By Plush Adventures
Back in February, Good Morning America (GMA) featured on The Greenbrier, America’s Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV their Friday Deals and Steals segment for $96.75 per night. What an amazing value!
Having wanted to visit the hotel for years, the rate made the decision to go an easy one. There are many reviews on the hotel and the golf courses, but little mention of the previous top-secret government instillation at the hotel that was classified for over 30 years.
During the Cold War, the Eisenhower Administration undertook many projects, but this project was for the construction of a bunker, U.S. Government Relocation Facility, to house The United States Congress in the event of a situation. During the 30 years it operated, the facility was never activated. The closest it came to activation was during the Cuban Missile Crises.
The facility housed a power plant, communications briefing room, exhibit gallery, security, dormitories, dispensary/clinic, cafeteria/kitchen and exhibit halls/meeting rooms. It is a huge facility, and it was hid in plain sight under the West Virginia wing of the hotel.
Having taken one of the hotel’s elevators up (yes, I said up) to the Exhibit Hall, the doors opened to an amazing sight.
A blast door that was hidden behind a folding panel door (folded to the left in picture); it is located in a hallway with some crazy wallpaper to hide the seams. When the panel door was closed, it was the day-to-day entrance to the hotel’s Exhibit Hall; you walked through the frame of the door to enter the hall. The hall was also one of the floors of the bunker…yep, hidden in plain sight, and the Hall had been entered by thousands of people over 30 years attending conventions, weddings, parties, etc. Although the government has long removed all of its property from the bunker, photography is still prohibited, as it is now a document storage facility for a private company. Interestingly, the government never owned the facility although they paid for it. It was owned by The Greenbrier and still is to this day.
Did I catch you on taking the elevator up? The West Virginia wing of the hotel is built into a hillside as the picture below reflects.
If you are ever near The Greenbrier, this is a great 90-minute adventure of history to experience while enjoying your plush vacation at the resort.