These Pipes Were Sticking Out Of The Ground, But There Was A Bigger Surprise Underneath
It was supposed to be an ordinary flight for Dale Hufford. He was leaving Baltimore to visit Mike Peter, his longtime friend who's living in Lobetal, Germany. Eventually, Mike told Dale about a pair of "pipes" that were mysteriously sticking up from the ground in a secret place near his home. Of course, Dale was excited to see for himself, and Mike never expected to actually explore the pipes.
Suddenly, Mike was enthusiastic, but he didn't know that his adventures into the woods and deep underground would spiral into a fantastic tale that included everything from buried treasure to a run-in with the law.
Dale Couldn't Hold His Enthusiasm For The Prep When He Got To Germany
As soon as Dale got to Germany, he got right at it by making plans to inspect the site. Mike would explain to his friend that he believed that the pipes were apart of something deep underground.
There were signs around the area indicating that there was a structure of some sort beneath the forest floor.
When Mike And Dale Arrived, The Pipes Stood Silently
Finally, once Mike and Dale arrived, two pipes stood silently in the chilly afternoon. They would protrude from the ground, where the metal stood out against the forest backdrop.
But, something chilling went through Dale's spine the moment he saw the sight of the foreboding metal pipes. What were they guarding? They soon found out.
After Circling For About 100 Meters, They Spotted The Concrete Entrance
A dark and rectangular hole appeared in the ground at an angle. Stairs were leading down, which featured an old iron gate barring the entrance. Also, there was a sign that warned "Betreten Verboten" or "Do Not Enter".
The boys would muster up all of their courage and slowly walked into the entrance.
The Lock On The Gate Was Broken, So Dale And Mike Pushed It Open And Started To Walk Down The Stairs
The lock on the gate was broken, so Dale and Mike pushed it open and started to walk down the stairs. Of course, they were warned by locals about the munitions on the site, and the boys had no way of calling for help.
Instead, they proceeded down the hallway, making sure to take their time and be as cautious as possible.
The Corridor Went On Forever, Until They Reached A Junction
To avoid getting lost, Mike said that they shouldn't take unnecessary turns. But, wandering for hours with no way out, they walked straight into the concrete labyrinth.
Mike and Dale didn't know who or what would be waiting for them further on down the track, but they continued to press on.
A Weird Sound Had Them On Edge
Mike and Dale were nervous when the corridor turned sharply. They were miles underground while the claustrophobia really started to set in. A funky smell grew stronger as they kept walking, and the corridor had suddenly widened.
For a moment, Dale thought he heard a girl's laugh, but he stopped abruptly to put his hand on Mike's chest.
The Strange Markings Made Dale Assume The Worst
The markings on the walls looked like a boxer punched them in. Dale had no clue why, but the thought of someone down here made his skin crawl.
He had the urge to turn back and run, but it was too late for him or Mike to do that. Instead, they kept going further on down the path.
A Door Torn From Its Hinges
As the boys continued down, there was a rusted yellow door ripped from its hinges. The door looked like it opened to a vault and had some Cyrillic writing stenciled onto it. Dale's mind traveled to every scary story he heard as a kid, but who had done such a thing?
Something might have been waiting for them if they kept going, but they went for it anyway.
The Decay Was So Bad, But They Couldn't Turn Back
The funky smell started to reek even more thanks to all the sewage and rot. Both Dale and Mike passed through the doorway, about to vomit. This is probably the part most of us would have turned back.
But of course, our two heroes decided to press on to find out what was going on.
As They Kept Going, Something Appeared From The Corridor
Coming through the corridor, Mike slipped, sending waves of water to the side. This caused Mike to instantly panic, and his flashlight beam caught a dark silhouette of someone crouching in the water.
Meanwhile, Dale swung his flashlight blindly in the same direction of the figure, but it was already gone.
