Boron AFS / Federal Prison

A House Is Not A Home (unless you're a rabbit)A House Is Not A Home (unless you're a rabbit)
Big Red MoonBig Red Moon
The Moon's First KissThe Moon's First Kiss
BewitchedBewitched
Mayhem in SuburbiaMayhem in Suburbia
A Smile for the NeighborsA Smile for the Neighbors
Just Knock and Come InJust Knock and Come In
Potluck of the GuardsPotluck of the Guards
No Putting Down RootsNo Putting Down Roots
Oblivion Land LineOblivion Land Line
Deadwood in the DrivewayDeadwood in the Driveway
Stained By InmatesStained By Inmates
Zombieland!Zombieland!
The Best Side of BoronThe Best Side of Boron
The Golden TipsThe Golden Tips
Joshua over LocustJoshua over Locust
A Prison Without FencesA Prison Without Fences
Checkered FloorCheckered Floor
MonitoredMonitored
PerishablesPerishables
Church HairpinChurch Hairpin
The Church on the Peak (outside)The Church on the Peak (outside)
The Church on the Peak (inside)The Church on the Peak (inside)
Boron OnBoron On
FAA TrackingFAA Tracking
Perturbing VectorsPerturbing Vectors
Skin JobSkin Job
Decagon RailsDecagon Rails
Mies van der Over 58Mies van der Over 58
No Smoking by the Fire BushNo Smoking by the Fire Bush
Red Rib H.Q.Red Rib H.Q.
Say it to the StarsSay it to the Stars
Boron NorthBoron North
The Boron RadomeThe Boron Radome
UnicorUnicor
  • A House Is Not A Home (unless you're a rabbit)
  • Big Red Moon
  • The Moon's First Kiss
  • Bewitched
  • Mayhem in Suburbia
  • A Smile for the Neighbors
  • Just Knock and Come In
  • Potluck of the Guards
  • No Putting Down Roots
  • Oblivion Land Line
  • Deadwood in the Driveway
  • Stained By Inmates
  • Zombieland!
  • The Best Side of Boron
  • The Golden Tips
  • Joshua over Locust
  • A Prison Without Fences
  • Checkered Floor
  • Monitored
  • Perishables
  • Church Hairpin
  • The Church on the Peak (outside)
  • The Church on the Peak (inside)
  • Boron On
  • FAA Tracking
  • Perturbing Vectors
  • Skin Job
  • Decagon Rails
  • Mies van der Over 58
  • No Smoking by the Fire Bush
  • Red Rib H.Q.
  • Say it to the Stars
  • Boron North
  • The Boron Radome
  • Unicor

Boron Air Force Station was a United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station, perched on a mountainous outcrop, 7 miles northeast of Boron, California. From the peak you can see the lights of both Barstow and Lancaster 30-40 miles away . . . while highways 395 and 58 feed their never ending stream of semis in the near-distance, yet still miles away.  The location is spectacular, exceptional.

The Boron AFS was closed in 1975 and the radome was turned over to, and is still operated by, the Federal Aviation Administration. The site was converted into a minimum security Federal Prison in 1979. A 25-house subdivision was built for the guards and their families, and the barracks and dorms housed about 540 male inmates. Through a company called Unicor, the prisoners assembled parts for military vehicles and rebuilt forklifts for the army in the site’s many industrial buildings.  The prison had virtually no security–no locks on the dorm room doors, no fence, and no guard towers.   In most cases the site’s remoteness served as deterrent enough, but occasionally an inmate would hike out to highway 395 after dark, meet an accomplice, and drive away.

Due to budget cutbacks, the prison closed in April, 2000.  These photographs were made in 2014.  The entire site, except the radome, was razed in 2018.

If I was the bad guy in a James Bond movie, I woulda bought this amazing mountain top complex and make it my lair.