He Started Digging In His Backyard And Made The Discovery Of A Lifetime

Buying a home can be sometimes exciting and overwhelming. Sometimes that dream home can hold a couple unexpected surprises. Sometimes, though, these little surprises can turn out to be something unexpectedly awesome. At least that’s what happened to an Arizona homeowner when he was examining the blueprints of his new house. He had no idea that the discovery he was about to make on his own property would end up being something huge and something he never expected.

An Unexpected Surprise  

While reviewing the original plans of his new home, Jon uncovered something unusual and surprising. Examining the plan, he could not help but notice something odd about the layout in his backyard. There was a discrepancy with what he had and what the blueprint was showing. This irregularity piqued Jon’s curiosity and his interest to see what and why he had never notice to oddity before.

The Home and History 

Jon’s house was built in the 1960s. He discovered that plans for the mysterious room were submitted right along with the ones for the home. Jon would’ve never known about the room if the original plans had gotten lost after all this time. Like anyone who uncovers something mysterious, he had his suspicions about what might be buried in his backyard. Though he wasn’t entirely sure, all he knew is it could have been buried treasure or perhaps a time capsule from many years ago.

X-Marks the Spot 

To start the process of feeding his curiosity, Jon hired someone with a metal detector to check out the space. Unsure as to whether or not he should dig or if it would be safe, Jon chose to go with the safe route. Looking at the blueprint that Jon had, the specialist was able to mark two spots where the “surprise” could be. The expert marked two Xs for likely spots precisely where this strange surprise might be located and so began the “testing.”

Breaking Ground

After having a specialist come in and identify where the “secret” object may be, Jon decided it was time to break ground. Jon invited some friends over to help him and he began the chronicling of this backyard mystery. Thanks to consulting a specialist with a metal detector, Jon, at least, would be able to narrow the scope of his digging. He began digging to feed his anticipation, and it was not long before he encountered something unexpected.

Jackpot?

It was slow going at first for Jon and his digging. It did not help that he was working under the sweltering Southwestern sun, anxiously anticipating what he would uncover. It seemed like all his hard work was paying off when his shovel hit something that definitely wasn’t dirt. As he got deeper down, his shoveling would reveal that it was actually a metal lid. It was so heavy that he had to dig far around it. Seeing the lid, Jon wondered what exactly did this lid cover?

More Digging and Uncovering

Jon was certain that there was something down there, but more work was needed to get a clearer picture of what it actually was. The more Jon dug, the clearer the picture became – he had hit a metallic lid. This discovery lead to more questions for him, as a new mystery now emerged. What was the lid hiding? What could this large metal lid be covering? Hiding? What was his home resting above?

More Questions Than Answers

After having been kept hidden from the world for years, they found trying to open the lid difficult. After all those years of disuse, the lid was stuck. The sheer determination of Jon and his friends propelled him to find a way to open the lid. Finally, John was finally able to lift it. Once he had, though, what he found instead of answers was just more questions…

Opening the Mysteries of the Metal Lid

When he managed to get the lid lifted, Jon began to attempt to determine what was below it. It looked like a confusing assortment of objects. Were those stairs? Maybe blades for something? Jon knew the only way to answer his questions was to find out himself. Fully exposing the slats to the light, he somewhat could get a better view. John seemed to now be staring at a row of slats leading deeper underground.

Going Down

Before Jon could go any further, he knew he had to clear off more dirt from the opening. Doing this would allow him to remove the door completely and hopefully allow him to easily crawl inside. Something Jon was discovering in his dig was that whatever this door and opening was, it had been buried in his very own garden, and this alone amazed him. He was awestruck to think that his ordinary suburban home had a treasure cove in the backyard.

A Momentary Pause

While Jon felt he had accomplished so much, he was finding it frustrating that he could not move faster. One thing he continued to remind himself of was he had come so far, and there was no point turning back now. Jon knew there was plenty of work that lay ahead. It seemed at times that the work would never end, and now an added element of danger was thrown into the mix.

More Digging to Do

Just when Jon thought he had cleared all of the rubble from the opening, boy, was he ever in for a surprise. As he was attempting to make his way down- Jon would be discouraged to find more rubble and debris. John was exasperated. After putting in so much work, the opening just seemed to be getting more complicated with more obstacles thrown his way. Jon was adamant to not let this new challenge get the better of him.

