The Marblehead Mile 2 & 3 - Lorrie Halblaub

[Radar Park & Marblehead Water Tower]

In this series we are taking an historical look at an area that covers approximately a mile of Main Street in downtown Marblehead. Heading east from the Village limits, we will discover the facts and the stories of how Marblehead became what it is today.

Radar Park

Directly across the street from the post office is Radar Park and a building at 1305 W. Main.  During the Cold War in the 1950’s, many sites across America were part of the Nike Air Defense System.  Some places had a Nike Missile and some places, like Marblehead, had a radar tower.  By 1968, the radar tower was deactivated and other towns that had missiles had them removed, because the Nike Missiles were made obsolete by the new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. 

After Marblehead’s radar tower and building were abandoned, the tower was removed. A sign on the building now reads:

RADAR PARK   This park land was acquired through the Federal Land To Parks Program

of the United States Department of Interior National Park Service for use by the public.  

Since 1971, the park has been leased to the Village of Marblehead.

Recently, the building was remodeled and benches and tables were put outside the building. According to the village website, they had been discussing plans to add restrooms and other ideas for the use of the building.  “Architectural drawings and specifications were prepared, and the Village advertised for construction bids. However, no bids were received by the April 16, 2024 bid opening deadline. The estimated project cost is much greater than what the Village budget can afford. Therefore, the planned renovation project is not moving forward as currently proposed. Through a follow-up conversation with the National Park Service’s (NPS) project manager, it was agreed that the Village may use the building as a base of operation for the Village's Parks Maintenance Specialist. Basically, this meets NPS's criteria that this property be used for public parks and recreation purposes.” 

In preparation for the Bicentennial of the Marblehead Lighthouse in 2022, local artist Rose Lucas Haninger painted a mural on the building showing the lighthouse and a Great Lakes Freighter. Today the only tower at Radar Park is a cell tower.

Marblehead Water Tower

West of Radar Park is the Marblehead Village water tower. It was built in 1958. In 1968 some Danbury High School seniors climbed the tower steps at night and painted “Class of 68” on the tower. One of the culprits said, “We might as well have painted our names and addresses on it because we were caught the next morning and had to pay $100 each to have it repainted.”  Today that $100 would be equivalent to $906. When Joe Ihnat was Mayor in 2002-2003, the tower was repainted again and today displays the Danbury School Logo.