US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Observation Tower No. 2
Also known as: Queen's Grant Tower
Why it's listed
Observation Tower #2 is a four-story reinforced concrete tower on Banks Channel in Topsail Beach, North Carolina. It was one of eight instrument towers placed along Topsail Island's beach during the Navy's "Operation Bumblebee," a secret program that tested ramjet missiles from 1946 to 1948. Technical crews used equipment in the towers to measure the speed, angle and distance of the missiles' flight. The tower sits on a concrete slab supported by piles and remains almost unaltered, though its doors and windows are open and the interior stairs have been removed. After the Navy left in 1948, the surrounding land was subdivided, and condominiums were later built across a canal from the tower. Its isolation preserves much of its original setting. It was listed for its military significance as a surviving part of the early effort that led to modern missile and jet engine technology, and because the Topsail Island resources are the only ones of three similar Atlantic coast facilities known to survive.
Significance in brief: The tower housed calibrated instruments that recorded data from "Operation Bumblebee," the 1946-1948 ramjet missile tests. It is one of the few surviving resources of early post-World War II missile development and a forerunner of later missile programs. It qualifies despite being under fifty years old because of its exceptional national importance.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 93000911, listed September 14, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1000 blk. S. Anderson Blvd., Topsail Beach |
|---|---|
| County | Pender County |
| Listed | September 14, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000911 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1946-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Kellex Corporation/George & Lynch |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant/not in use. The tower is almost unaltered, with open doors and windows, and its upper stories are inaccessible because the interior stairs were removed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.38161, -77.61262 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 93000911.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23023261
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.