Findings of Fact, Site Location, and Information on
Cottonwood Air Force Station, based on information provided by US Army Corps of Engineers Formerly Used Defense
Site (FUDS) document F10ID0106 of 1990
Site Location
Via Radar Road, app. 5 miles northwest of Cottonwood, and 65 miles southeast of Lewiston, Idaho County, ID. Radar Road leads west from the northwest of Cottonwood towards Cottonwood Butte, connecting with Butte Road.
Site History and Findings of Fact
This property consisted of 153.99 acres and was known as Cottonwood Air Force Station. It was used by the U. S. Air Force as an AC&W station, including family housing, between 1955 and 1965.
Improvements consisted of 66 buildings, including operation and administrative facilities, 3 dormitories, 27 family housing units, 3 radar domes, and the normal support facilities/utilities.
The site was divided into 3 general areas: a family housing annex, cantonment area, and an operations area.
Current Usage of Site At Time of report
Family Housing Annex: This area is located near the town of Cottonwood, and consists of 27 single story units, comprising 6 privately owned units, which are utilized by the Bureau of Land Management, with the remaining 21 being owned by the State of Idaho, Dept. of Corrections. All 27 homes have been in use since DOD ownership. A small portion of the area has been sold by the state, and is privately owned.
Cantonment Area: This area was used from 1965 to 1972 by the Office of Economic Opportunity as a Job Corps Center. The State of Idaho Dept. of Corrections acquired the property in 1972, and has occupied the site ever since. The site is known as the Northern Idaho Correctional Institution.
The area contains 15 buildings, several miscellaneous outbuildings, boiler plant. Several aboveground and belowground storage tanks, sewage lagoon, dump area, and electric transformers.
Operations Area: This 10.78-acre area includes 7 buildings, 3 large circular radar tower foundations, aboveground and belowground storage tanks, 5,000-gallon earth-covered water storage tank, and insulated steam lines.
Most of this area is owned by Mr. Charles Stegner, who has leased portions to the FAA for use as a remote air/ground station, and to private concerns for radio communications purposes.
Site Map
A vicinity map is included in the report.