Man Accidentally Uncovered A Secret Facility That Reveals Our Biggest Fear

Whether it’s a dollar bill or a lost winter glove, finding something on the cold cement of a parking lot garage floor isn’t likely to change your day all that much. Still, every now and then, a seemingly worthless item can turn into something so much more. Just ask Garrett Graff, a historian and political author.

Graff didn’t think much of the item one of his work colleagues found on the floor of a parking garage, but upon closer inspection, he saw something on the object that piqued his journalistic curiosity. What followed was a life-changing multi-year hunt into some of America’s most deeply buried secrets.

Political writer Garrett Graff has covered a lot of hot-button issues in his lifetime, from the war on terror to the 2008 US presidential election. But perhaps his most eye-opening research started when his friend handed him something peculiar – a government ID for someone from the intelligence community. “Graff said, ‘He gave it to me since I write about that subject, and he’s like, ‘I figured you can give this back to the guy.'” The friend had found the ID on a parking garage floor.

Right away, Graff noticed something peculiar about the ID. Step-by-step driving instructions covered the back of it. So, being the inquisitive journalist that he was, Graff used Google Maps to locate the directions and destination. The results surprised him. The directions led him to a mountain peak just over 70 miles outside of Washington DC. There, at a peak known as Raven Rock, the road ended, and it led to the face of the mountain and then… nothing.

Graff recalled, “Everything else he saw once he made the trip out there… you can see very clearly these big concrete bunker doors, this little guard shack, chain-link fence, and then this set of concrete bunker doors beyond.

What had he just found? “It was a facility that I had never heard of and that was not on any map,” Graff elaborated. His inner historian and journalist totally were freaking out. He started researching what he found as soon as he could.

He didn’t know it when he first stumbled upon the structure, but the directions had led him to Raven Rock Mountain Complex, also known as Site R. To put it more bluntly, he’d found a nuclear fallout shelter. Graff’s research turned up plenty of information on the United States government’s nuclear war contingency plan – some comforting, some horrifying, and all of it fascinating.

For example, the Truman administration sanctioned construction on the bunker in 1951, once the Cold War with the Soviet Union started warming up. They used a construction team who’d carved out New York City subway tunnels to do the job.

So, how did they keep it a secret? Laborer Gene Bowman, who was paid a dollar 35 cents per hour in 1951 to bore through the granite of Raven Rock, put it this way: “They just said they were building a tunnel. Wasn’t nobody interested in what they were doing.”

Once dug, however, it didn’t look like a simple tunnel. In his interview with NPR, Graff described the Raven Rock complex as a freestanding city built inside of this mountain, intended to be a backup Pentagon site. Raven Rock boasted two 34:10 blast doors capable of withstanding nuclear bomb blows.

Beyond the blast doors and inside the heart of the rock, 100,000 square feet of office space provided all the room military officials would need to operate. Infirmaries, cafeterias, and utility areas allowed for up to 1,400 American VIPs to live somewhat comfortably, with a catch: with the President, his or her cabinet officials, and military personnel inhabiting the bunker, there was no room for spouses.

This led to a famous exchange between then-Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren and another official handed an ID badge for access to Raven Rock. Justice Warren realized there wasn’t one for his wife. When told she wouldn’t be allowed in, the Justice handed back the ID and said, “You’ll have room for one more important official.”

Believe it or not, Raven Rock wasn’t just a place for the elite and powerful to hobnob as the world around them fell apart. As Graff discovered, officials set up very specific operation plans for every federal branch, even the IRS and post office. Yep, even in the case of nuclear destruction, the government wasn’t going to let people off the tax hook so easily.

The IRS had a post-bomb plan that covered how to appropriately tax damaged or vaporized property, and where would people get money to pay taxes in an apocalyptic society? Uncle Sam had a plan for that too. Officials stashed away publicly scorned $2 bills in another bomb shelter to redistribute as currency.

Other federal departments had assigned duties as well: the parks department would set up refugee camps, the Department of Agriculture would divvy up rations, and the post office was charged with finding out who died in the blast.

At the time of the Cold War, a nuclear attack felt so imminent that Raven Rock had been fully manned and operated 24 hours a day up until 1992. Operations were picked up and modernized once more after the September 11 attacks in 2001; they again ran 24/7.

Though the ID card Graff received listed directions to only one secret bunker, his research uncovered a dozen or so other doomsday shelters, like one beneath the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. Each, more or less, the same in function and design.

In Cheyenne Mountain near Colorado Springs, lay another hidden doomsday bunker like Raven Rock. This complex was built in the 1950s and has served as the command post responsible for defending both Canada and the US from air attacks. Graff said, “Cheyenne Mountain had reservoirs of water and fuel, doctors’ offices, gyms, and even a Subway sandwich joint. So in the event of a nuclear attack, whoever was working the cash register at the time earned a spot among the surviving elite.”

Through all of his research, though, Graff learned something unsettling. “If you’re trying to preserve and restart the government after an attack,” he explained to NPR, “it becomes this very existential question about what is America.” As far as Graff could tell, the bunkers provided a disturbing answer

“The civilian population will be left to itself for weeks or months at a time,” he said, “and a small number of senior government officials will be spirited out to these bunkers.” In other words, the government’s plot to rebuild post-nuclear war America didn’t really include the people. Preserving artifacts and the system of government took precedence, but in a time of chaos, what else could be done?

