Life Underground: Fallout Shelters in Minnesota

Minnesota Unraveled: Pulling on the Threads of Minnesota History

Dotted throughout the Twin Cities are fallout shelter signs. Chances are you’ve seen one of these black and yellow signs attached to a very sturdy building. Have you wondered: What purpose did they serve? Why were fallout shelters needed to begin with? What was it like to live in the atomic age?

For this second episode of MN Unraveled, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez explores the history of fallout shelters. What starts with a question about the origin of fallout shelter signs becomes an exploration of the family and the American way of life. She dives into this history with author Dave Kenney and historian Elaine Tyler May.