The United States of America is riddled with a network of top 10 secret bunkers, engineered to keep the nation’s leadership alive and operational when disaster strikes. Whether it’s a terrorist onslaught, a nuclear exchange, or any other cataclysmic event, these fortified underground shelters are designed to withstand massive blasts and sustain essential life‑support functions for extended periods. Below, we take a deep dive into each of these hidden strongholds, revealing the facts, the folklore, and the sheer engineering marvels that protect America’s continuity of government.

Why the Top 10 Secret Bunkers Matter

Understanding these covert facilities gives a glimpse into the lengths a superpower will go to preserve its command structure. From presidential safety to the safeguarding of the nation’s financial lifelines, each bunker tells a story of Cold War paranoia, modern threat assessment, and the relentless pursuit of survivability.

10 Presidential Emergency Operations Center

The Presidential Emergency Operations Center, often abbreviated as PEOC, enjoys the most frequent spotlight in movies and TV shows. The iconic photograph of former President George W. Bush huddled with the National Security Council on the morning of September 11, 2001, offers a rare glimpse into one of the nation’s most secure underground rooms.

In the immediate aftermath of those attacks, Vice President Dick Cheney, his spouse, and a host of senior officials—including many cabinet members—were swiftly escorted into the sealed confines of the PEOC. Rumor has it that this bunker sits directly beneath the East Wing of the White House, the very heart of the executive branch.

Originally erected during World War II under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the PEOC was built to survive a nuclear blast and to house the commander‑in‑chief and other key leaders during an extreme crisis. While the precise specifications remain highly classified, analysts believe the facility also serves as a central communications hub linking all other critical continuity‑of‑government (COG) assets. The PEOC has inspired scenes in blockbuster films such as Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down, as well as the Emmy‑winning series House of Cards.

9 Project Greek Island (Greenbrier)

Project Greek Island—better known by its nickname, the Greenbrier—was a covert pact forged in the 1950s between the U.S. government and the luxurious Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. The sprawling hotel was selected to become the legislative branch’s continuity‑of‑government sanctuary.

The underground complex featured two massive auditoriums capable of seating 470 and 130 people respectively. Despite its enormous size, the bunker remained hidden for three decades before a journalist finally uncovered its existence. Public visitors to the resort could even glimpse the massive blast doors that concealed the secret chambers.

Oddly, many of the bathrooms were designated for men only—a reflection of the male‑dominated Congress of the era—adding an extra layer of intrigue. The facility housed sleeping quarters, a medical wing, an advanced air‑filtration system, a broadcast studio, and much more, all protected behind concrete doors a meter thick. Government employees masqueraded as television technicians from a fictitious company to staff the bunker. After its exposure, the Greenbrier’s secret was decommissioned, but former staff members now guide tours of the historic site. No current public information reveals where Congress would convene in the event of a modern catastrophe.

8 Raven Rock Mountain Complex

Hidden within the cliffs of Raven Rock Mountain near Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, lies the Raven Rock Mountain Complex—often dubbed the “underground Pentagon.” This subterranean mountain hosts a massive telecommunications hub for the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy, ready to spring into action after a nuclear strike.

Originally conceived as a Cold War emergency shelter, the complex now serves as a relocation point for the nation’s military National Command Authorities. Today, its primary tenant is the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which operates a suite of communications and computer systems from within the cavernous facility.

Fans of dystopian fiction have speculated that the fictional District 13 in The Hunger Games drew inspiration from Raven Rock, given the striking similarities in design and purpose.

7 Cheyenne Mountain Complex

Perched deep under the granite of Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex stands as a sprawling military installation and nuclear bunker. Formerly the headquarters of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the complex still houses NORAD’s operational center today.

Constructed beneath 760 meters (2,500 feet) of solid granite, the facility contains numerous buildings sealed behind 25‑ton blast doors. Ingeniously engineered springs prevent any of the structures from shifting more than 2.5 centimeters (one inch) during seismic events or explosions.

Born out of Cold War strategy, the bunker is capable of surviving the most devastating bombings, missile strikes, and nuclear detonations. It boasts an advanced oxygen system to keep radiation out, its own power plant, and a self‑contained water supply, delivering a 99.999 percent reliability rate for essential utilities.

