Quebec 01 missile alert facility dedicated as National Historic Landmark

CHEYENNE — The Quebec 01 Missile Alert Facility State Historic Site 30 miles north of Cheyenne was inducted into the National Historic Landmark registry Sunday afternoon.

Quebec 01 is the only accessible Peacekeeper Missile Alert Facility left in the world today, and serves to preserve and interpret the Cold War history of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, fostering an understanding of the mission and duties of the personnel and crews assigned to work there.

Similarly to how it is today, Quebec 01 has always been deemed a military installation that was “hidden in plain sight,” and controlled one of the most destructive nuclear weapons ever built by the United States.

The site for the one-of-a-kind weapon system has been open for tours since 2018. People can take an elevator shaft down to the missile launch facility, where they’ll get to see glimpses into the daily lives of missileers, topside personnel, missile technology, the Cold War and the deactivation of this missile system.

At the dedication, speeches were given by Col. Terrance J. Holmes, the current 90th Missile Wing commander; Sen. Brian Boner, a former missileer; retired Col. Tucker Fagan; and Domenic Bravo, executive director of Visit Cheyenne. The whole program was announced by Dave Glenn, director of the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.

“It’s incredibly special to be a part of something that has stood the test of time, something that’s shaped our history, our geopolitical landscape, our communities and, ultimately, our nation’s future,” said Holmes. “Although I’m a bit conflicted to call this place history, as Quebec 01’s operational glory is as relevant today as it was when it was brought on alert.”

Before Sen. Boner went to the podium, Glenn credited him for being an advocate for the project from the start, and noted the facility wouldn’t be open to the public as it is today without his support.

“This site gives us the opportunity to teach people, whether they’re from Wyoming or not, about the importance of nuclear deterrence, the reality of geopolitical competition and the enduring value of the deterrence mission,” said Boner.

He then urged the audience to reflect on how Quebec 01 shouldn’t be recognized for its capacity for destruction, but more so on how it honors peace and those who stood watch so that others could feel safe.

Christina Bird, the district manager for Wyoming Parks Laramie District, also read a statement from Milward Simpson, the former director of Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources. The statement said that although he couldn’t be there to celebrate, the Quebec 01 State Historic Site was one of the most gratifying projects he got to work on.

After all of the speeches, a toast was made before the plaque was unveiled for everyone to see. People were then invited to come inside in groups of 12 to be taken into the underground missile silo.

In order to be considered a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the property has to retain a high degree of integrity, which is determined based on location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. The property also must be of national significance under one or more of the six NHL criteria.

Some of those criteria include the location or property being significant to American history, a good example of an architectural style from a specific time period or something that can provide nationally significant archeological information.

Wyoming State Parks submitted an application for Quebec 01 to become a National Historic Landmark a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but it didn’t officially become an NHL until 2023.

Bird said a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund is what allowed them to be able to hire a consultant to write the nomination for Quebec 01 and send it to Washington.

This story was published on August 18, 2025.