The Incident Forced The Boys To Keep Going
Finally free from his spill, Mike ran back and took cover behind Dale. To Dale's dismay, he noticed that the walls were made of heavy lead. They didn't expect to find a bunch of wet rooms and didn't bring respirators.
The air was growing so thick, but somehow, the two boys continued on their journey.
Dale And Mike Stumbled Upon A Secret Back Entrance
The stumbled upon the entranceway into the subterranean depths of Lager Koralle. The Koralle was built in 1939 during WWII as a naval intelligence school. It was in the same location where rockets were stored that were silently aimed at Berlin.
What mysteries would the boys find there, waiting quietly in the ruins?
They Were Shook At What They Saw Next
It's been hours since Mike and Dale wandered through the underground. No, they didn't stumble upon "The Sunken Place," but they had to get out.
The idea of a creepy maniac crouching around alone in the flooded room was enough to make them run, which they did.
With One Flashlight, They Traced Their Steps Back
The amount of oxygen was starting to wind down. Dale would soon begin to see spots and sparks. His brain was starting to beg for oxygen, and his blood pressure was rising pretty dramatically.
Mike was experiencing it as well with his heart pounding, with an irregular thump rattling through his chest.
Something Was Glinting From The Distance
Dale saw something flash in the corner of the waterlogged room. There was a glinting that caught the light and bounced into his retina. Dale started to wade to where he thought he saw it. Mike knew what Dale's intentions were and stopped him.
But, he was too weak to protest, and sat down on the damp ground as Mike continued on.
Wading Through
Dale slid into the frigid water until he was knee-deep. Holding the flashlight with his teeth, he splashed to the far corner, and something winked at him. He made his way over, then put his hands in the water.
He found something flat with rounded edges, with engravings on one side.
Finding The Way Out
Dale's instincts told him to move into the west direction and try to find the junction. The boys backtracked until they could no longer hear the dripping of the water.
Suddenly, they saw the yellow door on its side in the doorway and they knew they were close to getting out.
Star Light, Star Bright, Dale's Mystery Item Was Very Interesting
Finally, the boys got out. That's when Dale remembered what he found when he was knee-deep in the water. Dale pulled it out of his pocket for a closer look now that they were out of the hole.
It was heavy and etched on it were some nondescript numbers that read 999.9. He was holding a 500g bar of pure gold!
There Were Other Finds In The Area Too
Dale and Mike didn't realize there was something going on in the area. There was a search in the area for WWII-era gold.
That sent Hans Glueck on a WWII treasure hunt, and he was convinced that he finally located the exact spot it was hidden.
Glueck's Treasure Hunt
Glueck's search for the treasure consumed his life. According to Glueck, in the last days of the war, Chief Heinrich Himmler was ordered to empty the Berlin Reichsbank of its loot and send it on a train towards the Alps.
He was then arrested, and 76 kilograms of gold were recovered.
Glueck Was Contacted By A Man About A Map
In 1995, Glueck was giving an interview to Bavaria TV. That was when a man gave him a map that he said he might find "interesting."
The map turned out to have belonged to an SS officer and been hidden in the lining of his coat.
The Strange Light
Dale was looking at his lucky treasure when a strange light flicked through the trees and Dale thought his eyes were playing more tricks on him. He woke Mike up, who had been speechless since they came out from below.
There was barking and growling, and it was growing nearer by the second as it came toward them.
Caught Red Handed
Dale knew that the police had gotten an idea of what the two were doing. The boys would once again put on their heavy backpacks and take off.
Mike followed behind Dale, and the two circled back once again to the path that would lead them straight home.
Home Sweet Home
Finally, they got to Mike's house. They tossed their backpacks aside, and Dale had dreams of the forgotten gold and treasures that must have been left behind.
Then, he had nightmares about the stretching underground corridors and the voices echoing off of every wall, which made it all the more terrifying for him.
The Gold Bar
Dale had to eventually hand over the treasure to the authorities. Dale also admitted to the cops that he found the item in the forest and explored the abandoned bunker in the woods.