6 Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center

Located a short drive from Washington, D.C., the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center sprawls across 564 acres of Virginian terrain. Operated jointly by the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, this mountain‑top facility serves as another critical COG hub.

The site’s existence remained a secret until the crash of TWA Flight 514 in December 1974, when investigators uncovered the hidden complex. Subsequent reporting revealed that Mount Weather had housed the president during the September 11, 2001 attacks, and the helicopter‑evacuated congressional leadership also took refuge there.

Details about the bunker’s current operations remain scarce, as the facility continues to function under a veil of secrecy.

5 Deep Underground Command Center

Arguably the most enigmatic of all, the Deep Underground Command Center (DUCC) was a proposed military installation conceived in the early 1960s. Planned to sit 900‑1,200 meters (3,000‑4,000 feet) beneath the Pentagon, the bunker was engineered to survive blasts of 200‑300 megaton weapons without compromising structural integrity.

Historical records indicate that the DUCC proposal reached President John F. Kennedy’s desk shortly before his assassination. The design envisioned a 50‑person core facility with the capacity to expand to accommodate 300 individuals. The ultimate fate of the project remains a mystery, though many suspect it was shelved after the president’s death.

4 Mount Pony

Buried beneath Mount Pony in Culpeper, Virginia, lies a Cold War‑era facility built in 1969 to serve a surprisingly fiscal purpose: the Federal Reserve stockpiled billions of dollars in cash for post‑nuclear‑war use. According to the Brookings Institute, the vault contained countless $2 bills, shrink‑wrapped and stacked on pallets 9 feet high, intended to replenish currency east of the Mississippi after a nuclear strike.

The underground complex could sustain 500 Federal Reserve staff—including the chairman and board members—for 30 days with food and water. Its three‑story design also featured an incinerator, an indoor shooting range, and a helipad. The facility was “radiation‑hardened” with a two‑ to four‑foot earth roof and lead‑lined shutters.

Beyond cash storage, Mount Pony housed the Culpeper Switch, the central node of the Fedwire electronic transfer system. Historical documents note that the mountain had previously served as a Confederate signal station and a World War II aircraft observation post. After the Cold War, the Federal Reserve transferred the vault to the Library of Congress, which installed 90 miles of shelving to house its recorded sound and videotape collections.

3 Canadian Forces Base North Bay

One of the few U.S. bunkers located outside American borders, Canadian Forces Base North Bay sits in North Bay, Ontario, north of Toronto. This underground complex functions as the Canadian hub of NORAD, extending 60 floors beneath the surface.

During the Cold War, the base found itself sandwiched between the Soviet Union and the United States, making it a strategic flashpoint. Engineers designed the facility to endure an explosion roughly 267 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

While details remain sparse, it is known that the base has a strong historical link to the founding of NORAD in the late 1950s and continues to operate as a critical component of North American aerospace defense.

2 Warrenton Training Center

The Warrenton Training Center, tucked away in Virginia, is a highly classified communications hub primarily serving the CIA. In addition to its intelligence‑gathering role, the site houses a relocation bunker as part of the U.S. continuity‑of‑government program.

Comprising four discreet stations spread across Fauquier and Culpeper counties, the complex also functions as a training school for several federal agencies, including the NSA, State Department, and Department of Defense.

Although the precise use of the underground bunker remains shrouded in secrecy, it is confirmed that the facility supports emergency drills for the NSA, DOD, and State Department, ensuring that critical communications can survive a catastrophic event.

1 Selfridge AFB Radar Station

Established in 1959 in Michigan, the Selfridge Air Force Base Radar Station served as a U.S. Air Force surveillance outpost. The site boasted cutting‑edge radar technology capable of detecting aircraft, coordinating surface‑to‑air missile launches, and housing the Missile Master bunker.

In 1960, the Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) was erected to manage surface‑to‑air missile launches for Project Nike, a Cold War missile defense system. Though the AADCP has since been closed, the radar station now hosts a United States Marine Corps Reserve unit, and the former bunker has been repurposed as an air‑traffic‑control center.

