| Underground House Colorado | |
|---|---|
Mountain Home Stapp Lakes Ranch | |
 Entrance to the underground house in Ward, Colorado | |
 Interactive map of the Underground House Colorado area | |
General information | |
| Type | Private |
Architectural style | Ranch-style house |
| Location | Ward, Colorado, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°7′5″N 105°32′42″W / 40.11806°N 105.54500°W / 40.11806; -105.54500 |
| Opened | 1964 |
| Closed | ca. 1988 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | Underground |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Concrete and steel |
| Size | 3,400 sq ft (320 m2) |
| Floor count | 1 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Jay Swayze |
Architecture firm | Underground World Homes |
The Underground House in Ward, Colorado, was a subterranean dwelling which was designed by architect Julian "Jay" Swayze (1923–1981) in the 1960s. It was included in the Underground World Home exhibit at the 1964 New York World's Fair.
History
In 1962, Jay Swayze, a Texas contractor, was asked by the city of Plainview, Texas to construct an underground home using government civil-defense plans. Swayze, appaled by the request, began to build a 2,800 square feet (260 m2) underground ranch house which he called the "Atomitat”, a play on the words "Atomic" and "Habitat".[1]
Girard Henderson, director of Avon Products, visited this bomb shelter and commissioned Swayze and his brother, Kenneth Swayze, to build another underground home in Colorado for himself. In exchange, Henderson helped founded the Underground World Home Corporation, bought 51% of the shares and helped finance buidling an underground house for an exhibit at the 1964 World's Fair in New York.[1][2]
See also
References
- "Waiting for the End of the World". 1 May 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- DeArmond, Michelle (3 May 1996). "Man's home's his castle, even underground". Retrieved 7 June 2026.