While the two fessed up to trespassing in the woods, the cops were overwhelmed by their find.
A Lucky Find Indeed
After a few days, the boys heard back from the cops. The bar was examined and it was 500g of pure gold. The estimated value of the treasure was hovering around $18,000.
The bar's identification number had been defaced, making a determination of its origins incredibly difficult.
The First Taste Of It All
Dale wanted to return to the underground bunker, but Mike wasn't down for doing it all over again. It wasn't even safe, to begin with, because they were inexperienced Urban Explorers at best.
And, they could easily have been overwhelmed by the dangerous gasses and all the water that had been sitting underground.
The Footage
On closer inspection, he was able to make out the silhouette they had seen before, but they still couldn't actually determine what caused the shadow. But, the gold was very real.
He hoped that the owner would not be located at all. The unexpected windfall would solve all of his money troubles. Watching the recording again, he noticed something strange.
The Chilling Sound
They thought they heard a little girl laughing, but the image becomes grainy and blurred. And when he heard it, an unmistakable but faint tinkle of laughter came out of nowhere.
Who knows what's hidden inside the depths of the forgotten bunker? I'm sure it was something really cool back in the day, but sometimes, it's best to stay out of places where you shouldn't be.
An Ordinary Real Estate Transaction In Arizona
John Sims wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary when he bought his new home located in a midtown neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona. But buying the home turned into one of the most astonishing events of his life, thanks to a disturbing rumor about the house and a curiosity about it that just wouldn't quit.
There was supposedly something buried in the backyard, according to the home's previous owner. John just couldn’t rest knowing that there could be a secret buried somewhere out there, and he set out to find it. Read on to learn more about John’s quest to unearth a decades-old mystery.
Handing Over The Keys
The house that John Sims bought was formerly owned by someone who was a friend. John felt secure in his purchase knowing that this friend had already lived there and would have told him if there was anything wrong with the house.
But after John closed on the property, his friend said something unexpected. He told John that there were weird rumors about the house, rumors that involved a mystery surrounding something that was supposedly buried in the backyard years earlier.
What To Do With This Knowledge?
John's friend, who had previously owned the house John just purchased, had told him an exciting, yet creepy, hint about the property. But it turns out that the friend had never invested the time to find out whether the rumors were true.
As John set about unpacking and the other routine tasks of settling into a new house, he couldn't stop thinking about his friend's words. He just had to find out for himself what was going on in his backyard.
The Mystery Was His To Discover
Now that he had become a bit obsessed with the hint of a mystery surrounding his new home, John realized that he was going to do whatever it took to get to the bottom of things. In fact, he'd been so intrigued when the friend first mentioned the home's secret that he’d jokingly asked to borrow a shovel.
Soon he'd realize that it would take more equipment than a single shovel. And although John had no idea what exactly he was looking for, he decided to investigate.
No Idea Where To Start
John enjoyed thinking about the mystery encased in his backyard. What could it be? He knew it was possible that there was nothing to the rumor and that he might not find anything. But he also knew that he could end up finding something amazing.
Not able to stand the uncertainty anymore, John thought about what he was going to do next. He could fill in any holes and repair his lawn later. The task at hand was more important than his yard's appearance. So he got out a shovel and started to dig.
A Triple-Digit Threat
John was so determined to get to the bottom of these rumors that he was willing to overcome a lot of difficulties. Tucson, Arizona gets hot in the summer – as in triple digit hot. Those kind of conditions are dangerous to work in.
Many people would have given up at this point. But undeterred, John continued on with his mission. With his shovel in hand, he dug. And dug. He hoped this hard labor would pay off.
Holes Dotted The Yard
John had no plans in place when he began his laborious digging. He just starting digging hole after hole in his backyard. After he had excavated four different holes, pretty much ruining his yard, John still hadn't found anything.
He started to worry that if there was in fact something to find out there, that he might have destroyed it with his digging. Disappointment set in and John temporarily gave up hope of finding his yard's hidden mystery.
