When a California couple closed a deal to buy a home in Woodland Hills earlier this month, they knew that their new home came with a unique feature - a 1960s nuclear fallout shelter.
But what Chris and Colleen Otcasek initially believed to be nothing more than a hole in their backyard turned out to be a perfectly preserved underground refuge fully stocked with vintage supplies.
Descending down a rusted staircase into the subterranean space, the property’s new owners were amazed to discover what amounted to a time capsule of a bygone era where many Americans believed that a nuclear strike from the USSR was imminent.
The shelter was the brainchild of nuclear engineer Alvin Kaufman, who built it in 1961 about 15 feet below ground in the hopes that it will protect his family in case of a nuclear attack.
Kaufman made sure to stock up on other necessities, including cookies, cans of Multi-Purpose Food - a granulated protein mix - and plenty of coffee stored in tins.