Obstacle After Obstacle

After what must have seemed like ages, Jon was able to make progress. He had made enough of it that he was going to be able to safely move around. Before he could celebrate, he’d made another realization – the rickety stairs were a menace, and had to be replaced before any real exploring could take place. To tackle the stairs, Jon made sure he had a team of friends with him.

Tunnel of Terror

Now, Jon took to examining the blueprints again. He had a feeling that something was off, and he was right. The blueprints weren’t entirely accurate in depicting whatever made up the tunnel and staircase. One thing Jon was certain of was that this hidden treasure had remained untouched by anyone and the light for years, if not decades. With his friends now on-site, they began to try to stabilize this tunnel of terror.

Team Adventure

A liked guy in the community and sociable, Jon made some calls and found his friends eager to help him on his adventure. Knowing that the project might seem monumentally difficult alone, Jon was ecstatic at the enthusiasm and eagerness of his friends. Not to mention, Jon knew that having more hands on-site would make things go much faster.  The first task Jon and his friends did was rebuild the surrounding space of the tunnel. To do this, they poured a fresh batch of concrete to start things off.

Slow and Steady Finds the Treasure

With Jon and his friends working starting to pay in dividends, the area around the opening was slowly becoming much more secure. Not only was it becoming more secure, it was starting to look like an entrance to a tunnel of mysteries and possible treasures. As Jon and his friends continued to stabilize the opening, Jon and his friends had this feeling that they were not going to be uncovering a chest of gold, but something more, something special.

A Hidden Passage to Somewhere

After laborious hours and days digging, the rubble was starting to clear, and things were starting to look up for the group. Taking a step back, Jon and his friends were able to take a better look at what they were working towards. The progress they had made was starting to pay off – Jon knew that this discovery would not have been possible without his buddies to lend a hand. Even Jon’s friends were thrilled with the progress they were making.

Buried for Years

It came as no surprise that what Jon and his buddies were working on had been neglected for years. The guys knew they had their work cut out for them, and though they didn’t know what they were going to uncover, they were all excited. Jon and his team continued their digging with excitement being their greatest motivator for uncovering the unknown. Every level that they uncovered, rock or artifact, they were excited about, even in the blaring sun.

Bring the Past to the Future

To help with allowing for electricity and other utilities to flow to the space, it was time to add a conduit. Jon wanted to take this space and modernize it with modern day luxuries such as electricity. For this to happen, Jon and his buddies applied a Sono Tube cardboard. In a way this would prevent any possible damages as well as maintain the structural integrity.

Summer Exploration in Jon’s Backyard

The days that Jon and his friends worked on the opening were hot. To try to keep the everyone at a comfortable temperature, they covered the work area with a tent to try to provide some shade. Not a bad way to keep the workers and Jon from overheating while they dug up debris and tried to uncover the backyard mystery. The once simple opening was now becoming a powerful centerpiece in Jon’s garden. The upper concrete forms were coming in nicely and bringing Jon and friends one step closer to completion.

Piecing Pieces of a Puzzle

When Jon was able to finally enter the main structure, he picked up on some telltale signs pointing to its possible date of construction. Jon knew if he was able to determine the date of construction, it could possibly hint to purpose as well. Such objects that helped Jon determine the period included a manually-powered fan, which led him to believe whoever built it was planning on staying down there for a long period of time.

A Piece of the Cold War

After all those years living in his home, little did he know or realize that there was a bomb shelter underneath his home. That alone was mind baffling, and no explanation made sense. Based on what he was able to uncover through the early stages of digging and the blueprint, there was a good chance that the place had been used during the Cold War. One thing that was clear on this discovery was that it was built with the intention of making sure nothing got in.

Lifetime Warranty  

What amazed both John and his friends from the moment they could see this pristine space was the condition they found the shelter in. It could had been worse for wear, given the several elements, but the overall structural integrity of the place was almost entirely uncompromised. It was in such good condition, in fact, that John was convinced he could whip it back into shape if he so desired. Stage one of that renovation work? He only needed to look up to see it.

A Crumbling Ceiling

Despite the shelter’s structural integrity, Jon knew there was one element that was in worse shape than the stairs – the ceiling. From what Jon could tell, it was originally coated with fiberglass; however, over time, it was now crumbling and falling to pieces, meaning no other work could be carried out before that was fixed. With the help of his friends still onboard, John removed the fiberglass sheets overhead. With that done, it was time to move onto the next task.

