Author: Fallout Five Zero

Civil defense and the protection of the citizens of the United States started before the first atomic bomb was tested on July 16, 1945. This was in the form of air raid sirens, air riad shelters, and blackout orders.

However, once the atomic bomb was born and the nuclear arms race began, protection became even more necessary because a new threat arose with the creation of these new weapons: fallout.

It was soon apparent as nuclear weapons were tested that radiation from the bombs could travel far away from the blast in the form of fine dust and particles. Not only would people in the area of the blast be affected, but cities and towns miles away could also see radiation issues with fallout.

Tensions with The Soviet Union only increased once they made a nuclear weapon of our own, and the possibility of nuclear war became a very real thing. In May of 1961, President John F. Kennedy had given a speech, and during that speech pledged to increase civil defense in the US.

On July 25, 1961, he gave another speech regarding the Berlin crisis (which is available above). During this speech, he outlined his wish for citizens in the United States to be able to protect themselves in case of attack, and with the line below (around the 16:15 mark), the Fallout Shelter as we know it came to be:

Tomorrow, I am requesting of the Congress new funds for the following immediate objectives: To identify and mark space in existing structures, public and private, that could be used for fallout shelters in case of attack; to stock those shelters with food, water, first aid kits, and other minimal essentials for our survival. 

By September of 1961, the Fallout Shelter sign had been created and the National Fallout Shelter Survey began. It would be close to a year in many places before signs were posted and shelters were stocked, and this continued through the mid-1960s until funding started to decrease and the program fell out of favor.

As the Fallout Shelter program turns 60 this year, it is important to remember where it began in the first place.

© 2021 Fallout Five Zero

Audio clip of President Kennedy’s speech retrieved from JFK Library and is listed as public domain. 

People are seen walking past a Fallout Shelter sign at 3 Park Street in Boston, just down from the Massachusetts State House, on April 5, 1968. These people had been engaged in demonstrations that took place after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in Memphis, Tennessee the day prior.

The building, which appeared to have been a bank when this was taken, still stands but the sign is gone.

© 2020 Fallout Five Zero

AP Photo taken by J. Walter Green on April 5, 1968. 

Our first Out of Town Mini Series comes from our lead correspondent, Tim, who took these photos at different times in 4 different US cities: Buffalo NY, White River Junction VT, Cleveland OH, and Las Vegas NV.

BUFFALO, NY

This worse-for-wear sign is on a commercial or mixed-use building and doubles as the address indicator for the building.

CLEVELAND, OH

This sign, located at the rectory and offices of The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland, shows a capacity of 220+ and appears to have been re-mounted at the top with new screws. The original fasteners remain intact at the bottom, so it’s likely the top of the sign came off the building at some point. This sign remains as of 2019.

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT

This Fallout Shelter sign is on the former Post Office in White River Junction, VT (now The Center for Cartoon Studies).

LAS VEGAS, NV

These two Fallout Shelter signs are a bit of a mystery, as they’re on an open-air parking garage for the Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. It is unknown but presumed there is an underground level or basement that served as the shelter area; otherwise, it’s odd these would be on this structure as there would be no protection provided for occupants.

UPDATE:

This recent image, taken by Tim in January 2022, shows the sign on the side of the building still there but now defaced with stickers and looking like it took a trip to multiple places around the world.

© 2020 Fallout Five Zero

Special thanks to Tim for these photos and kicking off our Out of Town Mini Series and for the updated Las Vegas photo.

All photos owned by Tim and may not be used or reproduced without express permission.