Scott's USAF Installations Page

Trip Report: Living on Lowry

First published in 2007. Reformatted 2025.

This page covers Lowry Air Force Base and its related annexes, as seen during my time in Denver starting in 2007. This page is alphabetical rather than chronological, since my visits span several years. Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them.

Buckley Air Force Base
Aurora, Colorado
PIN 7003, ILC 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 photography 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
ILC FEQW
39-42-59, 104-54-29

This annex was originally part of Lowry AFB. After Lowry's closure the Air Force retained this property, and on 1 December 1996 it was activated as the Defense Accounting and Finance Service Denver Annex. On 1 April 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 flightline, 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 flightline. Facility 407 supported the Air Force Academy's flight operations when that school was at Lowry AFB 1955-58. 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, along with other smaller tenant organizations. I worked for the 4th Manpower Requirements Squadron in building 444 from 2007 to 2010.
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

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
Genesee, Colorado
PIN 3886, ILC HUCX
39-41-56, 105-17-15

This former annex of Lowry AFB is a bit west of Golden and south of I-70. 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 August 2010.
General view
General view

Lowry Communications Facility Annex
Aurora, Colorado
PIN 1237

This former annex of Lowry AFB is a couple miles east of the base, and served as a transmitter annex from 28 December 1955 to 17 July 1969. 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.
Building
Building
Building
Building
General view

Lowry Missile Site No. 2
Elizabeth, Colorado
PIN 6957, ILC NTNM)

I saw the locked gate back in 2002. This time, 20 November 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 Air Force Base
Denver, Colorado
PIN 1235, ILC NTMU

Lowry Field (Combs Airport)
Denver, Colorado
39-46-15, 104-55-54

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 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. 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 November 2007.
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar
Hangars

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

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

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

I had seen the orientation targets back in 2005. This time, 12 November 2010, I was able to get closer to the site. I saw the original access road, and I could see the three silo caps in the distance. Sometime after its 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.
Orientation targets
Access road
Silo doors
Silo doors

Lowry AF Range
Watkins, Colorado
PIN 1236, ILC 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. Photographed in November 2010.
General view
General view
Munitions storage igloo
Munitions storage igloo
Munitions storage igloo
Munitions storage igloo

Lowry Recreation Annex
Dillon, Colorado
PIN 9852, ILC NTNQ
39-35-49, 106-01-35

This recreation facility 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 October 2008.
General view
General view
General view
General view
Gate
Non-historic sign

Lowry Training Annex
Watkins, Colorado
ILC 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 November 2010.
Former access road
Gate

Lowry Warehouse Annex
Denver, Colorado
PIN 1239

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

Watkins Comms Site GWEN 666
Watkins, Colorado
ILC YNMH

I saw the access gate for this site back in 2005. This time, in November 2010, I looked from the north and I believe I saw the remaining fence 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 part of the former Lowry Training Annex, which was on the former Lowry Bombing and Gunnery Range.
Fenced area
Fenced area
Gate
Non-historic sign

Updated March 29, 2025

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Trip Report: Living on Lowry

Buckley Air Force Base Aurora, Colorado PIN 7003, ILC CRWU

Buckley Annex Denver, Colorado ILC FEQW 39-42-59, 104-54-29

Fairmount Cemetery Denver, Colorado

Genesee Mountain Park Training Annex Genesee, Colorado PIN 3886, ILC HUCX 39-41-56, 105-17-15

Lowry Communications Facility Annex Aurora, Colorado PIN 1237

Lowry Missile Site No. 2 Elizabeth, Colorado PIN 6957, ILC NTNM)

Lowry Missile Site No. 3 Deer Trail, Colorado PIN 7240

Lowry Air Force Base Denver, Colorado PIN 1235, ILC NTMU

Lowry Field (Combs Airport) Denver, Colorado 39-46-15, 104-55-54

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

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

Lowry AF Range Watkins, Colorado PIN 1236, ILC NTNG

Lowry Recreation Annex Dillon, Colorado PIN 9852, ILC NTNQ 39-35-49, 106-01-35

Lowry Training Annex Watkins, Colorado ILC NTNB

Lowry Warehouse Annex Denver, Colorado PIN 1239

Watkins Comms Site GWEN 666 Watkins, Colorado ILC YNMH