In many arid deserts in the United States, visitors will accidentally encounter arrows built of very solid concrete . So why are these arrows built and what do they do?
You’re driving through America’s dry desert, where there’s nothing for miles, but suddenly ahead you see a giant concrete arrow .
This is not an illusion when you travel. These mysterious structures abound throughout the United States. They were built in the late 1920s and early 1930s to help pilots navigate when the country’s air navigation system was in its infancy in an era without satellites and GPS.
Back in those days, these arrows were illuminated by beacons on the side. Now, most of the light towers are gone and the arrows are abandoned but some of them are still visible on Google satellite maps.
According to Air Vehicle Control Magazine, these arrows were built between 1926 and 1931. Each arrow comes with a light for it, and the distance between the arrows is 25 miles. The surface of the arrows is painted yellow, but now the paint color has almost disappeared. The magazine also reported that the concrete arrow and spotlight system was officially discontinued in the 1970s.