“But there was another reason for that pioneer day digging-in operation.

Many of the pioneers lived in their primitive dugouts for several years. “One reason was there was abundant space for cave digging and the only cost entailed was the labor of the digger, while the material required for house building was back on the nearest railway, some times several days' journey away. “Some years ago when the pioneers were moving out into the prairie country in quest of permanent homes many of them (a great many of them) were careful to dig storm caves even before they began to build their houses.

Storm caves were most often mentioned in The Oklahoman's classifieds as a selling point for houses and land, but this editorial published June 3, 1947, gives some history. Not being familiar with storm caves, I have heard the tornado shelter called a cellar, a storm cellar, a storm shelter, a fallout shelter and, of course, my favorite, the “'fraidy hole.” Storm cave is a term for tornado shelters that has been used every decade from 1901 to 2008 in The Oklahoman. Weather experts tell us to take cover in our “storm caves” when a dark cloud appears on the horizon. Tornado season is upon us, and already we've had two bouts with them, resulting in deaths, injuries and destruction.

How to build a fallout / storm shelter