Idea Strikes
John's temporary discouragement and break from digging led him to think about his situation in a different light. He had a new idea, one that could finally help him locate his home's mysterious treasure.
He tracked down Tucson's municipal records and reviewed page after page until he located information about his own home. John was rewarded in a big way for all this intensive research. He received some more clues about what might be lurking under his lawn.
New Clues
The Tucson municipal records provided John with information he already knew, like the year his home had been built. But thanks to a rough sketch in the documents, John learned something new.
According to the records, a company called Whitaker Pools had applied for a permit to work at the property back in 1961 – more than 50 years earlier. But John's home didn't have a pool. So what exactly had the pool company done there in 1961? The answer to that question surprised everyone.
The Mystery Deepens
Now that he had a sketch and more detailed information, John knew he had to go about his search in a more careful way. No more careless digging with his shovel based on his instincts alone! No, it was time to get serious.
So John hired a team of consultants, who arrived armed with all the proper tools including metal detectors. Hopefully, they were going to get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all.
Would The Metal Detectors Find Anything?
As the search turned more measured and focused, John hoped that he would soon learn whether those old, mysterious rumors about his new house were true. But as the team of consultants worked over different areas of his backyard, the metal detectors remained silent.
The tension mounted as it appeared that the consultants would also come up empty-handed in their search. But then the detectors began to go off. The sound was music to John's ears.
Multiple Sites To Explore Further
John was overjoyed to hear the experts' metal detectors pinging in the hot Arizona air. And in further good news, the machines located not just one spot of interest, but two! After carefully marking both the locations in his backyard, John was able to briefly rest as he planned the next step of his search.
Now John's efforts would be focused and he wouldn't have to expend his efforts haphazardly. He could barely wait to discover what it was under his backyard.
The Shovel Comes Out Again
John grabbed his shovel and got back to the hot and difficult task of digging. This time, however, he knew exactly where to focus his efforts. With anticipation, he began to dig at the two spots that the metal detectors had located.
His work paid off quickly at the second site pinpointed by the consultants. It wasn't long at all before he felt his shovel hit something hard, and he heard the tell-tale scrape of metal against metal. John was so close to solving his backyard mystery.
Three Feet Down
John had been digging about three feet down into the earth when he first felt his shovel hit the metal object. While he was glad to finally discover something, he began to worry that it was a septic tank that he'd found.
Not only would a septic tank be a disappointing find after all this time and work, but it also meant that John had to be extra careful when he continued to dig around it. Damaging a septic tank or breaking a pipe would be very bad news, indeed.
It Wasn't A Septic Tank!
He continued to dig, more carefully than before. To John's great delight, he realized that the object he'd found wasn’t a septic tank after all. No, it was something much, much more interesting than that.
He gingerly used his shovel to uncover the structure. It wouldn't be long now before John’s discovery was out in the open and ready to inspect. The anticipation of this made the time pass quickly as John worked.
More Questions To Answer
John had finally determined that the thing buried under his new home's backyard wasn't a septic tank. But now that he had uncovered a substantial part of the structure and could visually examine it, there seemed to be even more questions to answer than when he started his journey.
The concrete form that John had unearthed appeared to be something resembling an entryway. But where did it lead, and how did you get into it?
Closer To Getting In
John was astonished to see that his backyard contained an entryway or portal of some sort, buried deep under the ground. He was so close to getting to the bottom of the mystery!
He continued to clear the area of earth and discovered that the entry had a hatch with a lid. He carefully pried the lid off, but his work as a fire department captain had taught him that it wasn't safe to enter the opening just yet.
A Long Day Of Waiting
You can probably imagine how excited John was to finally get some answers about his backyard's hidden secret. But waiting a day was necessary. His fire department training had taught him about the dangers of confined spaces.
