A Harvard Doctor Built A Survivalist Community On Tennessee's Border & They’re Apocalypse Ready
Members can train for Doomsday.
A man in a gas mask and tactical gear in the woods. Right: The entrance to an underground bunker.
Up in the mountains on the Georgia and Tennessee border is Fortitude Ranch, a community of survivalists who feel prepared to weather society's collapse.
According to their official website, Fortitude Ranch is a survival community equipped to survive any type of disaster and long-term loss of law and order, managed by full-time staff.
Members of the ranch pay around $1,000 per person a year and can vacation, hunt, fish, ride horses and participate in other outdoor recreation at the ranch while awaiting Doomsday.
When visiting during "good times," members stay in above-ground cabins reminiscent of an average Airbnb. However, there is an underground shelter system constructed from solid 8-inch-thick logs, concrete blocks and metal. It is fully stocked with non-perishable food, first aid essentials, weapons, ammunition and other tools.
On-site is a Doomsday training program equipped with a firing range, where members can practice their aim and train to use various weapons.
Seminars teach map reading, land navigation, first aid, tactical movement, how to pack an emergency "bug out bag" as well as "Nuclear and Biological 101."
The man behind the ranch is CEO Drew Miller, a retired Air Force colonel with a Ph.D. from Harvard University in Public Policy/Operations Research. He has five other survivalist locations in Nevada, Wisconsin, Colorado and Texas, though the exact addresses are not disclosed.
Major life-altering events like the COVID-19 pandemic, January 6 riot, as well as general political tension and unrest have served as examples of unpredictability and the importance of being prepared.
To some, institutions like Fortitude Ranch offer a bit of consolation, knowing in the event of an emergency, they have a backup plan and a place to go to feel safe.
Underground bunkers have become more and more common, particularly with wealthy elites who have been known to construct similar structures in their own homes and on private islands with top-tier security.
An increase in overall unrest is beneficial to the ranch's business model, which continues to expand every year with more locations across the country, catering to Doomsday "preppers" across America.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.