John Sims moved to Tucson, Arizona, in an effort to live a more restrained lifestyle. He never imagined that it would become one of the most memorable moments of his life. It all started when the former owner of his new home told him about a worrying rumor.

Rumor had it that something was hidden on the property. John could not get the idea out of his brain, so he started digging in the backyard. What he discovered made him cringe. He did not, without a doubt, sign up for this.

The house in the mysterious backyard

John Sims had heard about a friend’s selling of a house in midtown Tucson, Arizona, and was eager to buy. Since the owner was one of his buddies, he knew he would be in good hands. But after he finished the papers, he heard of a rumor about the property from an associate.

The elders of the community claim that they believe something fascinating is hidden away somewhere in it. Though his partner was never able to solve the puzzle, John might be able to. John would ultimately discover something that would delight people all across the state of Arizona.

His insatiable curiosity won out.

As John started to organize his belongings in his new house, he couldn’t help but think back to what his friend had said. He was curious, but he was also interested. He quickly had a strong desire to solve the mysteries surrounding his new house.

After digging, John started to look about his land. John dug four different holes in the backyard before realizing there was nothing there. If he couldn’t find it under the grass, then whatever it is, it’s got to be under the bricks.

X denotes the place.

John found the construction documents of his house when he was granted access to local records. It turned out that Whitaker Pools was an unusual facility that had been built in 1961. Now that he had proof that there was something buried on the property, John was even more determined to solve the mystery.

He enlisted consultants equipped with metal detectors to help him locate it. After coming with the proper tools, a team searched John’s backyard. Before long, the metal detectors began to sound. John marked the locations of the two metal detector triggers with a huge X in the chalk.

making a connection

After the consultants were dismissed, John excitedly grabbed a shovel and got to work digging.His shovel struck something metal really quickly. Finally he felt something three feet under the grass. John decided to stop and think after making some progress.

Is it possible that this was a septic tank? What would happen if he succeeded in damaging or breaking a pipe? He had to exercise extreme caution. However, the more he dug with precision, the more he sensed that something was off. He was going to solve his own garden puzzle.

Opening the hatch

John later found what looked to be the aperture of a hatch. He bent to clear some dirt, then used a pry bar to pry open the metal cover. John took care to avoid breathing in too much as there was a chance he would be exposed to harmful gas fumes or mold spores.

To allow any air from below to escape and allow fresh air to enter the building, John kept the lid open for almost a day. Additionally, he was aware that before entering the little area, the air needed to be checked for mold.

It wasn’t secure.

The following morning, John looked through the hatch. He discovered a spiral staircase that led below. John wasn’t that stupid, though most would have been so pleased that they would have started walking down right away.

He knew more now. As the captain of the Rural/Metro Fire Department, he needed someone close by in case the lid fell back in. There was no way he could lift the lid from underneath on his own now that he was home alone.

Forming a group

Because of his considerable training and experience in rescuing people from tight spaces, John was aware of all the risks. He could see that the staircase was unsteady and that going into the shaft by itself would be too dangerous.

It was John who decided to form a team. He summoned some friends over to lend a hand. When it was safe enough to investigate what was inside the shaft, some of them may serve as spotters while others could assist him in carrying out the excavation.

Putting together a plan

The following day, the crew got together and sat down to create a blueprint. They also spoke on the best course of action. They repaired and strengthened the concrete framework around the steps as one of their initial actions.

In order to prevent any harm while they worked, they erected Sonotube cardboard around the entryway. John and his group labored to fasten the rebar inside the hatch and pour down layers of concrete.

It was laborious.

To protect the team and the hatch, John had to cover the hatch with a tarpaulin. The heat in Arizona was beginning to grow to be too much. When they took pauses from the heat, they speculated about what might be down there.

We had a lot of work ahead of us in order to get the answers. An electrical line has to be constructed in order to provide sufficient lighting within the shaft and to use power equipment when needed. To bring in fresh air, a black pipe was also installed into the shaft.

figuring out the entrance

Their construction surrounding the structure was finally completed. Another obstacle was the spiral staircase, though. It was impossible to tell if the steps could support any weight because they were so rusted. Without going up the steps, they had to find another way inside.

John had to gently down the ladder that the team was using, being cautious not to cut himself on the rusty stairs. John was giddy with anticipation. He was going to be the one to crack the code first. The time he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

There was unfinished business.

John was relieved to learn they did not need to dig any further after reaching the bottom. However, there was still more to be done. The fiberglass covering the tunnel ceilings was deteriorating gradually. This implied that the building was still not safe.

When John thoroughly looked around, he was astounded to find that the building was largely intact despite almost fifty years of abandonment. Though it was empty at the time, it was later discovered to be John’s nuclear bomb bunker in his backyard!

Beginning during the Cold War

Everything became sense at once. When there was a threat of all-out nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the shelter was constructed. At that time, Whitaker Pools expanded their business to include bomb shelters.

In actuality, bomb shelters were present on a number of properties in the Tucson region. It was the most a responsible family man could do in those days to ensure his loved ones’ safety in the event of a nuclear war.

The past of Tucson

It turns out that bombs and Tucson have a long history together. With eighteen ballistic missiles that could transcend continents and wipe out an area of 900 square miles, Tucson was once known as the “rocket town.”

The government maintained the missile silos top secret, and nearly all of the missiles had been rendered inoperable by the end of the Cold War. In the early 1980s, the majority of nuclear shelters were either locked or destroyed.

gaining popularity

John soon gained popularity on Reddit after sharing his discovery from his backyard. Within hours, hundreds of people had commented on the post. TV programs and local newspapers began contacting to arrange interviews regarding it.

Even foreign publications like the Daily Mail carried the story. Japan has also heard of John’s story. Definitely a significant discovery. Residents in Tucson also began to worry if they had one in their backyard.

What comes next?

John was able to establish connections with local residents who had fallout shelters thanks to the attention he received. He had the opportunity to inquire about their cleaning process and obtain suggestions from them on its future use.

John intends to create a Cold War museum, but the majority of individuals converted theirs into man caves or wine cellars. John began gathering artifacts such as Geiger counters, water supply barrels, HAM radios, and sanitation kits after doing extensive research on the Cold War era.

His reflections on his discovery

In an interview, John said, “I was really hoping it was going to be a little microcosm… a time capsule full of radiation detectors, cots, and civil defense boxes and stuff like that.” Sadly, there was not even any furniture in the bomb bunker.

John also mentioned how much reading he had been doing on the Cold War. He thinks that the main reason Tucson people built bomb shelters in their backyards in the 1960s was likely the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Recommendations for citizens of Tucson

John advises residents of Tucson who are interested in finding out if their backyard contains a bomb shelter to search City of Tucson or Pima County data. The building permits will most likely contain the information.

When someone discovers a bomb shelter in the yard, John also cautions everyone against jumping in too soon. John went on to say that it’s usually not a good idea to jump into holes in the earth since anyone can get instantly incapacitated by the toxic air in a tunnel or a cave-in.

Requesting financial assistance

John is fully planning to renovate the bomb shelter. However, he lacked that amount of cash. To raise money to refurbish his 1960s bomb shelter, he created a GoFundMe page. He intended to renovate the entrance and do inside renovations as well.

Replacing the stairs to enable safe access was one of John’s top concerns. John was only able to accomplish so with the money he was able to gather, and he and the remodeling team may now enter and exit the building safely.