The time for preservation is now, while the memory of the Cold War and fallout shelter signs are still with us. Though bombs never fell, the fear of attack shaped the lives and outlooks of the American people. They watched the episode of the Twilight Zone called “the Shelter” on Decemand listened to the Bob Dylan and The Who albums with images of a fallout shelter signs on the cover. They remember their parents stocking the basement with bottled water and canned goods. They remember air raid drills at school and hearing President Kennedy advise the nation to prepare for nuclear attack. As children, teenagers, or young adults, they were overwhelmed by everyday reminders that nuclear war was imminent. Many Americans grew up in the Cold War era. The fallout shelter sign reminds us to heed the lessons of the Cold War and of the enduring dangers of a world armed with nuclear weapons. The fallout shelter sign should be preserved as a physical memory of a frightening era in American and world history, a history in which Washington played a large role. For contemporary denizens of the District, the ubiquitous fallout shelter sign made the threat of nuclear annihilation tangible on a daily basis. Fallout shelter signs are a unique historic element in our built environment. The signs embody legitimate Cold War fears of a world conflagration and are a testament to a conflict that consumed the globe for nearly a century. ![]() Washington is a historic city that prides itself on preserving and maintaining its historic buildings, districts, and national monuments. The Cold War is an important chapter in the history of the United States and preserving landmarks from that era should be taken as seriously as preserving landmarks from other periods in American history. If protective action is not taken soon, all of the signs may disappear in the coming years. Currently, nothing protects these historic artifacts from destruction. Fallout shelter signs are also pried from buildings by vandals and stolen as curiosities. When buildings are repainted or remodeled, the weathered fallout shelter sign is one of the first things to come down. ![]() With their official purpose long forgotten and landowners unaware of their significance, many former shelters have already lost their markers and many more will follow if action is not taken. Based on initial surveys, just 5-10% of signs survive. Only a handful of the original fallout shelter signs remain.
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