As seen in GAMBIT.
I grew up in New Orleans and I never knew about this place. Apparently, most of the locals I talk to about it have known about it forever.
There’s an abandoned BOMB SHELTER in Lakeview. Wow.
This is what it looked like around 1960.
Here’s a photo I took from inside to show what it looks like now.
According to the Office of Civil Defense in the 1950s, the shelter was constructed to prepare for “disasters caused by enemy attacks or other hostile action, or by fire, flood, earthquakes, or other natural causes.”
After scouting this place out, I knew we had to spelunk the bejeezus out of it. Anyway, I won’t waste too much time blabbering about the thing when the VIDEO is this AMAZING. I give you the latest NO adventure in two parts:
Buried Alive: Part 1
Buried Alive: Part 2
See if you can spot this siren from the back of the truck in the video. I’ll give you a hint: it’s yellow.
Cool blueprints. By the way, for more great photos and info about the shelter, check out the following link:
http://nutrias.org/photos/civildefense/civdefphoto1.htm
this thing is across the street from my house… I tried going into it once, but didn’t have a flashlight… went back a few days later and they welded the door shut! Can you send me those videos? Would LOVE to see them.
Chris
By: Chris on March 5, 2009
at 12:06 am
I spent many a hurricane inside during the 1970’s as a ham radio volunteer & knew well most of the people who worked there full time. It was built as a prototype for the nation. It contained decontamination showers, radio room, private offices, situation room, engine room with its own generators, had its own water & air purify supply. The 2nd floor contained men’s & women’s bunks, operating room, kitchen & cafeteria. If it had been city comm post during Katrina, we would have been able to summon help immediately. No flooding inside when sealed unless the water had gotten to top of diesel intakes, which it didn’t. The flooding you see was from busted pipes & years of neglect. It’s sad to see it in such bad shape. It served NOLA well through many a storm.
By: Mary Vernoy on April 15, 2009
at 11:44 pm
I earned my HAM license there in ‘80 with the old MTA amateur radio club (now no longer.) It was starting to show signs of age then, but there were supposed to be plans in the works to rehab it, guess it didn’t happen, like so many other things that would have been good for N.O.!
I believe that I would like to se it refurbished and returned to service. But that probably wont happen either.
By: Rick on April 17, 2009
at 5:39 am
All my life I wanted to go in that shelter….glad you two did it and not me.
By: Angela on April 19, 2009
at 11:36 am
Glad I came across your site. I would love to see you have an adventure at the Old Lakeview School in th 5900 block of Milne in Lakeview. I got in years before Katrina and it was pretty neat. I imagine it is a wasteland now.
ab
By: Adrianne on April 23, 2009
at 8:05 am
what a wonderful tour. i grew uo in lakeview and have always wondered what was beneath that “mountain” of green grass. my younger brother has claim of breaking in as a high school student at jesuit but did not say much about it. i went walking a couple of weeks ago and saw someone standing guard so i did not enter. thanks for the info andif there is anything that we can do to make it “something” again, keep me posted.
liesa rouse smith
By: liesa on April 24, 2009
at 9:59 am
Very cool! I had no idea that is what that was. It’s like something from the TV show LOST. All that’s missing is the button that saves the world. (and the Dharma Initiative jumpsuits)
By: Peter B on April 30, 2009
at 7:48 pm
It had been mentioned as a possible site for a museum/park area a few months back at one of the Lakeview Civic Improvement Association meetings. I’m trying to dig up some info on that to see if the idea is still being kicked around.
By: Chris B on May 14, 2009
at 2:06 am
man yall crazy.but it was pretty kool too watch.
By: coe on May 22, 2009
at 10:35 pm
I’m so glad my cousin who grew up in New Orleans sent me your site. I grew up about 100 mile from New Orleans & lived in a big antebellum home in Ms. Our next door neighbor had a boom shelter, & altho it never had to be used for anything major, Thank God, it was a great place for us kids, back then, to go play & have our secret club meetings in. Yours is really cool, tho.
By: Mary L. on May 23, 2009
at 2:58 am
I think that I took a tour of this place back in Kindergarten…..1968.
By: cargosquid on June 11, 2009
at 3:24 am
[...] Explore BOMB SHELTER! [...]
By: Buried Alive in film festivals! « NO Adventure on August 3, 2009
at 8:23 pm
I found a link to the presentation to the Lakeview Civic Association which outlines the plans to incorporate this shelter into a “Lake Area Katrina Memorial”:
http://www.lakeviewcivic.org/PRFILES/Lake%20Area%20Katrina%20Memorial-web_13NOV2008.pdf
By: Barry on August 7, 2009
at 12:07 am
Excelent… I would love to go down there again..
Spent many an evening down there with the MTA radio club in the early 80s…
Thanks for the video.
By: Louis Poche on August 9, 2009
at 12:12 am
Man I have always,Always,ALWAYS wondered just what the hell was in there! Video was REALLY cool too man!!! I admire you guys for your sense of adventure and exploration. I have always lived in the NO metro area (St.Rose to be exact) but moved to mid city 3 MONTHS before the storm. What timing huh?! Been fascinated by that place ever since I was a kid when me and my dad would pass by it on the way to his boat slip in the marina and he would tell me about that period in history when they built that place and what it was like living in constant fear of an all out nuclear war with the reds. Glad I finally got to see although not in person thanks to you guys! Something else yall might be interested in to BTW… It’s called camp Parapay(i’m sure i spelled that wrong) located not too far from where yall were at near the river. Know a guy that lives in a small mobile home right directly next to it. used to be a confederate tunnel of some sort a long time ago. supposed to go on for quite a ways(almost to the lake from what my friend tells me)still there tho. don’t know what condition its in tho. might be worth checkin out… let me know have gear. will travel =D Thanks again guys. later
By: Corey Vasseur on September 16, 2009
at 1:50 am