Piece by Piece Renovations

It was clear after uncovering the crumbling ceiling, Jon knew what to do next. It was something he had been avoiding long enough, but he knew it was time to begin with the stairs. They were never safe to begin with, and a ladder, they discovered, worked just as well. Having taken them out, it was now exponentially easier to carry materials in and out of the shelter safely. With several people working simultaneously, the project was now in full swing.

Bills, Bills, Bills

When Jon began his exploration and remodeling, a budget never crossed his mind. However, it quickly became apparent that his project was starting to come with a very hefty price tag – one that was reaching several thousands of dollars. As one way of helping pay for renovations and securing the space, Jon decided to go public. He created a page on the popular crowdfunding platform GoFundMe, sharing his story in hopes of people finding it worthy to support.

Plans for the Discovery

For Jon, this once in a lifetime discovery underneath his home the entire time was both exciting and awe-inspiring. Now that he was in the process of updating and making the space safer, Jon knew he would have to determine what the end goal was for his backyard tunnel. One thing was certain; Jon couldn’t decide on just one option. Was Jon to turn it into a man-cave or would it turn it into a Cold War museum something he had been researching?

Modernizing the Cold War

Checking out John’s GoFundMe update, his last update on the shelter showed his brand-new set of stairs. This staircase was one that Jon had done himself after having removed the old and worn-down staircase. At first Jon intended to buy an existing one but he quickly discovered that was not financially within his reach. The alternative? Make one from scratch. Polishing up his welding skills, he began the start-stop process of making a brand-new set.

Big Plans and Visions

Considering how far Jon and his friends had come, what Jon had accomplished should be praised. What he accomplished should be recognized, but more importantly, you just never know what you are going to find in your backyard. Jon never expected to uncover a Cold War shelter, and yet, now he has one all to himself, or at least for the time being. Plans for his backyard tunnel are still up for debate.

More Like Jon

Most kids at one point or another, dream of exploring the world and uncovering hidden treasures like Jon did in his backyard. It’s a popular game during playtime, with adventurous boys and girls racing around their yards or neighborhoods turning over rocks and digging through the dirt in hopes of uncovering a hidden treasure. When Mike Iacovelli was a child, the English man found something pretty special right in his own back yard. It would not be until decades later that this treasure would make sense.

A Childhood Past Time

Mike grew up in Worcester, England. He was your average 10-year-old boy. He loved to go for hikes with friends and play around in his tiny hometown. Above everything else, he loved to dig for treasure in his backyard. Then again, the town of Worcester had roots dating back to the medieval time period. It seemed that Mike had the perfect setting.

A Kid’s Intuition

To Mike, he felt his town of Worcester had to have buried treasures, but more importantly, his backyard had to have something. Sticking to his kid intuition, Mike began to dig in his backyard. He would dig for a few days uncovering nothing much but dirt and rocks, until one day, under his parent’s vegetable garden, he would find something that would be carried own through his family and onto his children.

A Special Spot

When Mike began his exploring, he wasn’t sure what to expect. However, one day, Mike had this urge to dig in a spot he had never dug in before. It was a spot that was off the path he had been digging in. Yet, all he could tell was there was something there – there was something about this spot that was going to be special. So, Mike began to dig and dig. It would not be long before he would find something unexpected…

Jackpot

As he continued digging, his trowel hit something. Calling for his parents who were inside their family home, they were certain that Mike had just found a bone of sorts. His parents went to the backyard to go investigate what their son had uncovered. Little did they know they were going to see something out of this world.

A Special Coin  

From the dirt, Mike had carefully extracted what he initially thought to be a gold coin. It had some sort of engraving and a figure on one side and with the message—” The Great War for Civilization 1914-1919″. On the other side of the coin, there was a ring at the top where it looked possible to attach to a chain or clip. However, after further inspecting, Mike and his family quickly realized that it was not a coin at all.

Professional Consultation

Mike and his parents brought their discovery to an expert as they could not be sure what it was they had uncovered. When they did, the expert informed Mike and his family that the “coin” he had found was actually a medal of honor that was given to soldiers who served in the armed forces during World War I. When it came to determining what the coin was, Mike felt a duty to protect and keep the medal safe.

Mike Today

When Mike grew up, he left Worcester and settled in Canada. There he would go on to start his own little family. Even though he left Worcester, he never forgot the day he found the medal in his backyard and how the expert told him what it represented. As an adult, Mike had made it his mission to find the rightful owners of the medal, and to return it to their family.