Graff dove deeper into his findings in a book he titled “Raven Rock: The Story of the US Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself While the Rest of Us Die.” To think his journey into some of the country’s biggest secrets started with just a lost ID badge. But seriously, what would you do if the world was about to end? Most of us would probably just cross our fingers and hope for the best. But there are a few individuals out there who have gone to extreme measures to prepare.

John Hay had it all. He was the co-founder of the popular tea brand “Celestial Seasonings” and owned lucrative real estate all over the country. Still, there was one lingering fear that kept him up at night: nuclear annihilation. After a period of de-escalation, tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union shot back up in the early 1980s. Both sides were stockpiling weapons and mobilizing troops all over the globe. However, Hay was sure that the Soviets were poised to strike first and that the entire world would soon turn a bright shade of red.

America couldn’t protect him from this threat, but Hay could protect himself. He was a born self-starter; a former Marine, Hay built Celestial from the ground up by picking herbs in the Rocky Mountains and stuffing them into hand-sewn bags. In 1983, he turned his attention to the tranquil Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. He purchased 240 acres of empty land for a mere one hundred forty-six thousand dollars. So, how would this keep him safe? Well, Hay wasn’t so much interested in the woods as he was the gigantic limestone cave that ran beneath them. He believed it had the potential to house the ultimate fallout shelter.

Construction began immediately. However, relations between America and the USSR soon improved, and it became increasingly unlikely that any nuclear war would take place. What could he do with his half-built bunker? Hay, a shrewd businessman as always, knew how to adapt under changing circumstances. Maybe his underground abode could be used not just for survival but for recreation. He drew up a new plan.

After a few more years of intense construction and furnishing, the Beckum Creek Cave Lodge was born. What was once a bomb shelter was now a subterranean high-end hotel. Hay naturally felt quite pleased with its transformation. “I didn’t want to come through the war like Tina Turner in Mad Max,” he said, “so I created Tinseltown.”

To stay in one of the cave’s four bedrooms, guests have to shell out as much as $1,600 per night. Although the rate is as steep as the mountains surrounding the hotel, the price is worth it. Each morning, you can take a hot shower that will wash away the problems and worries that you brought from above ground.

That’s right, you can stay clean even when you’re living in a cave. You can relax and watch a movie on the 75-inch LED TV mounted on the limestone walls. The lodge’s thermal heating will keep you nice and cozy even in the dead of winter. Later on, you could head over to the state-of-the-art kitchen to enjoy a classy dinner and good company.

Unlike most bomb shelters, the Beckham Creek Cave Lodge has way more than just canned goods. Of course, guests aren’t confined to the indoors. You can hike around the Ozarks and, if you’re lucky, catch a glimpse of the region’s majestic wildlife. There’s plenty of nature still present inside the hotel too. The lodge preserves some of the original cave features, like stalactites hanging from the ceiling, as well as a waterfall.

And if the Beckham’s guests ever have to be afraid should the danger of a nuclear attack, every surface the hotel can seal all the openings in the cave with concrete blocks. Like any eccentric millionaire worth his salt, Hay also installed a helipad that could really come in handy for all those instances when the average Joe travels by helicopter.

If you dream of making this luxurious cave your own, you’re in luck. The property recently went on sale for the sum of $2.75 million. One lucky person can make the Beckham Creek Cave Lodge their own private retreat. Just imagine sitting by the fire on the front deck with nobody around for miles and miles. You could sip a mug of herbal tea and be grateful that John Hay’s paranoia created such a special place.

As guests continued to flock to the Beckham Creek Cave Lodge, the once-secret fallout shelter turned luxury hotel gained fame as a unique and exclusive destination. The allure of experiencing life deep underground, combined with the comfort and luxury the lodge offered, attracted adventurous travelers, history enthusiasts, and curious individuals alike.

Each guest’s stay at the lodge felt like a surreal adventure, immersing them in the mystique of the Cold War era while enjoying modern amenities. The rustic charm of the cave’s natural formations combined with the contemporary furnishings created an atmosphere of both nostalgia and contemporary luxury.

As the years went by, the Beckham Creek Cave Lodge became a favorite among celebrities and high-profile figures seeking a private and secluded retreat. It also hosted events like exclusive parties, intimate gatherings, and corporate retreats, further cementing its reputation as an extraordinary and sought-after destination.

The lodge’s success inspired other entrepreneurs to consider repurposing hidden bunkers and underground structures into unique accommodations. A trend of “luxury bunker hotels” started to emerge, with creative entrepreneurs converting forgotten Cold War relics into boutique stays.

John Hay’s vision and ingenuity had not only created an exceptional escape for those seeking a unique experience but also paved the way for a new niche in the hospitality industry. As the media spotlight shone on these one-of-a-kind lodgings, more travelers expressed interest in experiencing a piece of history while enjoying the comforts of modern living.

Back at Raven Rock Mountain Complex, it remained hidden from the public eye, quietly fulfilling its role as a top-secret government facility. While the Cold War fears had receded, the need for secure facilities to protect government officials and continuity of operations persisted.

With the passage of time, the complex continued to be updated and modernized to meet the changing needs and security requirements of the United States government. It stood as a silent sentinel, ready to be activated in times of crisis or national emergency.

Meanwhile, Garrett Graff’s groundbreaking research and his book “Raven Rock: The Story of the US Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself While the Rest of Us Die” shed light on a lesser-known aspect of American history. The book became a bestseller, captivating readers with tales of secret facilities and doomsday preparations.

Graff’s work sparked discussions and debates about the ethics of government preparations during the Cold War and the role of citizens in such scenarios. It prompted questions about the balance between national security and civilian welfare and led to increased transparency and public awareness of emergency preparedness efforts.