Or the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome? Or the Tower of David in Jerusalem? All these structures were built to protect against attack by foreign invaders. The skylines of many of the most historic cities of the world would lose much of their visual character if castles, towers, and fortresses had been torn down once they were rendered obsolete by the next new thing in military technology.
That is one possible fate of the former Air Force radar tower atop Mount Umunhum south of San Jose. The present owner, the Midpeninsula Open Space District, is in the process of deciding whether to destroy it (at a cost of $600,000) or secure it (cost $1,000,000) so that it can remain without posing a danger to visitors to the planned public park.
At the peak, 120 Air Force personnel and their families lived at the station that scanned the skies for Soviet aircraft from 1957 to 1980. It was decommissioned when satellites made it obsolete. Viewed from the valley floor, the profile reminds me of the numerous Norman castle towers prominently scattered across England and northern France. “The Cube”, as it is known to many, provides a similar link with our past and a distinctive visual reference for Silicon Valley travelers.
The district has to spend about $13 million to open the park, so the additional cost to preserve the tower is relatively small. Santa Clara developer Steve Schott has offered to donate $200,000 to help save the structure that he describes as “an important part of our history," Schott hopes that other like-minded citizens will come up with the balance of $200,000 need to save this unique reminder of the early days of Silicon Valley. Donors can call the district at (650) 691-1200 or visit its website [www.openspace.org].
Or if you wish to sign a petition to save the tower visit: https://www.change.org/petitions/save-the-mt-umunhum-radar-tower
Silicon Valley Roots & Shoots
Learn about more than 150 other places in Silicon Valley associated with the origins of the digital and entrepreneurial revolution. Download the app Silicon Valley Roots & Shoots from the Apple iTunes App Store or Google play for Android or view it on the website at no charge.
