The site was established in 1953 as a General Surveillance Radar station, funded by the United States Air Force.

As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes.

Other than civil communications towers presently in use, the hilltop site has remained largely unused and abandoned since its closure.

Units: Assignments: In 1956, a bistatic radar transmitter was constructed at Hopedale as the Sector Control Station (Site 200) for the Mid-Canada Line.

Since 1992, the Canadian Forces have operated a Short Range Radar facility at a nearby site, as part of the North Warning System.