John Sims relocated to Tucson, Arizona, in search of a more tranquil lifestyle. He had no idea that would end up being among his most treasured memories. It all began when the previous owner of his new home informed him of a troubling rumor.
Evidently, there was a rumor that there was something buried on the land. John began digging in the backyard because he couldn’t get the thought out of his head. He felt chills as he learned what he found. He most certainly did not consent to this.
The house with a mysterious backyard
John Sims was eager to secure the deal when he learned that a buddy was selling a home in midtown Tucson, Arizona. He felt confident that he would be in good hands because the owner was a buddy. Nevertheless, after the paperwork was completed, his acquaintance informed him of a rumor regarding the property.
The town’s elders assert that something intriguing is thought to have been buried there. The enigma was never resolved by his friend, but perhaps John would. In the end, John would find something that would make Arizona state-wide news.
Curiosity got the best of him
John found himself recalling what his friend had said as he began to carry his possessions into his new home. He was both interested and curious. He soon became obsessed with learning the secrets of his new home.
He started looking around his backyard and digging. John never found anything despite him digging four different holes across the backyard. Whatever it is must be under the bricks if he was unable to detect it beneath the grass.
X marks the spot
John obtained municipal documents and discovered the documentation of the construction of his home. Research revealed that a bizarre structure was erected in 1961 by a business called Whitaker Pools. John was much more motivated to solve the riddle now that he had evidence that something was buried on the land.
He employed consultants who had metal detectors to assist him in pinpointing the location. A team with the right equipment arrived and went through John’s backyard. The metal detectors soon started to sound. John chalked a big X across the two locations where the metal detectors went off.
Hitting something
The consultants were sent home, and John eagerly grabbed a shovel and began digging. His shovel quickly made contact with something metallic. Finally, he located something three feet beneath the grass. John decided to take a break and reflect now that he had made progress.
Was this a septic tank, for example? What if he ended up destroying or harming a pipe instead? He had to take his time. Yet as he carefully dug, he eventually sensed that this was something else. The enigma in his yard was about to be resolved.
Opening the hatch
Later, John found what appeared to be a hatch’s entrance. He opened the metal lid by prying it open while stooping to sweep away the dirt. John took care to avoid breathing in too much because there was a good chance that the air contained harmful gas vapors or mold spores.
To allow any air from below to drift away and give time for new air to enter the building, John kept the lid open for roughly a day. He was also aware that before entering the little area, the air would need to be tested for the presence of mold.
It was not safe
John peered into the hatch in the morning. He discovered a spiral staircase that was going down. John was not so foolish, unlike other individuals who would be so pleased that they would instantly begin traveling down.
He was better aware. He required a backup in case the lid of the Rural/Metro Fire Department dropped back in because he was a captain of the department. He was currently living alone in his house, and there was no way he could lift the lid from underneath.
Forming a team
John was well-versed in all the dangers because of his training and experience in saving persons who were confined in small areas. He was aware that the staircase was unstable and that going into the shaft alone would involve too many hazards.
John then made the decision to form a team. He asked several pals to come over and assist him. They might assist him in moving forward with the excavation, and some of them could act as spotters when it was safe to investigate what was inside the shaft.
Setting up a plan
The following day, when everyone gathered, they sat down and drew up a plan. They also spoke on the best course of action. They repaired and strengthened the concrete construction enclosing the steps as one of their initial actions.
To prevent damaging anything as they worked, they erected Sonotube cardboard around the entryway. Layers of concrete were laid down and the rebar was fastened within the hatch by John and his team.
It was hard work
The following day, when everyone gathered, they sat down and drew up a plan. They also spoke on the best course of action. They repaired and strengthened the concrete construction enclosing the steps as one of their initial actions.
To prevent damaging anything as they worked, they erected Sonotube cardboard around the entryway. Layers of concrete were laid down and the rebar was fastened within the hatch by John and his team.
Finding a way in
They had finally finished their construction on the structure. Then there was still the spiral staircase to contend with. It was impossible to tell if the steps could support any weight because of how rusted they were. They had to bypass the stairs and locate another entrance.
John had to gently down the ladder that the team had used, taking care to avoid getting any cuts on the rusted stairs. John was giddy with anticipation. He was going to be the first to figure out the puzzle. He had been anticipating this time for a long time.
There was more work to do
John succeeded in getting to the bottom and was glad to see that they were done digging. But, there was still more to accomplish. The fiberglass that covered the tunnel ceilings was gradually disintegrating. This indicated that the building was still not secure.
John carefully looked about and was astounded to see that the building was generally still in decent shape despite having been abandoned for close to fifty years. While it was empty, it was later discovered that John had a nuclear bomb shelter in his yard.
Dating back to the Cold War
Everything now made clear. The shelter was constructed during the Cold War, a time when nuclear war was a real possibility between the US and the Soviet Union. At the time, Whitaker Pools ended up expanding their line of business to include bomb shelters.
In reality, a number of homes in the Tucson region had bomb shelters. Back then, ensuring the safety of one’s loved ones in the event of a nuclear war was the best thing a patriotic family man could do.
Tucson’s history
As it turns out, there is a rich history with bombs in Tucson. As it formerly had 18 ballistic missiles with the ability to transcend continents and completely destroy an area larger than 900 square miles, Tucson was known as the “rocket town.”
The missile silos were kept a secret by the government, and nearly all of the rockets had been rendered inoperable by the end of the Cold War. Early in the 1980s, the majority of nuclear shelters were also sealed off or destroyed.
Going viral
John’s story quickly went viral after he posted on Reddit about his garden discovery. Within a few hours, the post attracted hundreds of comments. Local newspapers and TV programs began contacting me for interviews about it.
Even international outlets like the Daily Mail picked up the topic. Japan had also heard about John. Definitely a significant discovery. And people in Tucson began to worry if they, too, had one in their yard.
What is next?
John was able to contact with neighbors who also have fallout shelters on their properties thanks to all the attention. He was able to gather information about how they cleaned it out and what to do with it from them.
He intends to create a Cold War museum while the majority of individuals converted theirs into wine cellars or man caves. John conducted extensive research on the Cold War era and began gathering artifacts such as Geiger detectors, water supply barrels, HAM radios, and sanitation kits.
His thoughts on his find
In an interview, John stated, “I was actually expecting it was going to be a small microcosm… a time capsule full with civil-defense boxes, radiation detectors, and cots and stuff like that.” Sadly, there was nothing inside the bomb shelter—not even furniture.
John also mentioned how much reading he had been doing on the Cold War. He thinks that the 1960s Tucson residents’ decision to construct bomb shelters in their backyards was most likely influenced by the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Advice for Tucson residents
John proposes searching records of the City of Tucson or Pima County for information for Tucson residents who are curious whether they also have a bomb shelter in the backyard. The building permits are most likely to contain the information.
John also advises everyone not to enter the bomb shelter they find in the yard too hastily. He said, “Jumping into holes in the ground is generally not a smart idea. Toxic air in a tunnel or a cave-in can rapidly render someone incapacitated.
Asking for financial help
John is absolutely committed to renovating the bomb bunker. Yet he lacked that amount of cash. He created a GoFundMe page to raise money to rebuild his 1960s-era bomb shelter. He intended to renovate both the inside and the entrance.
The replacement of the stairs to ensure that people can enter it securely was one of John’s top concerns. John was only able to do that with the money he was able to gather, and now both he and the renovation team can enter and exit the building without risk.