRWU)

During WWII, Buckley Field was under the jurisdiction of Lowry Field, and the airfield supported a large bombing and gunnery complex. The hangar shown here was constructed for the Naval Reserve, during the period when the airfield was Naval Air Station, Denver. This hangar's thin-shell concrete roof was designed by engineer Anton Tedesko in 1951; this hangar was a prototype for six others built for the Navy. The concrete arch roof has a clear span of 136 feet. Tedesko also designed the thin-shell B-36 hangar roofs at Ellsworth AFB and Loring AFB, with much wider 340 foot spans. My sincere thanks go to the 140th Wing Public Affairs Office for approving my photographic request and escorting me around the hangar. Unfortunately, the catenary curve of the roof and its support ribs are best viewed from a distance.
(Fac 801 - General view)
(Fac 801 - General view)
(Fac 801 - General view)
(Fac 801 - General view)
(Fac 801 - Distant view showing concrete support ribs)
(Fac 801 - Interior view showing underside of roof)

Buckley Annex, Denver, Colorado (FEQW)

This annex, at 39-42-59, 104-54-29, was originally part of Lowry AFB. After Lowry's closure this property was retained by the Air Force, and on 1 Dec 1996 it was activated as the Defense Accounting and Finance Service Denver Annex. On 1 Apr 2003 it was renamed Buckley Annex, then on 31 May 2012 the 70 acre parcel was turned over by DoD to the Lowry Redevelopment Authority. This property was the western end of the Lowry AFB flight line, in fact the large vehicle parking lot was formerly an aircraft parking ramp. The two older buildings (407 and 409) were on the northern edge of the flight line. Facility 407 supported the Air Force Academy's flight operations when that school was at Lowry AFB 1955-1958. The large building, facility 444, was built for the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center (which later became DFAS Denver). Eventually the Air Reserve Personnel Center also used this building.
(General view)
(General view)
(Facility 407 - Squadron operations)
(Facility 407 - Squadron operations)
(Facility 409 - Organizational maintenance hangar)
(Facility 409 - Organizational maintenance hangar)
(Facility 409 - Organizational maintenance hangar)
(Facility 409 - Organizational maintenance hangar)
(Facility 444 - Air Force Accounting and Finance Center)
(Facility 444 - Air Force Accounting and Finance Center)
(Facility 444 - Air Force Accounting and Finance Center)
(Facility 444 - Air Force Accounting and Finance Center)
(Facility 446 - Sewage transfer station)

Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado (1235, NTMU)

The namesake of Lowry Field was buried just south of the future base in Fairmount Cemetery.
(Lieutenant Francis Brown Lowry memorial)
(Lieutenant Francis Brown Lowry grave marker)

Genesee Mountain Park Training Annex, Colorado (3886, HUCX)

This former annex of Lowry AFB is a bit west of Golden, south of I-70, and centered at approximately 39-41-56, 105-17-15. Within the last decade, at least one building and some cable vaults remained from Air Force use. Looks like I visited one summer too late. The "Open House" banners as we drove toward the site made me uncomfortable. Sure enough, the area with the building and infrastructure remnants has been improved with new roads, driveways, and houses. I photographed some of the great scenery at the approximate center of the installation, which supported radar training from about 1955 to about 1969. Visited 28 Aug 2010.

Lowry Communications Facility Annex, Colorado (1237)

This former annex of Lowry AFB is a couple miles east of the base, and served as a transmitter annex from 28 Dec 1955 to 17 Jul 1969. The building appears to be pre-World War II. Note the streamline moderne touches in the curved walls and window canopy. According to current building users, the poured concrete walls are 12" thick. The 1939 topo map labeled this as "Radio Center" while the 1971 topo labeled it as "Mil Res." I don't know if the earlier "Radio Center" was also associated with Lowry, or if it was a civilian facility at that time. Most of the L-shaped, 27.16 acre property is now Bicentennial Park. Visited 4 May 2012.

Lowry Missile Site #2, Colorado (6957, NTNM)

I had seen the locked gate back in 2002. This time, 20 Nov 2010, I had full topside access on this former Titan I missile complex.
(Access gate)
(General view)
(Distant view of orientation targets)
(Orientation targets)
(Orientation targets)
(Antenna silo #1)
(Antenna silo #2)
(Antenna silo detail)
(Survey marker closeup)
(Survey marker in foreground)
(Unidentified feature)
(Chemical waste clarifier)
(Portal)
(Portal)
(Portal, instrument array in background)
(Instrument array with one tube raised)
(Launch silo #1)
(Launch silo #1)
(Launch silo #1)
(Launch silo #1)
(Launch silo #1)
(Launch silo #2)
(Launch silo #2)
(Launch silo #2)
(Launch silo #2)
(Launch silo #2)
(Launch silo #3)
(Launch silo #3)
(Launch silo #3)
(Launch silo #3)
(Launch silo #3, silo doors)
(Launch silo #3, silo doors)
(Launch silo #3, silo door detail)
(Launch silo #3, silo door detail)

