Detachment Hotel (also known as "the Kennedy Bunker") is the name used to refer to a small bunker complex on Peanut Island,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. It was originally designed for use by the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

, specifically

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

, in the event of a

nuclear war Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a theoretical military conflict or prepared political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conventional warfare, nuclear w ...

. Constructed in 1960, the bunker was closed less than three years later, and its existence was declassified in 1974. From 1998 to 2017, it was open to the public as a historic site.

Early history

The decision to construct a presidential bunker in Florida was driven by the location of a

Kennedy family The Kennedy family is an American political family that has long been prominent in American politics, public service, entertainment, and business. In 1884, 35 years after the family's arrival from Ireland, Patrick Joseph "P. J." Kennedy be ...

home in

Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from several nearby cities including West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intracoas ...

. In the event of a nuclear attack, then-President John Kennedy could be evacuated to the Detachment Hotel site from Palm Beach by helicopter in about five minutes. The facility was built by the United States Naval Construction Forces ("Seabees") over the course of one-to-two weeks in December 1960, the month prior to Kennedy's inauguration, and was designed to house up to 30 people for 30 days. Access to the facility is through a tunnel of corrugated metal tubing, hardened overhead with lead plating and of dirt. An emergency exit exists opposite the main entrance. The facility also contains a decontamination room and radio room. The Detachment Hotel site is located near to a small

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...

station, which provided cover for the project; official communications said the construction was being done to build storage facilities for the nearby station. It is possible Kennedy visited the Detachment Hotel site. According to official files, Kennedy participated in drills that would have taken him to the location on two separate occasions, while a witness has recalled seeing the presidential yacht ''Honey Fitz'' operating near Peanut Island at least twice during the Kennedy presidency.

Public opening

The bunker was closed in 1963 following the

assassination of John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. CST in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza. Kennedy was in the vehicle wit ...

, and its existence declassified in 1974. Largely abandoned and forgotten, it fell into disrepair in the 1990s. Maintenance of the site was subsequently assumed by the Palm Beach Maritime Museum who restored the facility and opened it to the public in 1998 under the name "the Kennedy Bunker". As of 2016 it was the subject of a dispute between the museum and the Port of Palm Beach, which owns the site. The Port of Palm Beach assumed control of the Kennedy Bunker in 2017 and the Maritime Museum, including the Bunker, was closed. Park officials are not able to say with confidence when, or if, it may reopen.

Notes

References

{{reflist Bunkers Cold War Presidency of John F. Kennedy Air raid shelters Continuity of government in the United States Historic sites in Florida Government buildings completed in 1960 1960 establishments in Florida Buildings and structures in Palm Beach County, Florida

Early history

Public opening

See also

Notes

References