showed a continuous video of the entire Quabbin Reservoir by helicopter and the monitor showed an overall map of the area. Morgan approached the screen. “As you know, the Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the state. This area is known as the Prescott Peninsula. A charitable trust has been formed to take ownership of the area outlined here.” Morgan pointed along a boundary surrounding the entire area, which included the former town of Prescott and the entire peninsula on which it sits.
“Mr. Quinn, Malcolm will provide you a packet of materials on the acquisition together with the legal documents. For public purposes, the charitable trust is owned anonymously and has been established for families fleeing domestic abuse. For our purposes, I want you gentlemen to plan a private community to be used in the event a catastrophic occurrence requires the city to be abandoned.”
“You want a bug-out location,” said Donald.
Sarge and Steven couldn’t conceal their looks of curiosity. Morgan always had a plan, which was based upon an event foreseeable only to him. His methods never came into question.
“That’s correct, Donald,” said Morgan.
“What’s that dome-shaped building?” asked Steven.
“This is the former Five College Radio Observatory built in 1969 by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyhoke and Smith colleges,” replied Lowe. “Its purpose was the training of astronomy students and to conduct research. At the time, it contained state-of-the-art technology.”
“Next screen, please, Malcolm,” instructed Morgan. The next screen was produced, showing the exact same aerial vantage point, but the domed building was no longer there. “In 2011, the observatory was decommissioned, requiring the government removal of the building and astronomy equipment. However, there is something else about this facility that cannot be seen by these aerial photographs. Run the next sequence, Malcolm.”
“Looks like a giant golf ball,” said Steven. A series of images flashed across the screen, revealing the before and after images of the facility. The final image revealed a small lake and a large grassy area devoid of trees.
“Most ground-based observatories consist of an optical telescope like the one shown in these images, surrounded by a dome-like structure—Steven’s giant golf ball,” said Lowe. “As you can see in these images, the structure and the telescopic apparatus were removed. What you cannot see is what is underground.”
“At the time of the design and construction of the observatory, the Cuban Missile Crisis was still very much on people’s minds,” said Morgan. “Senator Ted Kennedy insisted the facility include an underground, nuclear-proof shelter. In addition, following the successful testing of an electromagnetic pulse weapon, the good senator required the shelter be protected from an EMP as well. Despite a series of nuclear disarmament treaties being executed in ’69, the Quabbin Observatory was designed as a state-of-the-art nuclear fallout shelter.”
“In 1962, the government was testing a number of EMP weapons,” said Donald. “One of the tests known as Starfish Prime exploded an EMP thirty miles above the Earth about thirteen hundred miles west of Honolulu. Electronics from Hawaii to New Zealand were damaged by the electromagnetic pulse.”
“Is the shelter still present?” asked Sarge.
“It is,” replied Morgan. “When the facility was decommissioned and dismantled, the contractor hired for the demolition worked for one of my associates. He removed the visible portions of the facility but left the subterranean compound intact.”
“What is still underground?” asked Sarge.
“Malcolm, if you please,” said Morgan. A series of images crossed the screen, which included blueprint drawings and images of the interior, including bunk rooms and storage lockers. “There is roughly five thousand square feet in the
“Mr. Quinn, Malcolm will provide you a packet of materials on the acquisition together with the legal documents. For public purposes, the charitable trust is owned anonymously and has been established for families fleeing domestic abuse. For our purposes, I want you gentlemen to plan a private community to be used in the event a catastrophic occurrence requires the city to be abandoned.”
“You want a bug-out location,” said Donald.
Sarge and Steven couldn’t conceal their looks of curiosity. Morgan always had a plan, which was based upon an event foreseeable only to him. His methods never came into question.
“That’s correct, Donald,” said Morgan.
“What’s that dome-shaped building?” asked Steven.
“This is the former Five College Radio Observatory built in 1969 by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyhoke and Smith colleges,” replied Lowe. “Its purpose was the training of astronomy students and to conduct research. At the time, it contained state-of-the-art technology.”
“Next screen, please, Malcolm,” instructed Morgan. The next screen was produced, showing the exact same aerial vantage point, but the domed building was no longer there. “In 2011, the observatory was decommissioned, requiring the government removal of the building and astronomy equipment. However, there is something else about this facility that cannot be seen by these aerial photographs. Run the next sequence, Malcolm.”
“Looks like a giant golf ball,” said Steven. A series of images flashed across the screen, revealing the before and after images of the facility. The final image revealed a small lake and a large grassy area devoid of trees.
“Most ground-based observatories consist of an optical telescope like the one shown in these images, surrounded by a dome-like structure—Steven’s giant golf ball,” said Lowe. “As you can see in these images, the structure and the telescopic apparatus were removed. What you cannot see is what is underground.”
“At the time of the design and construction of the observatory, the Cuban Missile Crisis was still very much on people’s minds,” said Morgan. “Senator Ted Kennedy insisted the facility include an underground, nuclear-proof shelter. In addition, following the successful testing of an electromagnetic pulse weapon, the good senator required the shelter be protected from an EMP as well. Despite a series of nuclear disarmament treaties being executed in ’69, the Quabbin Observatory was designed as a state-of-the-art nuclear fallout shelter.”
“In 1962, the government was testing a number of EMP weapons,” said Donald. “One of the tests known as Starfish Prime exploded an EMP thirty miles above the Earth about thirteen hundred miles west of Honolulu. Electronics from Hawaii to New Zealand were damaged by the electromagnetic pulse.”
“Is the shelter still present?” asked Sarge.
“It is,” replied Morgan. “When the facility was decommissioned and dismantled, the contractor hired for the demolition worked for one of my associates. He removed the visible portions of the facility but left the subterranean compound intact.”
“What is still underground?” asked Sarge.
“Malcolm, if you please,” said Morgan. A series of images crossed the screen, which included blueprint drawings and images of the interior, including bunk rooms and storage lockers. “There is roughly five thousand square feet in the
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