Lowry Missile Site #3, Colorado (7240)

I had explored this site back in 2005. I made another visit on 25 Nov 2010. CAUTION: I do not recommend visiting this site due to the numerous open holes, pits, and shafts. All former missile sites are inherently unsafe, but this one is more dangerous than most.
(Entrance gate)
(General view, looking south from portal parking area)
(General view, looking north from portal parking area)
(Portal)
(Portal)
(Portal)
(Portal)
(Portal)
(Portal)
(Orientation targets, both sets)
(Orientation targets, east set)
(Orientation targets, east set)
(Orientation targets, west set)
(Orientation targets, west set)
(Antenna silos)
(Antenna silo #1)
(Antenna silo #2)
(Antenna terminal exhaust vent)
(Hard Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) antenna)
(Hard UHF antenna)
(Communications antenna silo)
(Communications antenna silo)
(Communications antenna silo)
(Communications antenna silo detail)
(Communications antenna silo detail)
(Chemical waste clarifier)
(Chemical waste clarifier)
(Concrete pad)
(Concrete pad)
(Exposed main junction)
(Exposed main junction)
(Main junction interior, looking west)
(Main junction interior, looking west)
(Main junction interior, looking west)
(Main junction interior, looking west)
(Main junction interior, looking north)
(Main junction interior, looking south)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Launch silo #1)
(Launch silo #1)
(Launch silo #1)
(Launch silo #2)
(Launch silo #2)
(Launch silo #2)
(Launch silo #2, doors)
(Launch silo #2, unidentified feature nearby)
(Launch silo #2, unidentified feature nearby)
(Launch silo #2, unidentified feature nearby)
(Launch silo #2, unidentified feature nearby)
(Launch silo #2, unidentified feature nearby)
(Launch silo #2, unidentified feature nearby)
(Launch silo #3)
(Launch silo #3)
(Launch silo #3)
(Launch silo #3)
(Launch silo #3, doors)
(Launch silo #3, feature associated with propellant terminal)
(Launch silo #3, detail)
(Launch silo #3, feature associated with equipment terminal)
(Launch silo #3, feature associated with propellant terminal)

Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado (1235, NTMU)

Lowry Field (Combs Airport), Denver, Colorado

This was the first field named Lowry in Denver, used by the Colorado National Guard from 1924 until 1938. For several years after that, it was a civilian airport named Combs. Two possible hangars from that era remain, one of them with "Combs Aircraft Corp." still visible on the metal skin. These structures are just east of the Park Hill Golf Club course, at 39-46-15, 104-55-54. This field was not associated with the later Lowry AFB, but I include it here since the two installations share the same namesake. Visited 25 Nov 2007.

Lowry AF Range, Titan I complex 724-B, Colorado (724-A per Fred Epler)

I had seen the gate back in 2005. This time, 12 Nov 2010, I noticed a Quonset hut and one set of orientation targets visible from Quincy Road.

Lowry AF Range, Titan I complex 725-B, Colorado (725-A per Fred Epler)

I had seen the orientation targets back in 2005. This time, 12 Nov 2010, the signs were friendlier and I got closer to the site. I saw the original access road, and I could see the three silo caps in the distance. Sometime after it's use as a Titan I site, this piece of land became the Bennett Army National Guard Site. It was sold to a private owner in 2006.

Lowry AF Range, Colorado (1236, NTNG)

This small storage area goes back to at least 1952. I viewed the area from the west and from the east, and from the fenceline I observed the one remaining storage igloo. Seen in Nov 2010.

Lowry Recreation Annex, Dillon, Colorado (9852, NTNQ)

This recreation facility, located at 39-35-49, 106-01-35, supported Lowry AFB. I don't know its activation date, but it was in use by 1967, and was disposed of in 1994. It's now operated by the U.S. Forest Service as Lowry Campground. Visited 5 Oct 2008.

Lowry Training Annex, Colorado (NTNB)

The training annex was part of the former Lowry Air Force Range, and was used for munitions training. A storage area with several igloos has been razed. I viewed the remaining roadbed from the access gate on 25 Nov 2010.

Lowry Warehouse Annex, Denver, Colorado (1239)

I believe I found the correct location of this facility, a warehouse used by Lowry AFB in the 1950s. Visited 1 Mar 2009.

Watkins Comms Site GWEN 666, Colorado (YNMH)

I saw the access gate for this site back in 2005. This time, in Nov 2010, I looked from the north and I believe I saw the remaining fenced enclosures from the site (the tower and equipment were removed years ago). The access gate had a new sign since my earlier visit. This site is on property of the former Lowry Training Annex, which was on the former Lowry B&G Range.

GO TO TRIP REPORTS PAGE

GO TO MAIN PAGE

geovisit();<img src="http://visit.webhosting.yahoo.com/visit.gif?us1247785898" alt="setstats" border="0" width="1" height="1">