Who knew you'd need a bomb shelter in the middle of North Carolina, several hours away from DC? Built in the 1950's, at the height of cold-war paranoia, this fantastic bomb shelter has since been used as a wine cellar and kids' secret play area. It's the ultimate in secret hiding places, though the submarine door (from a decommissioned submarine) may give away its location...
What would you do with this space?
The owners are considering remodeling it, but I am encouraging them to preserve the original fixtures and 1950's design. Pictured are the submarine door viewed from inside the shelter; a wheel that cranks clean, filtered air into the shelter; and the shower fixtures built to decontaminate people from radioactive debris.
You can also see the the bunk bed for sleeping, but used as storage space for wine and food.
The Decontamination Shower
Air Filter System
Bunk Beds and turning the crank of the air filter
- Rachael Grad
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I'd be tempted to give in to my inner paranoi and stock soup and bottled water. Just sayin'.
view I Love Upstate's profile
Brings back memories of my own family's bomb shelter back in the early 60's. It had a hand cranked air filter and heavy, 6" thick doors. Built under our driveway, my parents used it for long term food storage and we kids used it as a secret place that we decorated for Halloween parties. Nonetheless, it was fully stocked and my parents had iodine tablets and hand dosimeters to measure radiation exposure, just in case. I don't think about it much anymore, but those were truly scary times.
view Platypus's profile
given the josef fritzl case in austria, this gives me the creeps. not that I expect other crazy whacko lunatics like fritzl to pop up, but that a space that is meant to be a refuge can so easily become a prison.
view wc_canuck's profile
The submarine door is quite unique. Done right, this could be a great space.
view kyle (from toronto)'s profile
It's a common feature in Switzerland, but of course, their shelters are much nicer. I agree that the space shown on the pictures is creeeepy.
view Hasina's profile
What was that movie a few years back? The family sealed themselves away in 1962 and emerged in the early 90's?
I'd totally go retro with the space and use it as a game room/media room.
view hdtex's profile
Wow! That girl in the striped sweater looks like she'd really be able to work the air purifier in a nuclear emergency!
view kaylabriar2's profile
"Wine shelter"? I think you mean a "wine cellar".
view Juilletdix's profile
Will we lose our faces in a nuclear attack? I'm frightened a little. :)
I have more of a M*A*S*H idea and put some chaises and simulate sun and helicopters while drinking rough martinis in my bathrobe, or The Twilight Zone and fill it with piles of books and then break my glasses.
view K T G's profile
As Hasina already mentionned, in Switzerland it was obligatory to build a bomb shelter in every new construction until just a few years ago. Of course, they are mainly used as wine-cellars ( well, quite obvious given that there are wineyards almost all over the place ;)
view Jany's profile
In the UK, the idea was that some tinfoil at the windows and a couple of bottles of water under the dining room table would do the trick.
view Lesley - London's profile
Curious to know if you need a bomb shelter in North Carolina? Check out this story: http://www.ibiblio.org/bomb/
view Michael W.'s profile
My aunt in Charleston, WV has a bomb shelter in her basement, too! As kids my siblings used to love playing in there ... and until my dear sweet older brother pretended to lock me in the shelter, I used to love it, too! Oh, memories ...
view birdie_dc's profile
aside from the fact that I, too, thought of the Fritzl case when seeing thise creepazoid pix....seriously! I'm laughing at the images of 'wineyards' across Switzerland. lol
view buzzybee's profile
heh, make that THESE, seems I can't type either ; )
view buzzybee's profile
we have a bomb shelter too (we're in Switzerland)... we have a bidet that was torn out of the master bath in ours...
view mschatelaine's profile
The movie was Blast from the Past w/brendan fraiser... you're welcome ;)
I too would be fixing it up, several coats of kilz, some better lighting but i'd keep the door, and most of the fixtures.
The bunks would have to be swapped for a murphy bed (for guests) and i'd have to secure the door in an open position (with a combo lock) i'd be way too nervous about kids hurting or scaring the crap out of each other with that.
I'd do the decor in movie magic atomic / space age. Boomerang coffee table, atomic ball clock...
view DahliaCactus's profile
Oh, and honestly, i'd have all kinds of canned food in a cuboard under the wet bar, for sure!
view DahliaCactus's profile
Oh, maybe a nice poster of Major Kong riding the bomb in strangelove.... MAN, I really want a bomb shelter now.
view DahliaCactus's profile
KTG made me laugh and Michael W froze my blood as I wondered what happy, carefree day of my childhood those bombs fell in my home county. Seymour Johnson sprang to mind immediately as to why you'd need a bomb shelter in the middle of NC. I grew up hearing the sonic boom of jets breaking the sound barrier. Absolutely put in Major Kong!
view Kate (NC)'s profile
This reminds me of the movie "Blast from the Past) (1999) with Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, & Christopher Walken. It seems like this would be a unique selling point in this real estate market. Of course this is North Carolina, no real natural disasters to hide from except WW III which I don't see happening anytime soon, at least not during this housing crisis.
"When failure is not an option, success can get expensive." - world war II helicopter veteran
view helicopters's profile