The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is best known for building dams, bridges, and flood control systems. However, its history is not only filled with strange and ambitious projects that go far beyond conventional infrastructure, but their inception is just as interesting. While traveling the U.S., you may have heard or seen projects that don the crest or markings of the USACE. More than likely, you never gave the Corps much thought after the trip.
Surprisingly, the USACE has an extensive list of projects around the country spanning back to our country’s own beginnings. They are responsible for some of the most iconic buildings, monuments, and projects that highlight our heroes, history, and legacy. Projects like the Panama Canal, the Pentagon, the Washington Monument, and more, were the responsibility of the Corps.
The Origin Story
The USACE traces its lineage back to 1802, during the American Revolution when President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation creating the corps and founding the United States Military Academy at West Point to train future engineers. However, before that, congress authorized General George Washington to appoint a Chief of Engineers for the Revolutionary Army.
During the war, these engineers played a crucial role in fortifying and building battlefield defense and road-building. One of their earliest projects was the construction of fortifications at West Point, which was an essential and strategically critical focus during the ar. Remember this the next time you hear someone being called a real ‘Benedict Arnold’. Over the last two centuries, the USACE evolved from a purely military organization, info a vital force for civil projects, tackling everything from flood damage and control, to dam construction, to disaster response, all while still supporting the military and its global efforts.
Falling into history and obscurity
From constructing secret Cold War radar stations in the Arctic to launching projectiles into space with massive artillery guns, USACE has tackled some of the most unconventional engineering challenges in American history:
1. The Distant Early Warning Line (1950s-60s)
The DEW was a Cold War defense project built in the 1950s to detect incoming Soviet bombers before they could reach North America. The USACE played a key role in constructing a network of radar stations stretching across the Arctic, from Alaska through Canada to Greenland. These stations were placed in some of the most remote and inhospitable locations on Earth. These locations required engineers to work in extreme cold, transport supplies by ice roads and airlifts, and build self-sufficient outposts. The DEW Line was a critical component of the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s early warning system. The system was designed to give the U.S. and Canada enough time to launch defensive measures or retaliate in the event of a Soviet nuclear attack.
The DEW Line was gradually phased out starting in the late 1980s as technology improved and the Soviet threat shifted. Advances in satellite surveillance and over-the-horizon radar made the costly, isolated stations obsolete. Many were abandoned, while some were upgraded to the North Warning System, which still operates today. What makes the DEW Line particularly weird is that it left behind eerie, decaying outposts frozen in time. These sites are complete with Cold War-era equipment, furniture, and even canned food. Many of these sites were also environmental hazards due to fuel spills and toxic waste, leading to cleanup efforts decades later. The project remains a fascinating relic of Cold War paranoia, massive engineering ambition, and extreme Arctic survival.
2. The Manhattan Project’s Oak Ridge Facilities (1940s)
The Oak Ridge Facilities were created in the early 1940s as part of the Manhattan Project, the secret U.S. effort to develop the atomic bomb during World War II. Located in Tennessee, Oak Ridge was chosen for its remote location and access to hydroelectric power. The USACE oversaw the construction of massive plants like Y-12, K-25, and X-10, which focused on uranium enrichment and plutonium production. These facilities played a crucial role in producing the material for the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Oak Ridge was one of the most secretive sites in the country—tens of thousands of workers lived and worked there, but most had no idea what they were actually building.
After World War II, Oak Ridge remained an important hub for nuclear research but transitioned away from bomb production. Many of its facilities were repurposed for peaceful atomic energy research, medical isotopes, and later Cold War weapons development. What makes Oak Ridge weird is the sheer level of secrecy involved—workers were monitored closely, and even spouses couldn’t discuss their jobs. Entire families lived in a government-built town that didn’t appear on maps. Some buildings, like K-25, were among the largest in the world at the time but were eventually abandoned and demolished. Today, Oak Ridge still operates as a major research center, but remnants of its secretive past, including declassified documents and eerie, empty buildings, make it a fascinating relic of wartime science and government secrecy.
