Elko Tract
Encyclopedia
Elko Tract is a 2,220 acre (9 km²) tract of land in Henrico County, Virginia
. It is considered one of Virginia's
most well known ghost town
s due to its history as a decoy
airfield during World War II
and suspicious activity in the area afterwards.
(1862) of the American Civil War
brought troops from both the Federal and Confederate Armies through this area.
During the Battle of Fair Oaks / Seven Pines, May 31 – June 1, 1862, Federal forces under the command of Major General
George B. McClellan
occupied a third line of defense that included part of the Elko Tract. During that battle, the Federal advance on Richmond
was halted. The most significant result of the battle was that the Confederate commander, General Joseph E. Johnston
, was wounded during the fighting, and was replaced by his friendly rival and West Point classmate, General Robert E. Lee
.
A month later, during the Seven Days Battles
(June 26 – July 1, 1862), the Elko Tract saw both armies pass through it, particularly during the fighting at White Oak Swamp
and Glendale
(June 30, 1862). During that battle, Thomas Jonathan Jackson failed to effectively support the remainder of Lee’s Army, and thus allowed McClellan’s Federal Army to retreat to Malvern Hill
.
. Richmond sat nearby to the west of the tract. It is widely accepted that the premise behind the work was to serve as a decoy for German or Japanese bombers on night raids. In theory, when reports would come from the eastern Virginia cities that enemy bombers were flying overhead, the city would cut power to its residents and businesses. At the same time, the lights would come up on Elko Tract - roads built in roughly the same pattern as the city, and a false landing strip arranged identically to the nearby airport
, would convince the bombers that they had reached their target. The bombs would then harmlessly fall on an uninhabited stretch of land, and the bombers would return, thinking they had successfully attacked Richmond.
World War II ended without any attempt by the Axis Powers
to attack Richmond. Control of the land then passed to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
on the site. For years, Virginia was concerned about the overcrowding it was suffering in the hospitals for Blacks
(as hospitals in Virginia at the time were segregated
). Political wrangling followed, however, and by 1955 all that had been accomplished was the development of the infrastructure of the land. A water tower and sewage
treatment facility had been completed, along with several miles of roadwork, complete with gutters, curbs, and fire hydrants. In March 1956, the entire project was scrapped, and the proposed hospital was started at a different site. In 1960, the State Hospital Board attempted to sell the land and its timber
resources. A series of bids for the land were rejected as being too low, the last coming in 1963. That failed bid would be the last time that Elko Tract was mentioned in local media for several decades.
A 1955 approach plate for the real airport displays Elko as a "Dummy Airfield (For Bombing Practice Only)." This is the only mention made of bombing practice at the airfield (see External Links below).
The exact nature of the use of the land is uncertain during this period. Some of the more imaginative claims were that it served as a collection point for captured aliens
or as an emergency bunker
for government officials in the case of nuclear attack. More reasonable speculation is that Elko Tract served as a training ground for either the FBI, CIA, or both. The CIA does have an official training center nearby at Camp Peary in Williamsburg, VA.
construction, Governor Allen made it a priority to sell what was considered "surplus" state-owned land. Since 1996, a piece of the northwest section of the Tract has been the home of a semiconductor plant for Infineon Technologies
. A 2002 trip into the tract was interrupted by a security guard apparently working for the company (see External Links). Despite increased plans for development of the Elko Tract, a large portion of the original 1953 infrastructure construction is still in place today, including the water tower, building foundations, and several fire hydrants. Remaining Elko Tract infrastructure, however, is threatened by the increased interest in commercial development in the Tract.
It has been reported that in 2004 the Virginia National Guard
had been performing field exercises in the Tract.
The surrounding area is a collection of upscale neighborhoods such as White Oak Hills and Jenkins Bluff.
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. It is considered one of Virginia's
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
most well known ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
s due to its history as a decoy
Decoy
A decoy is usually a person, device or event meant as a distraction, to conceal what an individual or a group might be looking for. Decoys have been used for centuries most notably in game hunting, but also in wartime and in the committing or resolving of crimes.-Duck decoy:The term duck decoy may...
airfield during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and suspicious activity in the area afterwards.
Civil War
The Peninsula CampaignPeninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
(1862) of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
brought troops from both the Federal and Confederate Armies through this area.
During the Battle of Fair Oaks / Seven Pines, May 31 – June 1, 1862, Federal forces under the command of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
occupied a third line of defense that included part of the Elko Tract. During that battle, the Federal advance on Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
was halted. The most significant result of the battle was that the Confederate commander, General Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
, was wounded during the fighting, and was replaced by his friendly rival and West Point classmate, General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
.
A month later, during the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
(June 26 – July 1, 1862), the Elko Tract saw both armies pass through it, particularly during the fighting at White Oak Swamp
Battle of White Oak Swamp
The Battle of White Oak Swamp took place on June 30, 1862 in Henrico County, Virginia as part of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. As the Union Army of the Potomac retreated southeast toward the James River, its rearguard under Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin stopped Maj. Gen. Thomas J...
and Glendale
Battle of Glendale
The Battle of Glendale, also known as the Battle of Frayser's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Nelson's Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Road, or Riddell's Shop, took place on June 30, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the sixth day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War.The...
