White Sulphur Springs, WV (WUSA*9)--For more than a 100 years, the Greenbrier hotel has graced the mountains of West Virginia.
It’s a perfect place to relax. And, at one time, it was also the perfect place to hide from a nuclear attack.
"I mean this is an amazing story," says Greenbrier Historian, Bob Conte.
"This was a major major location for our United States Government," says the Manager of Greenbrier, Linda Walls.
Walls and Conte have both worked at the Greenbrier for almost 4 decades. When they first started, they sensed “something” didn’t fit in.
"But, there were rumors," says Conte. "They dug a giant hole in the ground right over there. And, they poured a lot of concrete."
After the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, a period of fear spread across the country.
The U-S Government built a huge concrete “bunker” underneath the Greenbrier and for 30 years it remained a classified secret.
If America became the target of a nuclear explosion — every member of Congress would evacuate to West Virginia. After arriving at the secret shelter their clothes would have been burned. Republicans and Democrats would have worn the same military uniform and shared the same dormitories. All their family members left behind to fend for themselves.
"The bunker wasn’t built to protect individuals. The bunker was built to protect democracy," says Walls.
The bunker has it’s own House and Senate Chambers.
"It was maintained in a constant state of operational readiness, says Conte.
"There was a very large infirmary here complete with two operating rooms," says Walls.
The Greenbrier Bunker is no longer a national secret. In 1992, the Washington Post blew it’s covert cover.
"I was very upset when that article appeared," says Walls.
Today, it’s the only tourist attraction of it’s kind in the United States. Thirty-five thousand people visited the Greenbrier Bunker last year.
