20 photos of abandoned bunkers in the US that hint at the country's Cold War past

Frank OlitoOct 8, 2020, 23:56 IST

Bunkers across the US are now abandoned.Casey James / Luxe Realty Photography

During the Cold War, the US built underground shelters in case of an attack. Decades later, some of these bunkers are now abandoned.
An abandoned bunker beneath the Oyster-Adams school in Washington, DC, was once used as a fallout shelter. It still has food, water, and sanitation kits from the '60s.
Two bunkers in Arizona once held Titan II missiles, but they are now abandoned.

During the Cold War, the United States went into defense mode.

As a result, the government built underground shelters to house defensive missiles and to provide a place of protection in the event of a nuclear incident. Five decades later, some of these bunkers still exist but are completely empty. With their crumbling walls, peeling paint, and rusted railings, these abandoned bunkers remain as a symbol of the Cold War.

Keep reading to take a look inside abandoned bunkers across the US.

In the basement of a school in Washington, DC, there is an abandoned bunker that was once used as a fallout shelter.

The basement of Oyster-Adam school. Brendan Smialowski/ Getty

The fallout shelter, which dates back to the '60s, is a long, narrow room that is now completely abandoned.

The empty fallout shelter. The Washington Post/ Getty

On one wall, there are still boxes of survival supplies and tanks of water.

The tanks of water. Brendan Smialowski/ Getty

The bunker also has the original sanitation kits, which were meant to be used as toilets.

The sanitation kits. The Washington Post/ Getty

Today, these items and the rest of the bunker still stand under the school as a reminder of the Cold War era.

The fallout shelter. Brendan Smialowski/ Getty

A bunker in North Dakota that once held Cold War missiles is now abandoned and up for sale.

Entrance to bunker in North Dakota. Pifer’s Auction & Realty – Moorhead, MN

The bunker covers 11,000 square feet underground and is officially known as the Remote Sprint Launcher 4.

Sprint Missile bunker. Pifer’s Auction & Realty – Moorhead, MN

The walls of the bunker are 2 feet thick, but water has seeped into the underground space over the years and damaged most of the interior.

Sprint Missile bunker. Pifer’s Auction & Realty – Moorhead, MN

Remnants of the bunker's history still remain today, like the 14 missile launch tubes.

Sprint Missile bunker. Pifer’s Auction & Realty – Moorhead, MN

The bunker went up for auction in August 2020 and was advertised as the perfect doomsday bunker for social distancing.

Sprint Missile bunker. Pifer’s Auction & Realty – Moorhead, MN

An underground missile silo that was built in 1962 is now abandoned in Arizona.

The entrance to the bunker. Casey James / Luxe Realty Photography

The entrance to the bunker still stands today, giving access to the dilapidated command center and decontamination area.

The entrance to the bunker. Casey James / Luxe Realty Photography

The durable blast doors are also still standing, but they are rusted.

The blast doors. Casey James / Luxe Realty Photography

The control room is one of the best-preserved spaces in this bunker.

The abandoned control room. Casey James / Luxe Realty Photography

In 2019, the property was put on the market and sold along with the 13 acres that surround it.

The abandoned Arizona bunker. Casey James / Luxe Realty Photography

Another bunker in Arizona used to hold a Titan II missile and is now abandoned.

The entrance to the bunker. David Olsen

The missile silo is considered one of the best-preserved missile silos in the US, according to Business Insider.

Inside the bunker. David Olsen

Even the signs listing the bunker's rules can be read decades later.

A sign in the bunker. David Olsen

Although abandoned, the bunker is still hooked up to the city's water supply.

It's still connected to the water supply. David Olsen

This year, the bunker and its complex — which are known as Titan II 570-1 — went up for sale and sold.

The empty hallways. David Olsen

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20 photos of abandoned bunkers in the US that hint at the country's Cold War past

In the basement of a school in Washington, DC, there is an abandoned bunker that was once used as a fallout shelter.

The fallout shelter, which dates back to the '60s, is a long, narrow room that is now completely abandoned.

On one wall, there are still boxes of survival supplies and tanks of water.

The bunker also has the original sanitation kits, which were meant to be used as toilets.

Today, these items and the rest of the bunker still stand under the school as a reminder of the Cold War era.

A bunker in North Dakota that once held Cold War missiles is now abandoned and up for sale.

The bunker covers 11,000 square feet underground and is officially known as the Remote Sprint Launcher 4.

The walls of the bunker are 2 feet thick, but water has seeped into the underground space over the years and damaged most of the interior.

Remnants of the bunker's history still remain today, like the 14 missile launch tubes.

The bunker went up for auction in August 2020 and was advertised as the perfect doomsday bunker for social distancing.

An underground missile silo that was built in 1962 is now abandoned in Arizona.

The entrance to the bunker still stands today, giving access to the dilapidated command center and decontamination area.

The durable blast doors are also still standing, but they are rusted.

The control room is one of the best-preserved spaces in this bunker.

In 2019, the property was put on the market and sold along with the 13 acres that surround it.

Another bunker in Arizona used to hold a Titan II missile and is now abandoned.

The missile silo is considered one of the best-preserved missile silos in the US, according to Business Insider.

Even the signs listing the bunker's rules can be read decades later.

Although abandoned, the bunker is still hooked up to the city's water supply.

This year, the bunker and its complex — which are known as Titan II 570-1 — went up for sale and sold.