~DOME HISTORY~ The first time I stepped off the LC-130 and witnessed the magnificent structure of the Dome curving out of the ice and gleaming brilliant in the never ending summer sun, I knew I was someplace special. Once I stepped inside and felt the cathedral-like awe and saw the breathtaking stalactites of ice hanging from the Dome center, I was taken aback and I knew I was home. -Anonymous Completed in the Austral Summer of 1975, the South Pole geodesic dome has become the most recognizable feature regarding human exploration and habitability on the continent of Antarctica. For over 25 years this protective shell has been the epicenter of all life, science and community for any "Polie" who has ever spent a season living upon the frozen tundra of the Antarctic Polar Plateau. Throughout the years, the Dome has become a part of South Pole history. Unfortunately this monument to polar exploration and science is soon to be reduced to scrap metal. Within the next five years, a New South Pole Elevated Station will emerge from the ice and down will come the Dome, dismissed and forgotten, except for the many years of fond memories. Within the annals of this structures history lies the heart of the human endeavor to advance and overcome the adversities of surviving and excelling within the most treacherous and unpredictable climate on earth. The South Pole Dome has provided the shelter and the sense of close community that is the core of life in Antarctica. It will be a shame if this monument to achievement and community is destroyed. Below, you will find a series of articles, memories and facts focusing on Dome History and it’s importance to those who know the South Pole and understand what the Dome brings to this amazing place at the bottom of the earth. The South Pole Dome is a treasure. Whether it stays here at the Pole or is disassembled and moved to some other location on the globe for others to enjoy, it is imperative that this historic structure not be recycled into soda cans or sent to a scrap yard in the stateside suburbs. Enjoy your stay here in the Dome and be sure to take our famed Dome Tour, check out the Photo Gallery, visit our array of South Pole and Antarctic Website Links, check out what may be in store for the Dome in the Future and definitely let your thoughts be heard by signing our Guestbook. Thank You for Saving The Dome! Here is a great Antarctic Journal article written in 1975 about "A New Research Station at the South Pole." Included are some outstanding photographs. Here are some of the crazy folks who have wintered in the Dome throughout the years. Save The Dome.Com presents The South Pole Station Winter-Over Wall Of Fame Check out some Dome Fun Facts Read about Richard Buckminister "Bucky" Fuller, the architect who designed and patented the first geodesic dome! In the "The Long Ranger Rides Again" by Roger Golten you will meet not only an amazing architect, but an inventer, engineer, mathematician, author, educator, poet, philosopher, cosmologist, environmentalist, and visionary humanist! Click Here To Return To The Top Of This Page.