Social Media to the Rescue

Reflecting on his childhood and what he used to do for fun, and seeing his kids now consumed by technology and social media – he decided to try to combine the two together. Using his abilities on social media, Mike decided that he would have his kids help him track down the rightful owner of the medal. That’s when he created a Facebook group dedicated to World War I medals. He did this in hopes of someone recognizing the medal he had held on to since he was a boy.

Worcestershire Memories 

With the help of his kids, Mike was able to stumble upon a Facebook group called Worcestershire Memories. The group was dedicated to artifacts from his home city as well as sharing the history of the quant town. Mike decided he would contribute to the discussion by sharing a photo of his medal, and pretty soon, his little medal was going viral. People were commenting and following Mike’s quest of reuniting the medal with the rightful owner.

A Helping Hand

Expanding his search, Mike asked his family in England for a favor. “I convinced my mother to take a trip to Worcester Museum to see if I could get more information,” he said. The museum would not be as helpful as Facebook however. Someone who saw Mike’s post was able to help him figure out that the medal belonged to A.G. George Hammond. Mike would later go on to learn that he had died at war, at only 24 years old.

Facebook to the Rescue – Again

Using his sleuthing skills on Facebook, Mike eventually was able to track down a living relative of George’s relatives, Debbie Evans. Taking a chance on this discovery, he sent her a message about how he wanted to connect her and he shared the history of the medal he had kept since he was a boy. Debbie was overwhelmed by Mike and his kind gesture – they had arranged to meet. Debbie shared with Mike that she was going to pass it down to the oldest living relative of the family.

Serendipity

While Mike was doing his own investigation in Canada, unbeknownst to him, Debbie was doing the same. She was able to find a photo of her great-great-grandfather from the war. She was noted sharing how the photo of her grandfather looked similar to her own son. Ecstatic at the fact she would now have another piece of her grandfather, Debbie felt as though she was a little closer to a man who gave his life up for his country.

Reunited for the First Time

Taking her research to the next level, Debbie was able to locate where George was buried. She discovered his grave was in Arras, a town in Northern France. Up until then, George’s family had never visited his burial grounds. Debbie would be the first in the family to go visit her great-great-grandfather’s grave and she would be overwhelmed with joy. With medals in tote, Debbie made it her goal to replicate his medals and place them with him. As for Mike, he shares his story with his kids, in hopes that they can be motivated to seek out their own treasure and adventure.

Not all Discoveries are Explainable

Back in the late 70s, two kids from Los Angeles were digging around the backyard when one of them struck gold, or rather, metal. Digging further, they would discover a buried Ferrari Dino 246 GTS. The boys’ parents called the police instantly. What they would learn is that the car had been stolen by an unknown suspect. Upon further investigating this luxury car, the police would then determine the burying of the Ferrari was most likely part of an insurance scam.

A Giant Armadillo

Jose Antonio Nievas, of Argentina, found what he thought to be a giant dinosaur egg. He would be surprised to find that he was only partially right in his discovery because what he had in fact found was a giant prehistoric armadillo. More specifically, what Jose had found was, the shell of a glyptodon, or a prehistoric armadillo that back in the dinosaur days could grow to be the size, if not bigger of a Volkswagen Beetle.

One in a Million  

Despite the odds of having two meteorites hitting the same place, Radivoje Lajic from Bosnia had managed to do just that. Radivoje somehow managed to have six meteorites fall onto his property in Bosnia. While there were skeptics, scientists from the local university were able to confirm they were, in fact, actual meteorites. With odds like this, it seems Radivoje was lucky or unlucky depending on how you see meteorites hitting your home to be.

Picture Perfect

Unlike Jon, who was unaware of his home’s secret, this California couple knew exactly what they were buying. They knew their home had a bomb shelter attached – the one thing they didn’t know was in what kind of state the room was in. Exploring their home and the bomb shelter, they were surprised with the find. The bomb shelter was in pristine condition – it looked like as though it was never used, which can be a good sign.

A Hidden Network  

When a resident of a village near the legendary Giza Plateau in Egypt went an on adventure digging around his back yard, little did he know he would uncover a great city mystery. On one of his afternoon digs, he unexpectedly came across a mysterious tunnel. Allowing curiosity to get the best of him, he decided to explore. What it would lead to be was a hidden passage into the largest and oldest of the Giza pyramids. Researchers were then able to deduce that these tunnels had connected the ancient city and allowed for safe passage.

