Detachment Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Detachment Hotel |
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|---|---|
| Kennedy Bunker | |
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| Location | Peanut Island, Florida, United States |
| Nearest city | Riviera Beach, Florida, United States |
| Area | 1,500 square feet (140 m2) |
| Built | 1960 |
| Original use | bunker, command post |
| Restored | 1998 |
| Governing body | Palm Beach Maritime Museum |
| Owner | Port of Palm Beach |
The Detachment Hotel (also known as "the Kennedy Bunker") is a small, secret underground shelter. It is located on Peanut Island in Florida. This special bunker was built in 1960 for the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. Its main purpose was to keep the President safe during a nuclear war. The bunker was used for less than three years. Its existence was kept secret until 1974. From 1998 to 2017, people could visit it as a historic site.
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Why Was the Kennedy Bunker Built?
The idea to build a presidential bunker in Florida came from the Kennedy family home. Their home was in Palm Beach, Florida. If a nuclear attack happened, President John F. Kennedy could quickly go to the Detachment Hotel. A helicopter could take him there from Palm Beach in about five minutes.
How the Bunker Was Constructed
The bunker was built very quickly by the Seabees. These are special construction forces from the U.S. Navy. They built it in only one to two weeks in December 1960. This was just before Kennedy became President. The bunker was designed to hold up to 30 people. They could stay there for 30 days.
To get into the bunker, you had to go through a tunnel. This tunnel was made of strong metal tubing. It was protected overhead with lead plating and 12 feet of dirt. There was also an emergency exit. The bunker had a special room for cleaning up after a dangerous event. It also had a radio room for communication.
A Secret Location
The Detachment Hotel was built near a small United States Coast Guard station. This helped keep the project a secret. Official messages said the construction was just for storage buildings for the Coast Guard station. It is believed that President Kennedy might have visited the bunker. Records show he took part in drills that would have brought him to the site. A witness also saw his yacht, the Honey Fitz, near Peanut Island at least twice.
From Secret Bunker to Museum
The bunker was closed in 1963. This happened after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Its existence was finally made public in 1974. For many years, the bunker was forgotten and fell apart.
The Bunker Reopens to the Public
In the 1990s, the Palm Beach Maritime Museum took over the site. They fixed up the bunker. In 1998, they opened it to the public. They called it "the Kennedy Bunker." People could visit and learn about its history.
However, in 2016, there was a disagreement. The museum and the Port of Palm Beach, which owns the land, had a dispute. The Port of Palm Beach took control of the Kennedy Bunker in 2017. The Maritime Museum, including the Bunker, was then closed. Officials are not sure when, or if, it will open again for visitors.