Because much of the station’s operations remain classified, the current status of its radar capabilities is unclear, but its legacy as a key piece of America’s Cold War defense architecture endures.

The TV series All in the Family ran on CBS from 1971 to 1979. In this classic, the unforgettable Archie Bunker—played by Carroll O’Connor—spouts a barrage of opinions that still raise eyebrows. Below are the 10 archie bunker moments that showcase his most politically incorrect commentary.

10 Archie Bunker On Equal Rights For Women

When neighbor Irene Lorenzo vents that she’s being paid less than the men doing the exact same job, Archie jumps in with his trademark, outdated logic. He declares that men are somehow intrinsically more valuable than women, backing his claim with a twisted biblical quote: “God made man in his own image, then fashioned women from a cheaper cut.”

Learning that Irene’s hourly wage—$5.50—is identical to his own throws Archie into a tizzy. He declares equality “unfair” and asks, “What’s the point of a man toiling his whole life if he ends up on the same level as a woman?”

9 Archie Bunker On Racial Equality

Archie balks at the Jeffersons, a Black family, moving into his block, and Gloria and Mike label him “crooked” for his stance. He retorts that he’s merely looking out for “Number One,” which, in his mind, makes Mr. Jefferson “Number Two.”

Gloria fires back, asking whether Puerto Ricans are “Number Three,” prompting Archie to launch into a bewildering hierarchy: “Puerto Ricans could be Four, your Japs and your Chinks could be Three… 3A, 3B.” His baffling list underscores his inability to see beyond his own prejudice.

8 Archie Bunker On Vegetarianism

When meat prices spike by eight percent, Gloria suggests the family go vegetarian to save money and improve health. Archie erupts, insisting that eating meat is “natural” and that humanity was put on Earth for that purpose.

Mike challenges the claim, and Archie pulls out the Bible, insisting ancient peoples ate meat and only later discovered that apples were a mistake. He jokes about special‑occasion meals of goats and lambs, asking, “Who’s ever heard of sacrificing a head of lettuce?”

7 Archie Bunker On The American Melting Pot

In yet another clash with Mike and Gloria, Archie delivers his version of American history, painting Lady Liberty as a megaphone shouting, “Send me your poor, your deadbeats, your filthy…” He then lists the waves of immigrants—Spanish P.R.s, Japs, Chinamen, Krauts, Hebes, and English fags—who, according to him, settle in separate “sections” and will “bust your head” if you wander into theirs.

Archie declares this segregation the very thing that makes America great, wrapping his rant in a bizarre mix of patriotism and xenophobia.

6 Archie Bunker On Slavery

Archie muses, “If God wanted us all together, He’d have put us together. But He put you over in Africa and the rest of us in the white countries.” He then jokes that someone must have told God where to place people, because “free transportation, room, board, chains” sounded like a good deal.

Sammy chimes in, tongue‑in‑cheek, noting that slavery offered “work, room, board, chains,” to which Archie insists he was “dead‑set against slavery” all along.

Mike, Gloria, and Lionel Jefferson respond by belting out “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” turning Archie’s twisted logic into a punchline about misreading history.

5 Archie Bunker On Gun Control

Mike confronts Archie about giving his son Joey a toy gun for his birthday. Archie proudly defends it as a First Amendment right, confusing free speech with the right to bear arms.

When Mike corrects him—”The First Amendment is free speech”—Archie doubles down: “Exactly! When you have a machine gun in your hand, you have the right to say whatever you want!”

Archie even appears on local TV, proposing that arming every airline passenger would end skyjacking. He imagines handing pistols to travelers at boarding, then collecting them at the end, declaring the problem “Case Closed.”

4 Archie Bunker On Cavemen

While competing with Irene for a job, Archie argues that women were “created for two things: making meals and babies,” citing cave women’s short legs and fat butts as evidence they couldn’t run fast, so men could catch them. When Mike probes about cave men with short legs, Archie retorts they were probably “your first fags,” ending the absurd debate with a sigh.

