Roger Thorne, Tredyffrin-Easttown Historical Society board member and past president, will present When the Cold War Cast Its Shadow Upon the Great Valley: The Paoli-Valley Forge Nike Missile Base, 1954-1964.
Fifty years ago, as the Cold War was well under way, the U.S. Army manned a base in Paoli, equipped with state-of-the-art guided missiles and prepared for the unthinkable: an atomic attack by the Soviet Union. Today no physical traces of those installations remain, only dozens of rare, unpublished photographs and personal recollections from local residents and soldiers assigned to the base. Thorne spoke with many of those involved in order share this chapter in local history. Information and registration is available at tredyffrinlibraries.org or 610-688-7092. The snow date for the event will be Thursday, February 27.
