There's only one underground house in town that we know of, but what Las Vegas lacks in quantity, it certainly makes up for in weirdness.
Located at a secret location, today the 16,000-square-foot Underground House is concealed 25 feet beneath an innocuous-looking modern home. But back in the early '70s when it was built, the only clue to the dwelling's buried existence was a wrought-iron fence and electronic gates that seemed to mark the beginning of a driveway leading to nowhere.
The explanation for this strange phenomenon lies back in the 1960s and the era of Cold War paranoia. Having amassed a fortune from Avon cosmetics, Gulfstream aircraft, and various other sources, business tycoon Jerry B. Henderson and his wife Mary became convinced of the threat of imminent nuclear destruction and grew fascinated with the concept of living underground. Their dream was not simply to build an austere nuclear bunker to run to in case of emergency; they wanted to live in a permanent state of subterranean security, privacy, and peace. So they turned to Texan building contractor Jay Swayze, pioneer of the atomic habitat or "Atomitat." Swayze and his brother had already built a 3,400-square-foot home 13 feet underground in Plainview, Texas, and they now turned their talents to realizing the Hendersons' dream, first on their property in Colorado, then with a more ambitious design in Las Vegas, where Jerry and Mary resided until their deaths in the 1980s.
Today, if you step out of the elevator and into the house, it's like entering an opulent time capsule. The expansive living room is decked out with antiques, '60s collectibles, and yellow shag carpet, while the pink bathroom features original '70s Avon cosmetics and a necklace that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor. There's a heated swimming pool, sauna, and spa complete with a 15-foot waterfall, two hot tubs, a putting green, and a barbecue that's vented through one of a number of artificial trees. The property features original '70s state-of-the-art technology throughout, including computerized lighting that simulates different times of day and illuminates the panoramic murals that grace the surrounding walls outside the windows, to give the impression of real views. And it's all built to withstand nuclear explosions and radioactive fallout.
The bad news is that no public tours of the house are permitted. The good news, however, is that it is available to hire for cocktail receptions and dinners for clients with a minimum budget of $15,000 and groups of 25 to 225 guests. If you're interested, Activity Planners of Las Vegas is the exclusive agent for the Underground House. For further information and booking inquiries visit their Web site at www.activityplanners.com
The Underground House has also been featured in a segment called Low Down in Las Vegas, as part of an HGTV Special called Subterraneans: Underground Digs.