3 Archie Bunker On Evolution

Mike calls the Creation story a “fairy tale,” prompting Archie to slam the Bible open and proclaim, “There it is, in black and white. We didn’t crawl out of rocks, we didn’t have tails, and we certainly didn’t evolve from monkeys, you atheistic pinko meathead.”

2 Archie Bunker On Black Athletes

During a meal, Archie reflects on baseball’s evolution, noting 1947 as the year Jackie Robinson entered the majors, which he claims “threw the whole game out of balance.” He frames it as a shift caused by the “inferior black race” entering the sport.

Mike pushes back, demanding clarification. Gloria tries to calm the tension, but Archie insists the “coloreds” run faster, jump higher, and bruise less because of their “jungle heritage,” suggesting they’re especially suited for night games.

Mike finally says, “You know something, Mr. Bunker? I thought I misjudged you, and I was right—you’re a lot more ignorant than I thought.”

1 Archie Bunker On Opinions

At their first meeting, Archie and Mike clash over Vietnam‑war protests. Archie launches into a tirade, calling Mike a “meathead… dead from the neck up,” then declares that free speech means he can say whatever he wants, while anyone who disagrees gets jailed or labeled a meathead.

Mike interprets this as Archie’s twisted version of liberty: you can speak freely, but only if your voice aligns with his. Anyone else is silenced or insulted.

The exchange mirrors today’s climate—people demand the right to voice opinions but often refuse to hear opposing views, making genuine conversation impossible.

When the world goes sideways, the ultra‑wealthy have already drawn the blueprints. Here are the 10 incredible billionaire bunkers that promise safety, luxury, and a strict “no‑fly‑zone” for anyone without a private jet or a secret invitation.

10 Incredible Billionaire Bunker Overview

1 The Aristocrat

If you’re not swimming in billions, there’s still a glimmer of hope. Rising S Bunkers offers a menu of fortified shelters that start at a modest $49,000 for a basic unit and climb to just under $10 million for a full‑blown complex (installation and delivery excluded). Their flagship, the Aristocrat, is a sprawling bomb‑shelter designed to house up to 50 occupants.

The Aristocrat packs everything from climate‑controlled air filtration and spacious workshops to industrial‑grade freezers, a fully equipped gym, saunas, swimming pools, and even a bowling alley. For the more adventurous, a gun range and a motor‑cave exit let you zip in and out like a modern‑day Batman.

Because the layout supports a small community or an extended family, friends can pool resources and split the cost, turning an otherwise astronomical expense into a feasible group venture.

2 Space

The final frontier becomes the ultimate fallback plan. Billionaires such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are racing to own a slice of the cosmos, betting that an off‑world sanctuary is the safest bet against planetary catastrophes.

In Musk’s vision, Mars colonies could host humanity’s survivors, while Bezos’s orbital habitats aim to make space travel routine for the ultra‑rich. In theory, leaving Earth eliminates threats like nuclear fallout, zombie hordes, or rogue nation strikes.

Ticket prices remain astronomical—Musk has floated a $100,000‑$500,000 range, but actual costs hover in the millions, if not billions, keeping the dream firmly out of reach for most.

3 Dogen City

Still in the concept stage, Dogen City is N‑Ark’s answer to climate‑driven apocalypse. Imagine a floating, self‑sufficient metropolis that merges the mythic scale of Noah’s Ark with billionaire‑grade engineering.

Designed for up to 40,000 residents, the city would float atop a massive ring, offering a 2.4‑mile jogging track and an underwater medical facility. Its architecture promises protection from rising seas, extreme weather, and even the occasional undead swimmer.

The goal is to have Dogen City operational before 2030, giving a decade’s worth of preparation before the polar ice caps melt beyond repair.

4 The Safe House

Poland’s Warsaw houses a sleek, industrial‑style cube that may not survive a nuclear blast, but it will definitely keep zombies and unwanted guests at bay. Architect Robert Konieczny calls it the world’s first zombie‑proof home.

The structure features sliding exterior walls, aluminum roll‑gates, and a retractable drawbridge that leads to a rooftop terrace above a pool. Every element—from walls and windows to the bridge and fence—can be controlled electronically, and solar panels could easily be added for off‑grid power.

