What Is an Air Raid Shelter?
An air raid shelter is a protective structure built to shield occupants from explosive blasts, shrapnel, and collapsing debris. These shelters range from simple, hastily-built backyard bunkers to complex, government-constructed underground facilities.
During WWII, countries like the UK developed a variety of shelters. The most famous were the Anderson shelters (corrugated steel structures placed in gardens) and the communal Morrison shelters used indoors. In the U.S., air raid shelters weren’t as widespread but still existed in key strategic locations, especially along the coasts and near military installations.
Modern interpretations include fallout shelters and survival bunkers. While the threat of aerial bombing is far less common today, interest in air raid shelters persists, especially with rising global tensions and a surge in the survivalist movement.
Air Raid Shelter Locations in the USA
While Europe has a more visible history of civilian air raid shelters, the United States built its own during times of war, especially in World War II and the Cold War era. These structures were primarily located in urban areas, government buildings, and around military bases.
Some notable air raid shelter locations in the USA include:
- Los Angeles, California: During WWII, LA prepared for possible attacks from the Pacific. Several schools, city halls, and train stations had basement shelters.
- New York City, New York: High-value target during the Cold War, many public buildings were reinforced or equipped with fallout shelters.
- Washington, D.C.: As the nation’s capital, it housed extensive government-constructed air raid shelters, some still in use as secure locations.
- Seattle, Washington: Given its location on the Pacific Rim, Seattle included public and private shelters in civil defense planning.
- Chicago, Illinois: Several Cold War-era shelters were installed in office buildings and schools as part of civil defense efforts.
Many of these old shelters are now sealed off, repurposed, or forgotten. But some remain accessible, preserved as historical sites or adapted for modern emergency use. There’s growing interest in mapping these locations for educational purposes and community awareness.
Underground Air Raid Shelters: Then and Now
The most effective air raid shelters are underground. Being below the surface naturally shields against blast waves, heat, and flying debris. Underground air raid shelters were often built beneath houses, schools, and even sidewalks.
In WWII-era Britain, entire underground subway systems doubled as shelters during bombing raids. In the U.S., basements often served as impromptu shelters, with reinforced walls and stockpiles of supplies.
Today, underground shelters have become synonymous with “doomsday prepping” and survival