New homeowner finds shelter sealed since 1961

[Erik88]

 

In the backyard of the creative director's mid-century modern home in West Lake Hills is a 1961 fallout shelter in near-mint condition.

Two retractable cots hang from one wall in a cramped room that is illuminated by a single light bulb. Nearby is a crank for the air shaft; across the way are spigots for water stored in tanks.

 

 

http://www.theeagle.com/news/texas/article_a57bbf88-373e-11e3-b046-001a4bcf887a.html

[daddyo]

That's amazing. I wonder how many more there are around the country?

[Erik88]

I'm sure there are others out there. I'd love it if my house had one but I wouldn't tell a soul.

[TripleDigitRide]

I have an Aunt and Uncle that stumbled upon a similar situation with a home they purchased. They lived in the house for a couple years before deciding to install a fence around the back yard. While having a roughly 40' deep section of wooded areas cleared out, my Uncle began to clean up what he thought was just a pile of old wood, bricks and stones. Come to find out, someone intentionally put a pile of trash over a door that lead down into a shelter. 

Based on the pictures they took, it was a bit larger than the shelter in this news story, but it was set up very much the same way. After inspecting the contents, they could tell it was built in the late 50's or early 60's. There were four beds, and they estimated enough food and water storage to last four people at least a month. 

 

With the help of some of the contents, they were able to find very little information about who owned the home at the time. They did determine the owner had something to do with Fort Stewart, but not exactly sure what. 

[krunchnik]

Boy,those would make a darn fine tornader shelter

[Volzfan]

Nice find!

[hipower]

I'm sure there are others out there. I'd love it if my house had one but I wouldn't tell a soul.

 

 I, for one, agree with you. I'd love to have a shelter of this sort. I do know of one in the Nashville area. Built in the front yard of a house in a hilly subdivision built in the early 70s. Access to the shelte is via a tunnel in the home's basement. Not a great shelter, only about 300 sq. ft., but still a neat hideyhole.

[Guest TankerHC]

These are all over the place covered up. These were big sellers in the 50's, 60s and even the early 70's. Door to door salesman used to sell them. I know where there is one right now the owners probably don't know is there. In my WWII vet uncle Bills backyard in Edgemere Maryland. Around 78 or so he decided the space it was taking would be better used to expand his vegetable garden so we filled it in with dirt. We even had giant ones in our schools that could hold the entire students and faculty. We had the black and yellow signs with arrows all through the halls and did drills at least once a week. We even used it once for real. In 79 when 3 mile melted down. We began prep to evacuate the entire city. That's just how it was living 30 miles from DC during the Cold War.

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[TerryW]

Great story!! I want this place..without the weed.  My boss would test me every week if they left the weed.  :cool:

 

 

http://sparkreport.net/2009/03/the-full-story-behind-the-great-tennessee-pot-cave/

 

http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin19.htm