The thought of moving homes is usually pretty exciting. Even if it's a little stressful, a fresh start is always good. Well, for John Sims, his fresh start was a little more than he bargained for, but an incredible journey nonetheless.
John had no idea what was coming for him when he bought his new home in a midtown neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona. Whether you believe it to be a coincidence or a miracle, we've got all the details you need to know.
Moving Day
John made his big purchase on his new home with a steady idea of what he was getting himself into. He bought this home from a good friend which put his mind at ease with regards to the condition of the home.
It was only after John had already moved in when his friend told him something that changed the game completely. He told him that there had been rumors of something being buried deep in the back yard.
Curiosity
Now that John had this information, going about his regular unpacking tasks was themed with a constant wondering.
Was he to just ignore the rumors like everyone else? Was he able to live in a home which he knew could potentially have a ground-breaking secret to tell? When John realized this was no job for his shovel, he decided to investigate the situation properly.
Time To Dig
John looked at his yard filled with possibilities and began to dig. He had no idea what he was looking for and no clue where to start. He randomly positioned himself and began to dig every day. Through the heat that Arizona is famous for.
Eventually, he grew tired and began to lose hope. After exhausting himself making four different holes, John temporarily gave up.
Documents Over Digging
Although John’s body was tired of digging, his mind was far from tired of wondering. He decided to try a different approach. He tracked down the municipal records of his home and studied each page carefully.
Some information he found were things he already knew. However, a rough sketch in the documents gave him a new clue. According to the records, a company called Whitaker Pools had applied for a permit to work at the property back in 1961 but, the home didn’t have a pool at all.
Time To Get Serious
Now that John had a better idea of where he needed to dig, he decided to change his approach. No more aimless digging of random holes.
John then hired a team of consultants who had the proper tools needed for the job including metal detectors to get them that much closer.
Progress
When the metal detectors remained silent after skimming John’s back yard, he still refused to give up. One fateful day, the metal detectors began to sing.
The experts John hired found two spots in the garden which made the metal detectors go crazy. After carefully marking these two spots, John was ready to find whatever he was searching for.
Bring Out The Shovel Again
Now that John knew where to dig, he had enough motivation to carry on working in the hot Arizona Sun. He dug in the two spots until he finally felt his shovel hit something hard.
John had been digging around three-feet deep. He began to worry that the hard surface his shovel had reached, was hitting a septic tank, which could be tremendously dangerous.
Not Just A Septic Tank
As John continued to dig, he began to realize that the shape forming did not resemble a septic tank. He had uncovered a substantial amount of the structure and began to gain perspective.
The hole began to look like some sort of entryway. Where did it lead to? The possibilities ran wild in Johns mind as continued to dig.
Safety First
John proceeded to clear the area in order to get closer to the bottom of the mystery. Eventually, he discovered a hatch with a lid. He carefully pried the lid off but he knew he had to be careful.
Although he was eager to go inside, his training as a fireman taught him better than to just enter a confined space. John also knew that he needed to have other people around when he finally went underground, to assist if anything went wrong.
The Moment Of Truth
After a long wait, it was finally time for John to find out what this mystery held. The moment had come for John to find out what made his house extraordinary.
At first, it seemed like all he could see was a bunch of metal blades but, when his eyes adjusted, he realized he was looking at a spiral staircase.
Another Delay
John was desperate to climb down those stairs and take a look but he knew how dangerous this was. How much time had past? Were these stairs still stable enough to hold anybody?
So John had to wait even longer. He needed time to organize a team of people to be there if he needed help.
A Plan Comes Together
John organized a group of his trusted friends to be there with him. He also came up with a strategy to enter the space safely.
Their plan to meet the moment of truth was about to pay off. Luckily, they documented the entire thing!
Ready To Go
John and his friends made the entrance wider and reinforced the stairs with layers of concrete. They also put up a tent to help block the hot rays of the sun.
John also installed an electrical line that would allow for the space to be illuminated. Also, he and his friends would be able to use electric power tools down there.
