Original army building at site NY-93/94 in March, 1996. Photo: Don Bender
Nike Battery NY-93/94 was constructed in the hills of northwestern Bergen County, New Jersey during 1954 and 1955. The control area was located atop Campgaw Mountain in Franklin Lakes, providing excellent radar coverage of the region. The launcher area was built roughly one mile north, within neighboring Mahwah.
A double Nike site with six underground missile magazines, NY-93/94 was partly upgraded to operate with Nike Hercules missiles and remained operational through 1971.
Location
Launcher Area:
Mahwah, (Bergen County), NJ
Control Area:
Franklin Lakes, (Bergen County), NJ
Dates of Operation
1955-1974
Missile Magazines
6 Magazines (double site).
4 type “B” and 2 type “C”.
Missiles
60 Nike Ajax (initial configuration)
18 Nike Hercules
Nike Hercules Conversion: 1959-1960
Units
Army –
A/483rd (1955-1958)
B/737th (1958)
B/5/7th (1958-1968)
National Guard –
D/7/112th (1968-1971)
Present Status
The launcher area has been obliterated and the area turned into a housing development, with only a portion of the original barbed wire-topped perimeter fencing remaining. The adjacent family housing area on Campgaw Road is intact, although abandoned and threatened by development. Atop Campgaw Mountain, several original Cold War era buildings are still intact including the administration building and barracks. These buildings have been adapted to serve as offices, hosrse stables and tack rooms at the present Saddle Ridge Riding Area.
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