A couple renovating a California home were left stunned when they discovered a hidden bomb shelter and a number of other amazing “secrets” throughout the house.
Gail Gatan and husband Tony purchased the Lodi, California, home in November 2024, because of its size, location and uniqueness reminding the couple of Elvis Presley’s famed Graceland estate.
The house had been vacant for years after the owner passed away, and the empty home had been the talk of the neighborhood ever since.
Inside, Gail and Tony found colonial-style pillars, blue wallpaper, funky carpets, a dramatic staircase, and a full man cave-style basement – but the bigger surprises were still to come.
Having moved into the fixer-upper, the previous owner’s daughter told them her father had built an underground bomb shelter into the house, but she’d never been inside, and it wasn’t on the floorplan.
In the 1960s, the Department of Defense encouraged homeowners to build shelters, explaining millions of lives would be saved in the event of a Cold War era nuclear attack.
Only a fraction of homeowners did or could afford to, and when renovating the home, Gail and Tony discovered the location of the shelter and opened it up, while also uncovering other hidden rooms.
Tony spotted one room under the stairs, which was used as a wine cellar; another, in the roof of the house; and a laundry chute.
While renovating the home, Gail and Tony documented their findings and later shared them on social media.
Having finished their renovation, Gail and Tony – who kept the original features – have listed the home for $1,239,000.
Speaking of the bomb shelter discovery, Gail said: “It was a moment of total shock and, honestly, a little surreal as you don’t expect to find something like that in a residential home these days.
“It felt like uncovering a piece of history that had just been sitting there untouched for decades.
“We purchased the home because of its size, uniqueness and location it reminded us of Elvis’ Graceland: big, bold and full of personality.
“What we thought was a standard fixer-upper quickly turned into something much more interesting as we started going through the house during renovations.
“The house has been completely remodeled and turned into a beautiful, livable home while still keeping its character.
“It’s truly a one-of-a-kind house.”