Bone Chilling Discovery  

While out in his backyard, Ali Erturk of Salt Lake City, Utah would make a startling discovery. At 14 years old, he would go on to find human bones in his family’s backyard. Calling the police, they brought in forensic investigators who were able to determine that these bones were not from someone recent. In fact, these bones were from someone who had lived over 1,000 years earlier. They would then discover it was not an ordinary person’s bones but that of a tribal individual.

Flying High

During a 2012 home renovation installing solar batteries on his roof, Mack Reed would get an interesting surprise. Up on his roof, in a bag, was over $175,000 worth of marijuana. Calling the police immediately, they deduced someone had trespassed on to Reed’s property in hopes of hiding their stash. Unfortunately, for those who thought they were being clever, the cops would confiscate the bag and the drugs.

Lucky Coins

In 2013, while walking their dog in their back yard, a couple came across several rusty buckets sticking out of their property. They had never noticed these rusty buckets before, then again, they had not ventured into this part of their property. Curious to see what the buckets contained, they were surprised at the contents. The buckets were full of gold coins minted from 1847 to 1894. The total value of all the coins was about $10 million.

Dino Discovery  

Not long after the release of Jurassic Park, John Lambert of Ipswich, England, would go on to find a large bone in his backyard. He had uncovered it while building a fence. He kept his discovery to himself and family for about 16 years, when in 2013, he decided to bring it to specialists. They had determined it was the bone of a pliosaurus, which was a 250 million-year-old giant sea serpent!

Hundreds of Jewels

In 2007, a man known as Andreas K., from Austria, was digging in his backyard to have a small pond built. While digging, the man would discover a treasure trove right in his backyard. That treasure trove consisted of more than 200 rings, brooches, gold-plated silver plates, and other pieces of jewelry which had pearls, fossilized coral, and other ornaments. Reporting his discovery, Andreas would loan his findings to a local Austrian museum for others to see in splendor.

Backyard Exploration  

With their imagination in hand, two boys from Michigan spotted an odd rock sticking out of the ground in their backyard. Grabbing some shovels, the two boys began to dig. They were able to uncover what looked to be a bone or oddly shaped rock. The family decided to call a local paleontologist who would authenticate the “rock” as a 13,000-year-old mastodon vertebra. The boys would then take their discovery and donate it to a local museum.

Jinxed Money

In 2011, Wayne Sabaj was in his garden when he unexpectedly stumbled upon a bag containing $150,000 in it. Thrilled with this discovery, he shared the news with his neighbor; however, he then claimed that it was his money and he had buried it in the backyard. The neighbor claimed to have buried it because it was “cursed.” Taking the matter to court, the judge ordered the money to be split, but it would be too late for Wayne who would be found dead without cause 10 days later.

Fallen Star

Once known as a celebrity A-Lister, Margot Kidder found herself in a bit of a jam, when in 1996, she would surprise one Glendale, California resident. The homeowner had woken up to enjoy some coffee when she noticed someone in their backyard. Little did she know it would be the missing actress, Margot Kidder. After calling the police, Margot was found and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She would go on to make a full recovery with medication and treatment.

Backyard Zoo

Ever wanted your own backyard zoo? For this one UK mom, she got a little more than she bargained for. When her son happily began pointing outside their back-yard window to a cheetah, the mother nonchalantly smiled. She figured her son was just using his imagination – little did she know he was not. When she looked out the window she would be shocked to find, laying on their grass, a six-foot-long cheetah hanging out in their suburban backyard.

Gold Digger

In 2011 and armed with his metal detector, an American decided to explore around his back yard to see if there was something hidden beneath the ground. When the metal detector started buzzing, taking his shovel he began to dig – little did he know that what he was going to find would change his life. He would unearth a chunk of gold what would weigh over eight pounds. Deciding to profit from his find, he sold the massive nugget at an auction for $460,000.

Hear the Church Bells Missing

Imagine exploring your shed and coming across a bell. Not just any bell; however, a church bell that for over half a century had been reported stolen and missing. This is what one surprised couple uncovered in their property tucked away. They did not realize the bell was missing until they had reached out to local papers about their discovery and were informed that the bell had been stolen from the local church. The couple would go on to return the bell to the church.

Pillowcase with Gun

When we think of pillowcases, we often associate them with Halloween and trick or treating; however, for one guy, he got more than he bargained for. He noticed something behind a bush on his property. The guy was surprised to see a pillowcase – a pillowcase with a gun and notebook. He was shocked by the discovery, so he contacted local police. They retrieved the weapon but were unable to locate the owner. It appears the gun was placed in the case to conceal it – for what? It seems we may never know.