Alastair Philip Wiper

The Underground House, Las Vegas

This is a nuclear fallout shelter like no other. Built by eccentric millionaire Jerry Henderson in 1978, this 1,400 m2 underground house comes complete with artificial trees, faux rocks, lighting to simulate different times of day, and life-like scenery painted to resemble views from Jerry’s other houses around the world. It looks like Jerry liked to party – the house has a swimming pool, two hot tubs, a dancefloor (with pole!), a four-hole putting green, a bar, a barbecue and a sauna. Jerry lived in the house with his wife, Mary, for five years until he died in 1983.

Now the house is owned by an organisation called the Church of Perpetual Life, whose purpose is to extend human life and cryogenically freeze bodies and order to bring them back to life when science allows it. Yep.

I did swim in the pool.

Part of a long-term project I am working on called How We Learned to Stop Worrying.

Dr. Mark Voelker, who lives in the non-descript house above this nuclear fallout shelter in Las Vegas.

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