The area could be filled with mold that could be very harmful to inhale, or toxic fumes. John also knew that he needed to have several people around when he finally went underground, to assist if the structure collapsed or if he became trapped somehow.
The Moment Of Truth Had Arrived For John
After a wait that must have felt excruciating, it was finally time for John to enter the hidden space beyond the hatch. The moment of truth had arrived for this backyard explorer – he was going to learn what exactly was down there.
John got down and cautiously looked into the hole framed by the metal hatch. The sight that met his curious eyes was completely unexpected! So what was it?
What Is It?
When John first looked down through the hatch, he was completely astonished at what he saw. It appeared to be an arrangement of sharp metal blades. What could their purpose be?
It wasn't long before his eyes adjusted and he was able to make out what it was that he was really looking at. The seemingly random metal blades were actually part of a spiral staircase, leading even deeper down into the earth under John's property.
A Risky Proposition
In his anticipation, John might have rushed right down the spiral staircase that he'd just uncovered in his backyard. After all, the truth behind the mystery was so close he could almost touch it.
But he did not. It was both his training as a fire captain and his good common sense that stopped John from entering the underground space that he'd found right on his own property. There were just too many risks involved.
Satisfaction, Delayed
What were the risks of simply walking down the spiral steps leading down into the earth? Well, for starters the structure just wasn't stable. It had been built more than 50 years before John uncovered it, and he had no idea what condition it might be in.
And second, John knew it was best if there were people with him when he finally went down the hatch. They could help him out if he became trapped or if the structure collapsed. So he assembled a team of friends to help him make the structure safe to enter.
A Plan Comes Together
John was playing it safe with his backyard find. Even though he was filled with excitement at the prospect of finally solving the mystery, he knew that his safety was more important than immediate gratification.
Along with his trusted friends, John came up with a strategy to proceed into the underground space safely. Their patient planning was soon going to pay off in a very big and unexpected way. And luckily they documented the discovery along the way to share the details of their findings.
Preparing The Passageway
John had no earthly idea what condition the structure might be in, after sitting unused for decades. So he knew that he and his friends needed to reinforce the entire concrete entrance and repair it where necessary.
The spiral staircase leading down into the underground space also needed some serious attention. The metal steps were almost completely rusted through and not safe to stand on yet. They could even collapse if someone tried to use them in their current condition.
Solid As A Rock
John Sims and his friends widened and reinforced the entryway around the stairs with new rebar and multiple layers of concrete. To ensure entrants' safety, this step was absolutely necessary. The risk of a structural collapse was too great otherwise.
Their curiosity and excitement kept them going as they poured layer after layer of concrete. And their task was made all the more unbearable in the Arizona heat. They put up a tent to help block the sun and keep the temperature relatively cool.
Still A Couple Of Tasks Ahead
John is obviously the type of person who thinks ahead. He knew that when he was finally, at long last, able to enter the mystery structure in his backyard he needed to be able to see. Many people would just rush ahead with a flashlight, but not John.
So he installed an electrical line that would allow for the space to be illuminated. He and his friends could also use power tools down there if necessary, once the electrical line was complete.
A Breath Of Fresh Air
As we've read, John's work as a firefighter made him very aware of the danger of tight, enclosed spaces. Mold and gas leaks were a major concern in the 50-year-old structure he was about to enter.
John and his friends placed a pipe in the entryway. It would funnel fresh air down into the space, making things that much safer when they finally got to go in. It was almost time for everyone to see the secret that had long been hidden in John's backyard.
One Last Step
Unfortunately, John and his friends weren't able to repair that rusty spiral staircase yet – they'd have to be fixed from within the space. It was too risky to put any weight on the steps, since no one knew how sturdy they might be. So how would people descend into the space safely?
John had the solution. He got a tall ladder and securely placed it in the entryway. He was finally going to learn what was down there.
The Wait Was Over
At long last, John got to uncover the secret that he'd heard his friend talk about. He'd been nearly obsessed with learning the truth behind the rumor and had worked very hard to get to this moment.