3. High Altitude Research Project (1961-1967)
The HARP was created in 1961 as a joint effort between the U.S. Army and Canada to explore the possibility of launching projectiles into space using massive artillery guns instead of rockets. Designed by scientist Gerald Bull, HARP’s goal was to study high-altitude ballistics, atmospheric re-entry, and even the potential for low-cost satellite launches. The project’s centerpiece was an enormous supergun, stationed in Barbados. The gun was capable of firing projectiles over 100 miles into the upper atmosphere. Unlike traditional space programs relying on expensive rockets, HARP sought to use modified artillery shells to achieve similar results at a fraction of the cost. The project successfully launched numerous test rounds, collecting valuable data on upper-atmosphere conditions and high-speed projectile performance.
HARP was ultimately shut down in 1967 due to funding cuts, shifting military priorities, and political tensions between the U.S. and Canada. While the project showed promise, it never received enough investment to develop its technology beyond the experimental stages. What makes HARP especially weird is that it wasn’t just a scientific endeavor—it also sparked interest in space weapons and ultra-long-range artillery. Gerald Bull, the project’s lead scientist, later attempted to build similar superguns for Iraq in the 1980s. This created international controversy and may have led to his mysterious assassination in 1990. Today, remnants of the HARP guns still sit abandoned in Barbados, a bizarre relic of a space program that never fully took off (pun intended).
4. The Washington, D.C. Underground Water Supply Tunnels
The Washington, D.C. Underground Water Supply Tunnels were created to provide a reliable and protected water distribution system for the nation’s capital. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the city faced challenges with water quality, pressure, and availability, particularly as its population grew. To address these concerns, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers oversaw the construction of an extensive underground tunnel system connecting major reservoirs, such as the Dalecarlia and McMillan Reservoirs, to key parts of the city. These tunnels, some stretching for miles beneath Washington, ensured a steady supply of clean drinking water. The tunnels also served as a backup system in case of contamination or infrastructure failure. Some sections were even designed to protect water supplies from potential wartime sabotage during the Cold War.
The tunnels are still in use today, but many parts of the system remain largely forgotten, hidden beneath modern infrastructure. What makes them weird is their secretive nature. Some sections are inaccessible to the public, and their exact layout isn’t widely known. Urban explorers have occasionally attempted to map portions of the tunnels. They have reported eerie, abandoned passageways and strange echoes beneath the city. The system also intersects with other hidden D.C. tunnels, including old trolley routes and government bunkers. These connections fuel conspiracy theories about secret underground facilities. While their primary function remains water distribution, the tunnels are a mysterious and often overlooked part of Washington’s infrastructure.
5. The Floating Nuclear Power Plant (1960s-1970s)
The Floating Nuclear Power Plant was created in the 1960s as a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to provide mobile, reliable power to remote or strategically important locations. The first and only example of this concept was the MH-1A Sturgis, a converted World War II Liberty ship that housed a compact nuclear reactor. The U.S. military needed a way to supply electricity to areas where traditional power plants were impractical. Places where power would be critical, such as military bases and disaster zones. One of the most important locations was the Panama Canal Zone, where Sturgis was ultimately stationed. From 1968 to 1976, the floating nuclear plant supplied up to 10 megawatts of electricity. This output ensured stable operations for the canal. It also proved that nuclear power could be deployed on a mobile platform.
The project ended in the late 1970s due to high operational costs, safety concerns, and shifting energy priorities. While the idea of floating reactors was innovative, maintaining a nuclear power plant at sea presented logistical and regulatory challenges. Decommissioning the Sturgis took decades, with its reactor finally being dismantled in 2019. What makes this project weird is that it was essentially a floating, self-contained nuclear plant, an idea that seemed straight out of science fiction. Despite its retirement, the concept of floating nuclear reactors has resurfaced in recent years. Countries like Russia are deploying similar designs for Arctic energy production. The Sturgis remains a fascinating, but largely forgotten, experiment in nuclear energy innovation.
Forgotten Pioneers
While many of these projects have faded into history, they reflect the boldness, ingenuity, and occasional secrecy that define USACE’s legacy. You also have to admit that some of these ideas are wildly science-fiction inspired, but also just plain cool.
Whether it was shaping the nuclear age at Oak Ridge, preparing for World War III with Arctic radar stations, or attempting to revolutionize energy with a floating nuclear reactor, the Corps has never been afraid to experiment. Some of these efforts were successful, others became obsolete, but all remain mysterious and strange. They are silent reminders of a time when engineering and warfare intersected in unexpected ways. As new challenges emerge, from climate change to space exploration, USACE’s history of unconventional problem-solving suggests that its next strange project may be just around the corner.