While it lacks the massive blast resistance of Cold‑War silos, its affordable, green design makes it a compelling option for those fearing the undead more than a missile.

5 Shrublands Road

Set in the quiet English village of Mistley, Essex, Shrublands Road began life as a Cold‑War communications bunker, meant to stay intact even if a nuclear strike flattened the town.

The 10,000‑square‑foot (929 m²) structure has been transformed into three high‑end apartments. Two three‑bedroom units and one four‑bedroom unit now boast modern kitchens, Italian‑marble bathrooms, and a shared atrium, all while retaining the original steel‑reinforced shell.

Originally priced around £1.4 million—a relatively modest sum for a bunker—the property offers no extravagant amenities like climbing walls or golf courses, but provides a solid, discreet refuge for the discerning buyer.

6 The Underground House

Deep beneath the Nevada desert, the Underground House is a 15,000‑square‑foot (1,394 m²) subterranean retreat that feels more like a futuristic nightclub than a fallout shelter.

Its interior boasts adjustable lighting that mimics the outside world, a ceiling dotted with twinkling stars, a dedicated dance floor (because it’s Vegas), two hot tubs, a sauna, a bar, and even a barbecue pit. The design blends plastic trees, faux rocks, and muraled wildlife to create a surreal, immersive environment.

Featured on Netflix and frequented by celebrities like Imagine Dragons, the property can be yours for $18 million—a price that reflects both its novelty and its luxurious, apocalyptic vibe.

7 The Survival Condo

Hidden among Kansas’s rolling green fields lies a repurposed Atlas missile silo from the 1960s, now transformed into the Survival Condo—a luxurious underground community.

The silo’s 8‑ton steel doors were originally built to guard the U.S. nuclear arsenal, and they still stand strong today. Inside, residents enjoy communal spaces such as a pet park, arcade, swimming pool, and climbing wall, as well as dedicated mechanical, medical, security, and hydroponic levels.

At the deepest levels, a cinema and bar provide entertainment, while residential quarters offer comfortable living spaces. The overall design blends military‑grade protection with high‑end amenities for a truly unique refuge.

8 Europa One

Europa One is the epitome of exclusivity—a former Soviet Cold‑War bunker in Rothenstein, Germany, now refurbished into the world’s largest private survival complex.

Built to endure nuclear detonations, chemical and biological attacks, earthquakes, and even crashing aircraft, the facility offers opulent individual chambers that were once sold for $5 million each. Owners could customize their personal spaces to exact specifications.

Entry is strictly by invitation, and all invitations have already been dispatched, leaving the rest of us to marvel at its sheer scale and security.

9 Trident Lakes

For the golf‑obsessed prepper, Trident Lakes in Ector, Texas, blends a resort‑style experience with hardened survival infrastructure.

The sprawling private estate—just an hour from Dallas—features a hotel, golf course, polo fields, and roughly 600 condominium‑style units overlooking water. Beneath the glamour lie fortified underground bunkers, armed security, and a towering wall to keep threats out.

An added DNA vault safeguards the very essence of its residents, ensuring that even in an apocalypse, their genetic legacy endures.

10 The Oppidum

Deep within the Czech Republic’s forested mountains sits The Oppidum, a 323,000‑square‑foot (30,000 m²) fortress that reads like a sci‑fi set piece.

The compound boasts a 77,500‑square‑foot (7,200 m²) living area, an underground garden with simulated sunlight, a spa, swimming pool, cinema, library, and more. Access is controlled via a single underground tunnel sealed by a rapid‑deployment blast door, while 24‑hour military‑style security patrols the perimeter.

Though space is limited, the operators also supply custom‑built bunkers and structures that can be delivered straight to a buyer’s doorstep, ensuring privacy even beyond the main estate.

Thanks to human conflict, there is no shortage of forts, bases, and shelters. Those that are abandoned have a certain attraction, a sense of mystery that calls to urban explorers and researchers alike. This list looks at deserted places with interesting backgrounds or current situations. From the station in Antarctica that scientists keep abandoning to the bunker mania that almost ruined a country, here is the best collection of strange stories!