He was about to climb down the ladder and into the mysterious hole in his backyard -- the first person in 50 years to do so! As John descended, his imagination ran wild. Just what was he about to see?
Stepping Down Into Space
John lowered himself down the ladder, rung by rung, as his excitement grew. He stepped off the ladder and was finally rewarded for all his hard work.
He was shocked to learn that there was a vast room deep underneath his backyard! And 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!
The Rumors Had Been True
John's friend, the former owner of the house John recently purchased, had told him about the existence of a secret buried deep in the backyard. Through research, John had learned that the structure in question had been built by a company called Whitaker Pools.
But this underground cavern was clearly not a pool. The year it was constructed, 1961, was a huge clue to the structure's intended purpose. And John knew what that purpose was as soon as he laid eyes on the space.
The Years Had Taken Their Toll
Although the structure seemed to be in pretty good shape given its age, one thing was a giveaway to John that he still had some work to make the space safe. The clue was in the fiberglass ceiling.
Fiberglass can be extremely toxic to people if they breathe it in, and is an irritant to bare skin. And the fiberglass in the ceiling was coming apart – not a good thing at all. But it was something that could be repaired, fortunately. And John wasn't ready to give up on his new find anyway, after all the work he had put in.
A Relic Of The Cold War
The structure below John Sims' house, although huge, was empty of furnishings or any other décor. It became obvious immediately that the underground bunker was built as a nuclear fallout shelter.
Many people had grown fearful, even paranoid, during the period of Cold War hostilities between the Soviet Union and the U.S., and had built backyard bomb shelters as a result. But why had a company called Whitaker Pools built a nuclear bunker?
Doing Double Work
It turns out that Whitaker Pools had responded to consumer demand during the Cold War and had added building backyard bomb shelters to its list of services. In fact, this was pretty common across the country.
As pool builders realized that building fallout shelters wasn'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!
A New Underground Opportunity
What would you do if you discovered that you had an enormous maze of rooms buried right in your own backyard? How would you use the space? John's friends had some fun ideas for him, including a cigar bar, wine cellar, or "man cave."
Other people around the world have converted old bunkers into beautiful modern homes, hotels, art galleries, and recording studios. But John had something different in mind for his backyard treasure.
John Connected To Others With Backyard Bomb Shelters
After posting about his bomb shelter online, John Sims learned that he was in good company. His post on Reddit went viral, and he began connecting to others who have backyard fallout shelters.
His interest in these shelters, and the Cold War era, has grown. In fact, he has special plans to turn his own historical bunker into a museum of sorts – meaning he has a lot of work ahead of him. So what was the next step for John?
It Started With A GoFundMe Page
John's next step in restoring his bunker to its former glory was setting up a GoFundMe page. 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 was specifically looking for assistance in reconstructing the shelter's entryway, since that needed to be done before he could start making repairs and improvements downstairs. 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.
The Stairway Is Complete!
Although John's GoFundMe campaign was widely shared and he received several hundred dollars in donations, the goal of raising $2,000 for the stairway rebuild ultimately fell short. Of course, that didn't stop John from proceeding with his plans! He even took time off from his job to work on the all-important staircase.
After sharing a series of updates on the project, John reported that the entry area was finally done: "Stairs are finished! Now it's easy and safe to climb in and out." He also posted a photo of the completed stairs, which are painted an appealing shade of blue.
Now That The Stairs Are Complete
On his GoFundMe page, John shared further details for his shelter now that the staircase and entryway are done. "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."
He continued, "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." Discovering this bunker has clearly made a big impact on John's life!
Stocking The Shelter With History
John has already begun amassing supplies and props for the museum portion of his backyard shelter. He says that he's found artifacts like water supply barrels, Geiger counters, HAM radios, and sanitation kits to display.
Pictured here are some of the items John plans to display at his museum. It's impressive that he was able to get a hold of so many vintage pieces that were in excellent condition to teach others.
