Subterra Castle

September 21, 2011 8:52 AM

Subterra is a 34 acre estate surrounded by pastoral Kansas hills located 25 miles west of Topeka. The site holds a powerful and ominous past now transformed to an uplifting vision of our potential future. Once, an Atlas E intercontinental ballistic missile with a 4 megaton warhead was housed in the protective underground cavern. Now the missile is gone and the launch control structure is converted into spacious living space with an eclectic spirit of peace.
posted by Gator (18 comments total)

This is too funny:

native flutes trill softly over hidden loudspeakers.

and

Then he takes us back to what he calls "the very best, favorite, favorite room" in the whole underground warren -- the former diesel generator room, a huge space that Ed and Dianna have converted into a drum circle room. "Sometimes we'll have 20, 25 people playing the drums and shakers, and then sitting and chatting for a while,
posted by KokuRyu at 9:03 AM on September 21, 2011

Swap out the incandescent lights in the missile bay with properly-made LED fixtures, and you'll never have to climb 20 feet for as long as you live.
posted by FormlessOne at 9:03 AM on September 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

I've heard of the housing boom, but this is ridiculous! *tugs shirt collar*

This is actually seriously awesome. I can't believe they only bought it fo $40K.
posted by Think_Long at 9:08 AM on September 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

I coulda sworn there was more than one previous post on missile silos for sale and/or converted into homes .. (Well, there's a previous in that link too..)

That being said, the swords into plowshares motif espoused by these owners is neat. I'm curious what the cost to buy the site, and then refurb it was ..
posted by k5.user at 9:09 AM on September 21, 2011

I hope they don't dig too greedily, or too deep. Beware the stalagmen and the deep crows.

Did the little "toothy" architectural detail really exist on the original silo? If so, kudos to the original designer(s) for their sense of humor. Either way, I really like the new stone covering placed around the turret, it really enhances the castle feeling that was lacking from the rural Kansas setting.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:12 AM on September 21, 2011

Reminds me of taking a tour of the Diefenbunker near Ottawa (well, minus the new age decor).
posted by aught at 9:29 AM on September 21, 2011

Sure, you've got a 34 acre estate with a spacious living space and an eclectic spirit of peace. Theoretically, you've also got the ability to launch thermonuclear missiles.

But you still live in Topeka.
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:30 AM on September 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

See this dude giving a tour of the facility and playing hippie songs in either Stephen Fry in America or one of the Michael Palin travel documentaries. I forget which. I think it was Fry.

How many times have I confused those two? -_-
posted by AugieAugustus at 9:30 AM on September 21, 2011

It was also in Home Movie.
posted by cog_nate at 9:39 AM on September 21, 2011

Then he takes us back to what he calls "the very best, favorite, favorite room" in the whole underground warren -- the former diesel generator room, a huge space that Ed and Dianna have converted into a drum circle room. "Sometimes we'll have 20, 25 people playing the drums and shakers, and then sitting and chatting for a while

Looking forward to seeing this in the next Fallout game. Can you imagine opening a door and encountering 30 Super Mutants with dreadlocks?
posted by entropicamericana at 9:44 AM on September 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

Old hippie couples make me incredibly happy for some reason, just bring a wonderful smile to my face. I think it's a sense of hope that this despair and hopelessness I sometimes feel over our current situation doesn't need to be permanent.
posted by formless at 9:46 AM on September 21, 2011

This just makes me imagine all the other goodies the military can turn over to artsy people. I remember growing up on air bases and being dazzled by all the piles of jettisoned equipment and gadgets up for grabs.

So, bring on the disarmament! -- tanks as espresso carts ... ducks for school field trips ... submarines for surfer 'road trips ... aircraft carriers for intentional communities ... jets can be grounded in playgrounds as treehouse-climbing structures ...
posted by Surfurrus at 10:05 AM on September 21, 2011

Wow, that place would be perfect for manufacturing large quantities of LSD.

Or maybe not...
posted by mikeand1 at 10:14 AM on September 21, 2011

"This just makes me imagine all the other goodies the military can turn over to artsy people."

Pasadena Armory Center for the Arts (Had Mom's 60th birthday there. Lovely space.)
posted by epersonae at 10:37 AM on September 21, 2011

See this dude giving a tour of the facility and playing hippie songs in either Stephen Fry in America or one of the Michael Palin travel documentaries. I forget which. I think it was Fry.

Haven't seen him in either of those, but we saw him on the Labor Day marathon of "How the States Got their Shapes" on the History Channel.
posted by librarianamy at 12:02 PM on September 21, 2011

This is exactly what Nixon feared would happen to America.
posted by Chinese Jet Pilot at 12:13 PM on September 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

I would live in a missile silo like a motherfucker. But I would put a lot of pillows right down the bottom so I could just fall home, without having to bother with all those stairs. Wheee!

Uh oh, left something in the car.
posted by tumid dahlia at 3:32 PM on September 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

See this dude giving a tour of the facility and playing hippie songs in either Stephen Fry in America or one of the Michael Palin travel documentaries. I forget which. I think it was Fry.

It was in the fourth episode of Stephen Fry in America.
posted by baueri at 12:54 AM on September 22, 2011