For contemporary denizens of the District, the ubiquitous fallout shelter sign made the threat of nuclear annihilation tangible on a daily basis. Fallout shelter signs are a unique historic element in our built environment. The signs embody legitimate Cold War fears of a world conflagration and are a testament to a conflict that consumed the globe for nearly a century. Washington is a historic city that prides itself on preserving and maintaining its historic buildings, districts, and national monuments. The Cold War is an important chapter in the history of the United States and preserving landmarks from that era should be taken as seriously as preserving landmarks from other periods in American history. If protective action is not taken soon, all of the signs may disappear in the coming years. Currently, nothing protects these historic artifacts from destruction. Fallout shelter signs are also pried from buildings by vandals and stolen as curiosities. When buildings are repainted or remodeled, the weathered fallout shelter sign is one of the first things to come down. With their official purpose long forgotten and landowners unaware of their significance, many former shelters have already lost their markers and many more will follow if action is not taken. Based on initial surveys, just 5-10% of signs survive. Only a handful of the original fallout shelter signs remain.
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