Appalachian State built on a presidential bomb shelter??!!

A friend of mine was visiting appalachian state university lately, which is in Boone, NC for those who do not know. and he told me that an employee there had told him about underneath the university there was a presidential nuclear fallout shelter, with tunnels all in it, and the president could go there in time of attack. He was also told that the old basketball gymnasium was built with an odd shaped white roof that was designed to look like a cloud from aerial/ or satellite photography just because of this reason. He was also told that some students had gotten in some trouble before for trying to go into this bunker. does anyone have anymore info on this????

Yeah, the old steam tunnels are a hoot when properly liquored up.

So's telling tall tales to foothill folk.

Good times.

I saw a documentary on this place and it showed footage of the above ground luxury hotel and the accomendations for the President, vp and the senate, I can't recall if congress was going there or not, it had a huge kitchen stocked with up to date food at all times, here is a link, this hotel is called the Greenbrier and is in West Va.
www.conelrad.com...

Do not believe anything this man tells you...



Just kidding. Had to.

I do recall the old fallout shelter signs numerous places just like any old buildings (and theoretically I guess the President could stay there), but the abandoned steam tunnels were just for heat distribution back in the day. It's a 100 year old University. The tunnels are older than "the bomb."

As to the gym roof looking like a cloud, it depends on what you're doing up there on Howard's Knob while looking down on it. It could look like a cloud. A giant marshmallow is more likely though.

Damn, I miss college.

so this is nothing more than old steam tunnels, and not a bonafide presidential bomb shelter? by the way, i am in boone quite often due to having relatives there, how do you get into these old steam tunels?

as to the greenbrier thing, i am aware of that, thanks anyway though, and app state is in nc.

does anyone else gave anything to add here?

I'm aware of where Boone N. C., is as I sometimes go Christmas shopping there, and I am aware of where the Greenbriar is I posted that to point out that there were indeed secret bomb shelters which went along with the original post about a secet bomb shelter.

This ios the first time I've heard someone talk about ASU online. I was actually born in Boone and attended numerous ASU Basketball games. The time that I lived there I never heard of a underground bunker, but it's odd that you mention the stadium roof. The stadium isn't much larger than a regular community center kind of place, but it's roof has a kind of "puffy: appearance to it. I'm not sure if the presidential bunker part was true, but I'm guessing it's possible the stadium part may look like a cloud from a satellite picture.

Hmmmmm,
Maybe this has something to do with the Brown Mountain Lights?
That old slave may be hiding in that bomb shelter during the day, and searching for his master at night.
Seriously though, I spend more time in Boone than I care to think about, but I had never heard this tale. I have a friend or two who are professors over there, I'll have to ask them about this Friday.
Banjo

Yes by all means ask and maybe you can get a tour of the tunnels or secret bunker whatever the case may be. Please let us know what you find out.
Boone is a couple of hours away from me it is a beautiful place, really cold in the winter, there is a restaurant there full of antiques and odd things on main street with great food, have you been there? My daughter took me there once when we were Christmas shopping. The name starts with an M but I can't recall the full name, very odd name, do you know it? Tell me if you do its driving me crazy now that I am remembering it and can't think of the name.

Something like that, yes I have eaten there often, they have a great menu, if you like sandwiches, etc. Great gathering place for college students.
I normally end up in Boone on Friday nights, and see my professor friend, but we were 'detained' this week. I'll see her soon I'm sure, and will post a reply then.
Banjo

were you ever able to ask your professor friends about that? My friend told me he heard this story while attending a summer business school type thing up there. but anyway, i would be interested to hear more if you have heard anything about it.

Originally posted by ben94gt
so this is nothing more than old steam tunnels, and not a bonafide presidential bomb shelter? by the way, i am in boone quite often due to having relatives there, how do you get into these old steam tunels?

as to the greenbrier thing, i am aware of that, thanks anyway though, and app state is in nc.

Do yourself a big favor and stay out of the old steam tunnels. As a rule steam tunnels are nasty. They will be hot, dirty, filled spiders, roaches, and sometimes rats. As the old asbestos insulation falls off the pipes, the exposed metal surface of a live steam line can take off skin if you bump into it.

Originally posted by ben94gt
, i would be interested to hear more if you have heard anything about it.

No, I haven't seen her in nearly a month for one reason or another.
Banjo

I talked with my professor friend. She had definitely heard the rumor, but had no idea where it was supposed to be at .
Neither of us could figure why they would choose Boone for a Presidential shelter.
We did theorize that it would be under one of the oldest structures there.
There's a lot of construction on ASU campus right now, it may get destroyed if it does indeed exist.
Banjo Guru

No, but it's an interesting theory...

I went to ASU and never heard of any underground shelters there. The old gym does have a funky looking roof, but I figured it was built that way to shed the snow and ice off of it, thus keeping it from collapsing under the weight.
There was a large fire on campus back in the earlier part of 1900s. I don't have an exact date, but I want to say it was in the 1930s. This fire destroyed a lot of the original buildings. If there was going to be some sort of underground structure built, this would have been the time to do it.
I could be wrong, but I also want to say that they have plans for tearing down the old gym since they built the new one on Blowing Rock Road.
Underground shelters wouldn't be a very good idea though due to the flood levels in the Boone valley...

To all my fellow brethern and sistern still in Western NC: Hey Ya'll!!

reply to post by Kongfuey
I went to app state and yes the rumor exists. It is anybody's guess on how true it is though

reply to post by ben94gt


When I was at App State in the 70's I saw a picture of the new Varsity Gym under construction. The funny thing was that it appeared that there was a basement in the gym. There was no door in the gym that lead to the basement. That was the beginning of the theory that there was something going on. Needless to say the University sits on pretty much a rock foundation.

haha, yeah i have done some urban hacking - sneaking in restricted places. i went to Western Carolina and APP state is our rival. the topography would be great for a shelter, but there students are, for a very large portion, counter culture; IE dirty hippies and what have you. most of the buildings have basements. its infrastructure is very dynamic and many of the buildings have been build at different elevations. i will say this:

some of the doors near the ground level presumably leading down in various locations have some pretty serious locks on them.