(June 30, 1862). During that battle, Thomas Jonathan Jackson failed to effectively support the remainder of Lee’s Army, and thus allowed McClellan’s Federal Army to retreat to Malvern Hill
Malvern Hill
Malvern Hill stands on the north bank of the James River in Henrico County, Virginia, USA, about eighteen miles southeast of Richmond. On 1 July 1862, it was the scene of the Battle of Malvern Hill, one of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War....
.
World War II
The history of the Tract prior to World War II is unremarkable. During the war, however, the area was converted into a false city, its structure closely resembling that of RichmondRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Richmond sat nearby to the west of the tract. It is widely accepted that the premise behind the work was to serve as a decoy for German or Japanese bombers on night raids. In theory, when reports would come from the eastern Virginia cities that enemy bombers were flying overhead, the city would cut power to its residents and businesses. At the same time, the lights would come up on Elko Tract - roads built in roughly the same pattern as the city, and a false landing strip arranged identically to the nearby airport
Richmond International Airport
- Accidents and incidents :*In 1996, Eastwind Airlines Flight 517 from Trenton experienced loss of rudder control while on approach to Richmond, however rudder control was regained shortly after and the aircraft landed normally. There was one minor injury....
, would convince the bombers that they had reached their target. The bombs would then harmlessly fall on an uninhabited stretch of land, and the bombers would return, thinking they had successfully attacked Richmond.
World War II ended without any attempt by the Axis Powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
to attack Richmond. Control of the land then passed to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
1948-1963
In the time after World War II, proposals for using the land were numerous. The Commonwealth announced in 1948 that it would build a hospitalHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
on the site. For years, Virginia was concerned about the overcrowding it was suffering in the hospitals for Blacks
Blacks
Blacks may refer to:* All Blacks, New Zealand rugby union team* Black people* Blacks Leisure Group, owner of Blacks and Millets in the United Kingdom* The Blacks , a play by Jean Genet* Zamora, California, formerly called Blacks...
(as hospitals in Virginia at the time were segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
). Political wrangling followed, however, and by 1955 all that had been accomplished was the development of the infrastructure of the land. A water tower and sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
treatment facility had been completed, along with several miles of roadwork, complete with gutters, curbs, and fire hydrants. In March 1956, the entire project was scrapped, and the proposed hospital was started at a different site. In 1960, the State Hospital Board attempted to sell the land and its timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
resources. A series of bids for the land were rejected as being too low, the last coming in 1963. That failed bid would be the last time that Elko Tract was mentioned in local media for several decades.
A 1955 approach plate for the real airport displays Elko as a "Dummy Airfield (For Bombing Practice Only)." This is the only mention made of bombing practice at the airfield (see External Links below).
1963-mid 1990s
From 1963 until the mid 1990s, Elko Tract was a largely ignored piece of land. The existing infrastructure (including, in some places, building foundations and even park benches) made it a popular hangout for teenagers and young adults in the area. There are accounts from the time of people being met in the Tract by men wearing non-distinctive but official-looking uniforms and carrying guns warning people to stay out of the area. These accounts, however, are not verified.The exact nature of the use of the land is uncertain during this period. Some of the more imaginative claims were that it served as a collection point for captured aliens
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
or as an emergency bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
for government officials in the case of nuclear attack. More reasonable speculation is that Elko Tract served as a training ground for either the FBI, CIA, or both. The CIA does have an official training center nearby at Camp Peary in Williamsburg, VA.
Recent history
The land that makes up Elko Tract was eventually sold by the state under Governor George Allen. Looking to find ways to fund increased prisonPrison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
construction, Governor Allen made it a priority to sell what was considered "surplus" state-owned land. Since 1996, a piece of the northwest section of the Tract has been the home of a semiconductor plant for Infineon Technologies
Infineon Technologies
Infineon Technologies AG is a German semiconductor manufacturer and was founded on April 1, 1999, when the semiconductor operations of the parent company Siemens AG were spun off to form a separate legal entity. , Infineon has 25,149 employees worldwide...
. A 2002 trip into the tract was interrupted by a security guard apparently working for the company (see External Links). Despite increased plans for development of the Elko Tract, a large portion of the original 1953 infrastructure construction is still in place today, including the water tower, building foundations, and several fire hydrants. Remaining Elko Tract infrastructure, however, is threatened by the increased interest in commercial development in the Tract.
It has been reported that in 2004 the Virginia National Guard
Virginia National Guard
The Virginia National Guard consists of the Virginia Army National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard. It is part of the Government of Virginia though the National Guard across the United States is mostly funded by federal monies. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges...
had been performing field exercises in the Tract.
The surrounding area is a collection of upscale neighborhoods such as White Oak Hills and Jenkins Bluff.
External links
- A 1994 article on Elko Tract - possible theories on the 1960s and 1970s use
- A 2002 followup with extensive exploration information and photos from inside the Tract
- Satellite picture from Google Maps - the white dot in the center is believed to be the 1953 water tower
- Live Local satellite view - older imagery without the technology parks
- More info about the decoy airfield, including a picture of the 1955 "Bombing Practice" landing plate