By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
WILSON—Take cover and spend the night in an underground missile base in Wilson, transformed into a tourist stop and Airbnb.
Built during the Cold War, the Atlas F Missile Base once housed a weapon of mass destruction but is now a site for camping, an RV park, hiking trails and campfires.
Owner Matthew Fulkerson of Ad Astra Missile Silo purchased the bunker in 2013 but couldn't do much with it initially due to financial issues.
"In 2017, I realized that 'You know what, nothing is going to happen here unless you come out and start working,'" he said.
The Adventure Resort, 354 Fourth Road, is on the 24-acre property and is accessed through a steel door and a flight of stairs.
Around a few corners and behind two massive 2,000-pound doors, guests will find the Launch Control Center, now equipped with home utilities and living spaces.
Fulkerson began remodeling the property, and since 2019, visitors from around the globe have been able to travel through time.
"Most missile base owners will keep it very private, but I'm one of the few people in the world that opened up a place for people to tour and stay," he said.
For $350 a night for up to six guests, you can book a stay at Atlas Ad Astra or schedule a one-hour tour to learn about the Atlas Program and structures built by the U.S. Army.
With required reservations, regular tours are at 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Prices vary for ages 10 and older, while children 9 and younger are free but must be supervised.
You can also book tent camping from March to November, car camping all year and RV parking with amenities.
"Originally, [the control center] was suspended from the ceiling at four different points around the room. If an explosion happened at the bottom, everything would be safe inside," Fulkerson said.
Below the remodeled Airbnb floor is the silo that once housed the U.S.'s first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, prepared for the Nuclear War during the 1950s and '60s.
According to Fulkerson, Kansas was a target during the height of the Cold War because it could launch a retaliatory strike.
"We had about a 30-minute window if we saw that we were being attacked," he said. "The concept was if you launched on us, then we would launch on you; nobody wins and mutually assured destruction."
The silo was decommissioned in 1965 after four years of operation. It was the first structure built to withstand a blast within a one-mile radius, making it the most hardened structure of its time.
The construction costs for the structure alone amount to more than $120 million in today's currency.
Grow Ellsworth congratulated Fulkerson on Facebook after receiving an $80,000 Attraction Development Grant from the Kansas Department of Tourism and support from Airbnb.
"It's been an incredible journey. The more hard work I put in, the more people believe in what I'm doing," Fulkerson said.
Within the silo, Fulkerson intends to transform the Launch Control Center into an Educational Center for Space Habitat Studies, offering simulations of life in a space station or colony.
Plans for the property's surface level include a gourmet coffee shop, sauna, event center, obstacle course and other amenities for travelers' convenience.
To support Fulkerson, you can donate to his GoFundMe campaign. For every dollar donated, you will receive two entries for a chance to win a two-night stay at the silo.
Since 2020, Fulkerson has lived on the property in his RV and a tiny house he built near the silo entrance, accompanied by the Missile Silo dog, Buddy.
"I'm super excited to have my life revolve around hospitality, meeting new people and sharing this piece of history," Fulkerson said.
You can find more information on Atlas Ad Astra-Adventure Resort and its history on its website.
You can also follow Atlas Ad Astra-Missile Silo Adventure Resort on Facebook.
