Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
about 1 month ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
about 1 month ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
about 1 month ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
about 1 month ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Klamath Klamath River Radar Station B71
AO Edited

Klamath River Radar Station B71

These cinderblock farmhouses were actually World War II radar stations in disguise.

Klamath, California

Added By
Sarah Brumble
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
This coastal “farm” is no farm at all   Clinton Steeds
This coastal “farm” is no farm at all   Clinton Steeds
Radar Station B-71 Operations Building   Library of Congress/HAER CA-332-B-1
  Spinach / Atlas Obscura User
  Spinach / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

As time progresses, the idea that the largest, most grandiose acts of awe-inspiring wartime prowess led to the Allies' victory in World War II is slowly being debunked. In truth, covert moments of trickery regularly proved equally as valuable. And sometimes, as demonstrated by a series of bases positioned along the Pacific Coast of the United States, being tricky involves nothing more than looking very, very ordinary.

Such was the case when engineers began building early warning radar detection stations along America's West Coast during World War II, after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Aleutian Islands necessitated increased land defense. Lucky for us, one of these exceedingly rare headquarters is still standing along the Klamath River in California's Redwood National Park. Of course, you'd never know that when driving by, were it not labeled… 

Disguised to look like farmhouses and their traditionally accompanying buildings, a trio of cinderblock structures form what was really called the Klamath River Radar Station B-71, housing all the gear necessary for scanning the region's skies for incoming enemy barrages. Despite the high-tech (for the time) machinery and a pair of anti-aircraft guns contained therein, on approach from the land, sea, or air, the radar detection base resembled nothing more than the average rural structures. Manned by members of the Army Air Corps, it is unlikely the men themselves dressed like farmers. 

At the conclusion of the war, the base was abandoned and reverted to private ownership where it fell into disrepair. Ultimately the National Parks Service acquired the property with the formation of Redwood National Park, and the former Radar Station B-71 was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 1978. Today a power building constructed to closely resemble a farmhouse and an operations building dressed up like a barn remain accessible to the public. Also on-site is the original, wooden outhouse, now partially in ruin — the only structure used for what it seemed.

Related Tags

War History Espionage World War Ii Military

Know Before You Go

Located in Redwood National Park in Northern California, Radar Station B-71 is located on Coastal Dr., just south of the mouth of Klamath River.

Community Contributors

Added By

littlebrumble

Edited By

finlayson, Spinach, Lcar

  • finlayson
  • Spinach
  • Lcar

Published

March 11, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Klamath River Radar Station B71
Redwood National Park
Coastal Drive
Klamath, California, 95548
United States
41.521667, -124.080833
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Trees of Mystery

Klamath, California

miles away

Fern Canyon

Orick, California

miles away

Battery Point Light

Crescent City, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Klamath

Klamath

California

Places 2

Nearby Places

Trees of Mystery

Klamath, California

miles away

Fern Canyon

Orick, California

miles away

Battery Point Light

Crescent City, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Klamath

Klamath

California

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

11 Places to Explore Spycraft

List

By Jonathan Carey

The Ultimate Guide to America's National Parks

List

By Atlas Obscura

Related Places

  • Redcar’s Sound Mirror, also known as ‘Redcar’s Concrete Ear’

    Redcar, England

    Redcar Sound Mirror

    A World War I relic found in the middle of a modern residential area.

  • A floating Valentine tank, note the turret in the middle of the canvas

    Dorset, England

    Valentine Tank Wrecks

    The site of a dress rehearsal for D-Day that ended in disaster.

  • Former bunker gates.

    Altenmünster, Germany

    Z-Hiag Former Chemical Plant

    Hidden in the forest are the remains of a former World War II chemical plant.

  • Stachelberg Fortress proper.

    Trutnov, Czechia

    Fort Stachelberg

    This fortress was designed to prevent a Nazi invasion but was never used.

  • Carnbooth Anti Aircraft Battery

    Glasgow, Scotland

    Carnbooth Anti-Aircraft Battery

    This former World War II artillery defense site was built to guard the industrial city of Glasgow.

  • Carmunnock War Memorial

    Clarkston, Scotland

    Carmunnock War Memorial

    This 1920's sandstone war memorial was constructed with an unusual drinking trough for horses.

  • There are four original barracks still standing at Heart Mountain.

    Powell, Wyoming

    Heart Mountain Relocation Center

    An unusual geological feature towers over the remains of a dark episode in United States history.

  • The Shetland Bus Memorial

    Scalloway, Scotland

    The Shetland Bus Memorial

    This memorial celebrates the legacy of the British-Norwegian resistance movement during World War II.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.