This WWII Bunker One Block From the Beach Just Listed for $3.9 Million
Most beach homes are designed to withstand the elements. This one on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina was designed to withstand the Nazis. Battery BCN 520 of the Marshall Military Reservation — a WWII coastal gun battery with 15-foot reinforced concrete walls, built in 1942 to protect Charleston Harbor from German U-boats — is listed at $3,900,000, one block from the beach, and it is currently configured as a home.
What This Structure Was Built to Do
The Marshall Military Reservation was established as a sub-post of Fort Moultrie on the northeast end of Sullivan's Island — itself a site of continuous military significance since the Revolutionary War, when palmetto-log walls famously absorbed British cannonballs and helped turn back the Royal Navy. Battery BCN 520 was built on the ruins of those earlier fortifications, constructed in 1942 to mount two 12-inch guns designed to engage targets up to 15 miles offshore. The guns — 415,000-pound carriages firing 1⅓ rounds per minute — were transferred from Fort Travis in Galveston, Texas. They were test-fired exactly twice. The two shots produced a tidal wave in the ocean, capsized boats in Charleston Harbor, cracked plaster, and shook chandeliers in downtown Charleston, nearly two miles away. It was then determined that the guns were too large for this section of coastline and that Charleston sits on an earthquake fault line. They were never fired again. The battery was deactivated in 1947 and the guns returned to Galveston. The concrete stayed.
What $3.9 Million Gets You
The structure was converted into a residence in the 1950s and has housed families ever since. It encompasses approximately 5,400 square feet on a half-acre parcel, elevated 20 feet above sea level — a meaningful advantage on a barrier island. Four bedrooms, three full baths, and concrete floors throughout reflect the building's origins honestly. The structure survived Hurricane Hugo with nothing more than a broken window while the surrounding neighborhood was heavily damaged. It is termite-proof. A previous listing described the circular gun pit — once 10 feet deep, 26 feet across — as having been repurposed at various points as an indoor pool and a children's soccer field. Town Council has indicated openness to building atop the existing structure, which would yield the highest viewpoint on the entire island. The listing has previously been offered at $5.35 million and $4.75 million before landing at its current $3.9 million ask. The listing description describes it as "a canvas unlike anything else on the island." That is an accurate statement.
The Internet Has Thoughts
Naturally, this listing caught the attention of Reddit's r/zillowgonewild community. See what people are saying about it here.
Fifteen-foot concrete walls. Survived Hurricane Hugo. Formerly housed 12-inch guns that cracked plaster in downtown Charleston. One block from the beach. View the full listing here.
