Ever wanted your very own fallout shelter? Well, now that Russian President Vladimir Putin has put his nuclear forces on high alert — the first time that’s happened since the end of the Cold War — the idea might seem a little less laughable. If you have $5.9 million to spare, there’s one on the market in Las Vegas, and it even comes with its own underground pool, “yard” and more. Built in the mid ’70s by businessman Girard “Jerry” Henderson for his family, the property looks normal from the outside, but what’s inside is anything but. Here’s an in-depth look at what might just be the nation’s oddest home.
Related: The Strangest Home in Every State
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
The above-ground house, not far from the Vegas Strip, appears to be your typical suburban-style spread, complete with palms and a Spanish-tiled roof. But inside, instead of a living room, you’ll find a hallway leading to an elevator that will whisk you to the fallout shelter 26 feet below. According to the home’s caretaker, Mark Voelker, the above-ground house is about 2,500 square feet, but the underground space is 15,000 square feet.
Related: Hobbit Holes, Missile Silos, and Other Cool Underground Homes You Can Rent for the Night
A Party Below Ground
Vegas has plenty of places to let loose, but how many of them are below ground? The main underground house has a lounge area, a bar, a dining area, two ensuite bedrooms, and an additional guest bath. There’s also a 700-square-foot guest cottage with one bedroom and one bathroom, perfect for waiting out a nuclear apocalypse with your meddling mother-in-law.
Related: Must-See Vegas Attractions That Aren’t on the Strip
Take a Dip
Even though it was built with the goal of keeping its occupants safe from radioactive fallout for up to a year, the home has plenty of bells and whistles. An underground pool and a four-hole putting green are just a couple of them.
Related: Weird and Wacky Property Listings That Will Leave You Scratching Your Head
Amusements Galore
In addition to the pool and putting green, there are two hot tubs, a sauna, a dance floor, a bar, a barbecue, and a billiards table. After all, nuclear warfare is no reason to be bored.
Artificial Trees
Henderson, who sponsored the Underground Home exhibit at the New York World’s Fair in 1964, went to great lengths to make the shelter feel like a normal home. Not only are there artificial trees and fake rocks in the “yard,” the lights can be adjusted to imitate different times of day and night, and there are even twinkling stars on the ceiling.
Trending on Cheapism
Time to Dance
The starry sky may not be real, but there’s a disco ball, a dance floor, and — ahem — two stripper poles. If you squint, you can almost convince yourself you’re dancing outside. Almost.
Animals, Sort of…
Henderson added murals, many of them featuring wildlife, to recreate places where he had traveled in real life.
Birdless Bath
While the “outdoor” areas in the underground shelter don’t attract real wildlife, the fountain adds a certain charm, doesn’t it?
Sign up for our newsletter
Cooking Up Color
Inside, the kitchen appliances may be dated, and the white and pink cabinetry is certainly an acquired taste, but the commitment to the Pepto-inspired color theme is impressive.
High in the Sky
One way the home was made to feel less like, well, a fallout shelter: The addition of high ceilings in many rooms.
Don’t Start a Fire
That fireplace looks nice and cozy, but don’t get too carried away — after all, there’s no place for smoke to go. On the bright side, if you do start a fire, there are 1,000 gallons of emergency water stored on site, to say nothing of the water in the pool.
Extra Dining
While the below-ground main house only has two bedrooms (the cottage and above-ground house make up the rest), it has plenty of space for entertaining. Want to invite some friends for a dinner party they’ll never forget?
Vegas History
The property, currently owned by the nonprofit Stasis Foundation, has become a unique setting for film, video, and fashion shoots. One film featuring models dressed in Miu Miu is definitely worth watching.
