The atomic habitat.
By the early 1960s almost 70% of American citizens were convinced nuclear war was imminent. Backyard bomb shelter sales and building went through the roof. Hundreds of thousands were built across the country, varying from small, claustophobic bunkers, to the kind of atomic habitat visionairies like Jay Swayze conceived and built.
Disappointed with such a claustrophobic living space where one’s family might have to spend years waiting out the nuclear radiation, he devised a “ship in a bottle” concept. A full-size “normal” home could be built within the protective confines of a concrete shell, and the shell’s interior could be decoratively painted to represent the outside world.
Mr. Swayze built one for himself and his family and liked it so much he lived in it for four years.
Most of the photos we have here for your perusement today are from a particular underground home he built for the director of Avon, Girard Henderson, who was an avid fan of underground living.
The underground world features two houses, a two bedroom and a one bedroom guest house, as well as…. outside… yard space.
Wow. It’s…. it’s kind of creepy as hell.