10 From Conflict Lookouts to Bat Hotels

In 1994, Jordan and Israel put aside their differences and signed a peace treaty. As a result, army bunkers along the Jordan River were vacated, and they’ve been empty ever since. Well, empty of humans anyway. Over time, 12 indigenous species of bats moved into the ghost bunkers. From an environmental point of view, this was a good move on the animals’ part. Five of the species were listed as either endangered or critically threatened. The bunkers became a much-needed sanctuary for them.

No interference from people and living in a closed military zone stretching 60 miles (96 kilometers) allowed the bats to thrive. Their numbers, now in the thousands, help the environment because their appetite for bugs reduces the need for pesticides in the surrounding areas. Great for the environment, but definitely not someplace I want to add to my “must-visit” list.^[1]

9 A Unique Gallery of Ships

The Old Fort in Zanzibar has long since been retired as an active fort. These days, the castle-like building is a cultural center. But recently, carved graffiti of ships on the walls came to light. Likely created during the late nineteenth century, researchers believe that the pictures were inspired by boredom. In other words, the “artists” were guards on duty who had time on their hands and a clear view of the ships that docked outside the fort.

This sounds mundane. But the engravings provide a rare snapshot of which vessels were a part of the trans-oceanic trade network that used the western Indian Ocean during this time.

If the soldiers truly did doodle ships they saw in real life, then a rich variety lowered their anchors near the Old Fort. These included a rare ship called an East African mtepe (a vessel that was sewn together instead of using nails), European-style frigates, and dhows (settee-rigged deep-sea ships). Some carvings also had transom sterns which hinted at ships like the kotia, ghanja, baghla, and more.^[2]

8 A Bizarre Ant Colony

In the west of Poland sits a dismantled nuclear base. Originally built by the Soviets, the design includes two underground bunkers. In recent times, bats decided to turn the bunkers into overwintering caves, and this gave bat fans the opportunity to study them.

In 2013, someone noticed the ants. A huge number of wood ants were trapped inside one of the bunkers, and the prognosis for them was slim. They had no queen, food, light, heat, or way to escape. And yet, as the years passed, their numbers never dwindled.

The mystery was solved when researchers looked at clusters of dead ants and discovered that nearly 90% of them had been nibbled on by their nestmates. The colony also had a nest above the bunker, and some ants kept falling through a hole (replenishing their numbers). They survived by eating their dead. The scientists were kind enough to install a ramp leading back to the nest, and after years of being trapped, almost all the ants quickly abandoned the bunker.^[3]

7 The Location of Sapling Fort

During the early nineteenth century, the Tlingit people resisted Russia’s goal of establishing a fur trading post in Alaska. They built the “Sapling Fort,” also known as Shís’gi Noow, which was the final barrier against advancing Russian soldiers. In 1804, the Tlingit engaged in a battle at the fort, but five days later, they were defeated.

Despite their commendable last stand, the location of Sapling Fort slowly disappeared from local memory. In 2021, researchers decided to hunt for the historical fort by using radar scans.

The idea was to look for underground ruins and compare the shape of their perimeter with the known design of Sapling Fort. The project became one of the biggest radar surveys in Alaska. After buzzing 42 acres (17 hectares), they found subsurface signatures that matched the fort’s design as well as details given in both Russian and Tlingit accounts.

So, where was it? After a century of being missing, Sapling Fort was found in Sitka National Historical Park near the mouth of the Kasda Heen river.^[4]

6 A Ghost Station in Antarctica

The Halley VI Research Station sits on the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica. It’s been gathering Earth and space weather information since the 1950s. For decades, scientists enjoyed the fully equipped living quarters that were designed to keep humans comfy all year round. But a couple of years ago, the shelf started to crack. Fearing for their safety, the researchers abandoned Halley VI.

But this research station is fascinating for two reasons. First, it’s constantly being abandoned. Every winter, when living on a cracking shelf becomes too risky, the scientists leave. However, they were losing a lot of data this way and eventually rigged Halley VI so that it now runs itself. In the long months when it’s basically a ghost base, the station continues to gather important weather and climate measurements—with no help from humans.^[5]

5 Thousands of Concrete Mushrooms

It’s hard to imagine that the building of bunkers can bring a country to its knees. But that is what happened to Albania. From 1941 to 1985, the country was ruled by a dictator named Enver Hoxha, who was convinced that Yugoslavia, Greece, and even his Soviet allies wanted to invade Albania. While the chances of this were zero, Hoxha was so paranoid that he built about 750,000 bunkers all over the country. Their construction practically enslaved his people and drained the country’s coffers.