Thinking Ahead
Johns past work as a firefighter gave him all the necessary knowledge he would need in order to do this mission safely. He was aware of how dangerous mold and gas leaks could be in this old, forgotten structure.
The team placed a pipe in the entryway which would channel fresh air down into the space. This ensured they would be able to breathe properly and got them even closer to finally being able to enter.
The Last Push
John and his friends were unable to make the staircase stable enough to descend. This was one of the most important parts of the job because no one knew the conditions of these old rusty stairs.
So, John got a long ladder and positioned it in the entryway. It was finally time to discover what was under there.
The Wait Is Over
It was finally time for John to put his imagination to rest and finally discover what was in his back yard. He had been obsessing over this for what felt like years and it was finally time to see the truth.
John was about to be the first person in 50 years to enter this space. What was he about to find? I know my brain would be hoping for a secret treasure.
Beyond His Wildest Dreams
John lowered himself into the confined space. When he stepped off the ladder, all his hard work was about to pay off.
He was pleasantly surprised to learn that there was a huge room deep underneath his backyard! It was in good shape, complete with a solid floor. But that wasn't all. In fact, there was an entire system of tunnels forming a complex down there.
Not Rumors But, Facts
The previous owner of the house was Johns close friend. He had told him that there was something deep in the backyard. When John did his research, he found the structure was built by Whitaker Pools.
This underground cave was certainly not a pool. The year the structure was built, 1961, gave John a good idea as to what this space was intended for. He knew it as soon as his eyes adjusted.
Old And Rusty
Although everything seemed to still be in good condition, John knew he was a far stretch from the finish line.
John noticed the fiberglass ceiling which he knew could be extremely toxic to anyone who breathes it in. It can also irritate bare skin. The ceiling was also coming apart which is too risky to ignore. This meant some extra work was needed but, John was nowhere close to giving up.
A Relic Of The Cold War
The structure below Johns home was huge but, it never had any furnishing or décor. It was obvious that this was in fact, an underground bunker which was built as a nuclear fallout shelter.
Many people had become scared during the period of Cold War hostilities between the Soviet Union and the U.S. and had built backyard bomb shelters for safety. John began to wonder why this shelter was then built by Whitaker Pools…
Putting The Puzzle Together
John discovered that Whitaker Pools was responding to consumer demand during the Cold War and had added building backyard bomb shelters to its list of services. This was already common.
As pool builders realized that building fallout shelters weren't all that different from building inground pool shells, many of them expanded their operations accordingly. By 1961, one Los Angeles company called Catalina Pools had built 500 shelters.
What To Do With This Discovery
Johns mind ran wild with what to do with this newly found space. If you discovered that beneath your house, there was a man-sized hamster cage with different tunnels, what would you do? Johns friends joked about turning it into a man cave or a wine cellar.
Others who have found old bunkers, have turned them into beautiful and modern homes, art galleries and even recording studios. John was thinking a little differently.
Connecting With Others
John then posted about his new discovery online. He was surprised to find that he was far from alone in his experience. His post on Reddit went viral and he began connecting to others who also had backyard fallout shelters.
His interest in these shelters and the Cold War era had ultimately grown. He even went on to make special plans to turn his own historical bunker into a museum of sorts
Getting Started
John started a GoFundMe page where he wrote, "Hi, I'm John and I need some help restoring a vintage Fallout Shelter that I have uncovered in my back yard”.
He elaborated, "the upper entry needs a large concrete pour to secure the entry and the metal circular staircase needs to be replaced." John estimated that the project would cost around $2,000.
Stairway Complete
John further explained his plans on the GoFundMe page "My plans are to clean up the interior, repaint it and turn it into a really cool man cave, HAM shack, and Civil Defense Museum."
"Once I started this project I researched a bunch about the Cold War period and how the civilian fears prompted many people to build these shelters." This discovery clearly made a huge impact on Johns life.
Recreating History
John has already begun gathering supplies and props for the museum of his backyard shelter. He says that he's found artifacts like water supply barrels, Geiger counters, HAM radios, and sanitation kits to display.
