Posts: 2043 From: Fairfax, VA Registered: Feb 2007
posted 06-22-2022 07:02 PM
What specific sites used in the very early days of Project Mercury near Langley Air Force Base, or the towns of Hampton or Newport News, are still there and open to visitors?
Jim Behling Member
Posts: 1729 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
posted 06-24-2022 10:16 AM
Likely nothing because the Space Task Group was based at the Langley Research Center.
Jonnyed Member
Posts: 552 From: Dumfries, VA, USA Registered: Aug 2014
posted 06-26-2022 01:42 PM
Having lived in the tidewater area for many years while I was a naval officer I can tell you that the Langley Research Center and the AFB are right next to each other/share a border in Hampton so you are in the right area.
There are cool reminders of NASA history there like "Mercury Boulevard" in Hampton (used to be "Military Highway" like it is in Norfolk) and "Grissom Library" in Newport News.
Recommendation: Do a search in the local newspaper online archives (The Virginian Pilot) for project Mercury and there are always lots of informative articles that come up.
Here's a good map to show you general location info and close proximity of the AFB and LRC: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/1-Map-of-Langley-AFB-Virginia_fig1_235071383