Most of the concrete fortresses were domed and stocky. This earned them the local nickname of “mushrooms.” These days, hundreds of them still exist all over Albania and range from large underground shelters to two-person igloos. People now use these relics for more practical matters like animal sheds, shops, changing rooms, art galleries, or discreet meeting places for couples.^[6]

4 Remains of a Fake Airfield

During World War II, battles weren’t always won with brute force. Sometimes, all you needed was a clever trick. Late in 1942, the decision was made to create a fake airport to give enemy pilots the impression of a strong military presence in Virginia. However, the base also served as a decoy during air raids to spare the nearby city of Richmond. At night, when Richmond went dark, the airfield lit up to draw German planes away from the city (and the real airfield).

The dummy airfield was created by the 936th Camouflage Battalion, who made fake hangars, vehicles, aircraft, and taxiways. After the war, the site was used for bombing practice, and later, there was a failed attempt to turn the site into a psychiatric facility. These days, when viewed from the air, some ruins of the now-abandoned airport still peek through the trees. These include a water tower and roads leading to nowhere.^[7]

3 A Secret Japanese Camp

In 2004, Robert Muckle received a tip about an interesting site in the North Shore mountains of British Columbia. The archaeologist expected to walk into a historic logging camp. But upon arrival, the truth emerged. Once upon a time, deep in the Canadian forest, there was a thriving Japanese village.

This surprising discovery consisted of 14 houses, a water reservoir, a bathhouse, a garden, and a shrine. Muckle suspects that the site started out as a logging camp but then turned into a secret village as more Japanese sought refuge from the racism of the day, made worse by the Second World War when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Hong Kong, where many Canadian soldiers were killed.

The base was abruptly abandoned. Muckle’s theory is a sad one. During this war, up to 90% of Japanese Canadians were forcibly relocated. This policy separated families because the men were forced to work on road gangs, and women and children were dropped off in ghost towns in the wilderness. Muckle suspects that the secret village was discovered and that the inhabitants were packed off to different camps.^[8]

2 The Monster Nazi Bunker

During World War II, the German military occupied Bordeaux in France. They established a fleet of submarines in the area that needed a safe place to dock while being repaired. The result? A massive bunker that was designed to withstand the worst aerial attacks. The domed structure spread over 130,000 square feet (over 12,000 square meters) and consumed enough reinforced concrete to fill 240 Olympic swimming pools today.

The submarine base was abandoned two years after it was built. Not because it didn’t work—the bunker withstood several air attacks with almost no damage. However, when German forces withdrew from Bordeaux in 1944, they couldn’t exactly take the massive building along.

The base remained empty for decades. Then, it caught the eye of creative minds who turned the cavernous interior into the world’s biggest digital art gallery. These days, visitors can walk through different sections of the bunker and enjoy floor-to-ceiling art being digitally projected against the walls.^[9]

1 The Anderson Fallout Shelter

In 1991, a Fort Wayne resident was totally fed up. Tim Howey owned a home with a curious feature, one that kept luring strangers to his yard. The crowd-pleaser was an old bunker. Purchased by the previous owners of the home, the Andersons, the shelter had cost $1,800 and claimed to protect people against nuclear fallout. The Andersons lived during the Cold War when nuclear threats were always around the corner. So, in 1955, they had the bunker installed in their front lawn at a depth of 15 feet (4.5 meters).

By the time Tim Howey owned the property, the steel structure had risen to the surface and into public view. When the attention became too much, he offered the artifact to the National Museum of American History, which jumped at the chance to own the artifact. They exhumed the bunker and added it to their collection. Visitors were now free to gawk at the cramped quarters that included a chemical toilet, four beds, and a hand-cranked pump that could be used to pull fresh air into the shelter.^[10]