A former missile silo built 182 feet underground at the height of the Cold War has blasted onto the market in Carlton, KS, for $1,600,500.
Located on 18.2 acres of privacy surrounded by barbed-wire fencing for additional security, the North Star Missile Silo features an underground tunnel, steel blast doors, and a two-story command center. The original 182-foot-deep missile silo is surrounded by 6-foot-thick concrete walls.
Designed to shield a missile and its crew from a nuclear attack or natural disaster, the “ultimate fallout shelter,” also known as Atlas F Site 550-4, has an above-ground entrance door that leads down to the hidden structure.
“The sellers purchased the company that owned the property, so this unique property came with it,” says listing agent Ali Schneider of Real Broker, LLC. “They used it as a rental, and there has also been talk about making it into an off-grid conference venue or wedding venue. There has even been some discussion about turning the silo into condos.”
The former launch control center has been converted into 2,500 square feet of “freshly painted” living space, and a 40-foot tunnel connects it to the silo.
A bilevel living area now features an open floor plan with a spacious living room, dining area, two kitchens, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms.
“They have owned it for two or three years, and when they bought it, it was not livable,” Schneider notes. “The sellers finished it off, and now it is completely functioning.”
Already in place are a 200-amp electric service and rural district metered water. Two separate sewer systems were designed for surface improvements in the subterranean space.
Other highlights include a humidity control system, cellphone signal repeater, high-speed internet, and solar-powered 7-foot chain-link entrance gate.
Above ground, an aluminum carport provides covered parking, and a concrete pad with electric, water, and sewer hookups would be an ideal spot for an RV.
According to the listing, there is “ample space and ideal conditions for solar or wind energy installations,” along with plenty of room for gardening, offering the opportunity for sustainable, off-grid living.
Potential investors should also note the substantial savings, as “property taxes remain under $400 annually, as underground structures are not currently taxed by the county.”
“I hope the next buyer preserves its history and uses it as a rental property,” the agent adds.
Doomsday preppers can also take note of another decommissioned Atlas E missile silo located in Sprague, WA, which recently received a price chop.
The property was first listed in 2023 at $1.24 million, but delisted within a year. It came back on the market in June 2024 at $1.45 million.
Now listed for $1,245,000 (almost back where it started), the three-bedroom residence is “engineered for resilience” with a “massive steel-reinforced underground facility.” It boasts 2,726 square feet of underground living space connecting to a 3,794-square-foot above-ground workshop.
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Kellie Speed is a contributor to Realtor.com. As a writer and editor, she has worked for a variety of online and print publications, including Inked magazine, Jetset, Westchester magazine, JustLuxe, The Boston Globe, and U.S. Veterans Magazine. A Massachusetts native, Kellie attended Northeastern University for journalism, was previously the Boston editor for Haute Living, and contributed to Avalon Publishing’s Moon Metro Boston guidebook. Kellie writes celebrity profiles and covers restaurants, travel, and lifestyle.
