Inside An Abandoned 1960s Nuclear Bunker In Rural Kansas

This bunker complex has some surprises

Have you ever fancied a home that's ready for anything the world can throw at it? This abandoned missile silo complex in Kansas is just such a place. Built during the Cold War, it was designed to withstand nuclear blasts and it would be the perfect place to hunker down and avoid chaos above land.

The unique property came on the market back in 2021 for $380,000 and it was snapped up just four months later. Click or scroll through to take a tour inside the underground shelter and discover what makes it so special...

Silo grounds

According to the original listing, the silo was built as a home for the decommissioned Atlas F missile. These ballistic weapons were reportedly deployed from 1961 to 1965 before being refurbished after retirement and subsequently used as space launch vehicles.

Aerial view

Covering 11 acres of land, the grounds are of medium size for an Atlas F missile silo. Reportedly, plot sizes would vary greatly from five to 22 acres. Here you’ll find 6,900 square feet of living space to enjoy.

Bunker overview

These Atlas F silos burrow to a depth of 170 feet and were built to withstand a ‘200 pound-per-square-inch blast.’ They were reportedly the first of the ‘super hardened’ missile silos and were originally surrounded by an eight-foot high-security chain link fence, topped with barbed wire. You’d certainly feel safe at home here. 

A modest entrance

The property was originally listed for $420,000 in March 2020, but with no takers it was removed from the market the following year. 

Here we see the unassuming silo entrance, concealing the huge underground structure that lies beneath…

Off-grid living

Ideal for off-grid living, the abandoned bunker hosts its own water, electricity, and sewage systems that forces waste to the ground surface.

As Missile Bases states, construction costs ranged from $14 million to $18 million in 1960, which would be around $147 million to $189 million today. Considering it was last listed for $380,000, we'd call that a real bargain!

Atlas F lift off!

Also known as the SM-65F Atlas, these missiles were the final operational variant of the Atlas missile. The Atlas evolved into one of the world's 'premier satellite launchers,' despite its short lived career as a nuclear armed missile, according to the Atomic Archive. 

Stairway to silo

While the unusual property was far from in a turnkey condition when it was listed, it was brimming with potential.

Upon entry, this long sweeping staircase benefits from streams of natural light (when the heavy blast door is open) and the expanse of blank wall space is crying out for a contemporary cluster of nuclear war-themed artworks. 

Sturdy walls

According to Atlas Missile Silo, the Atlas F complex was built with epoxy-based resin combined with approximately 600 tonnes of steel rebar to create a structure capable of withstanding the equivalent of a 500-mile-per-hour wind.

With some TLC and the right lighting, this robust corridor could eventually be a stunning space.

Large underground tunnel

The complex encompasses the main missile silo with an underground tunnel that connects to the Launch Control Centre (LCC).

This Atlas LCC was staffed by five-man crews and only accessible via the above-ground entryway.  

Original living quarters

Here we see the Launch Control Centre, a smaller cylindrical underground chamber consisting of two stories, housing the LCC and the barracks.

There was also an emergency escape hatch which could only be accessed from within, according to Atlas Missile Silo. 

A lack of bathrooms

In total, there were 72 Atlas F operational sites built alongside three test sites at Vandenberg AFB. 

Although there's more than enough living space, the bunker contained just one basic bathroom when it was last listed – but just imagine what you could have done with it!

Upper living areas

Whilst the silo proudly sprawls over (or under) 11 acres and boasts 6,900 square feet in total, the upper two levels of living space consist of approximately 1,200 square feet.

Silos originally had seven floors

Many of the Atlas F silos were salvaged leaving only the structural walls, with floors being rebuilt to restore and develop the space.

Originally, there would have been seven floors throughout, with each level encompassing approximately 2,000 square feet.

A real focal point

The silo holds a 52-foot inside diameter and is approximately 180 feet deep, according to Missilebases.com, and hosts three blast doors leading from the Launch Control Centre.

In order to launch the missile-shaped 'elephant in the room,' two overhead 90-tonne doors would have been opened hydraulically.

High ceilings and high potential

Looking at these high ceilings, it’s easy to agree with a real estate listing, which described the property’s ‘potential’ and suggested use as a home or even as a bed and breakfast. We’re imagining a retro-themed Airbnb with 1960s space age style décor.

Added living space

But that’s not all... The lucky buyer also got this 4,000-square-foot Quonset building, complete with water, electricity, and sewer systems ideal for extra living space.

The Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated steel that was easy to assemble. The design was developed in the US, where hundreds of thousands were produced during the Second World War.

Quonset remains intact

There were originally two Quonset buildings on the Atlas F sites. Most of these buildings have been removed from the other sites, leaving just the concrete pads, which made this an extra special real estate bunker listing.

Rare vibrant décor

Who wouldn't love the attempted interior design choices of this room, adding some cheer to the expanse of grey concrete seen throughout? Perhaps this was a potential kid's room, just waiting for a set of bunk beds.

Home office?

What’s more, the complex also features an extra outbuilding consisting of one room – ideal for a home office or storage as the listing suggested. 

Bursting with potential below ground

As the Realtor listing enthused: “If you want something offering security and uniqueness, this property is for you.”

We're sure whoever snapped it up feels safe from the outside world once protected by these steel walls and tucked up 170 feet below ground, especially as the Zillow listing concludes that the previous owners, "had already successfully built out another Atlas F Silo to live in and are available for consult to the future owners." 

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