Backyard mystery

[Rock22]

Discovered this in my backyard the other evening by accident. I have only lived here for 2 years so new surprises from time to time.
It is dry-stacked brick around poured concrete. The bricks used are the same ones that make up my house. The house was built in 1951. I have no idea what this may have been so I need your help. My only guess is that it might have been put over the top of an old farm well but seems like a lot of work to cover an old well.
Thanks for your input!

Bill

 

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[3cylbill]

an old well cap ...?

 

[Subterranean]

Old shed fountation? Old cistern capped off? Old outhouse capped off? Very well done, to say the least. Sub

 

[Dug]

How deep does it go? Are there any old pipes leading to it?

 

[Rock22]

Planning to work on it more this evening when I get home from work. I have a neighbor that will help me attempt to tip it over with a pry bar. Not sure if it is 2 bricks deep of concrete but if it is it will be a monster to move! I looked at old air photographs from Penn pilot from 1959 of my property and you can see it there in the backyard but difficult to see if it is a building.
I will update with pictures as soon as I can. Thanks again for the input!

 

[DCMatt]

Old shed fountation? Old cistern capped off? Old outhouse capped off? Very well done, to say the least. Sub

Looks like a foundation to me as well. Smokehouse? Hobby shed?

How far from the house is it?

 

[Rock22]

It is about 20 feet behind the house off of a back door. I have researched the land and this pad of concrete would have been directly behind the old barn that once stood exactly where my house now sits. From research it was a German bank barn. I have also discovered the foundation of the barn on the other side of my backyard. Planning to slowly excavate that as well this fall.

 

[Plug N Play]

Septic tank

 

[DCMatt]

If the foundation uses the same brick as your 1951 house, can we surmise that it is contemporary with the house?

Or was the house built with salvage bricks from the barn? I know they used to do that back in the day...

I'm also assuming that your house is "out in the country"...

 

[DCMatt]

20 feet from the back door?

 

[Al D]

Homemade bomb shelter

 

[DCMatt]

In the pics, note the wear pattern on the surface. There is a 3 x 3 (ish) area that is still smooth.

I'm guessing it was not exposed to the elements for as long as the rougher area. Because it was covered for years by a brick BBQ grill...? Makes sense to me...

 

[dozer dan]

Could try a hammer drill and 1” concrete bit through the center and take a look inside.

on a side note, would anyone know why TN shows my comment post time as being on Iceland time which is 7 ours later than my local time?

 

[Plug N Play]

Is the house now connected to a community sewer system ? I've seen old septic tanks filled with dirt, and the old access cemented shut.

 

[tahomatom]

I'm with the 1" drill or from a joint on the side. Get a laps cope from eBay for 15 bucks that plugs into your cell phone. Mine came 3' long that I use to peek into bottom of bee hives. Good quality picture that you can take with your cell phone.

Good luck!

 

[creskol]

Jimmy Hoffa?

 

[Rock22]

Bricks were not from the barn. The barn was built in the 1870's as far as I can tell and I have found all of the giant stones that were its foundation in a back corner of my land. I have had them moved all around the front of my house as landscape decoration. I do live out in the country and yes there is an old septic system with a leach bed that were shut down about 30 years ago and the house is now on well and septic.
I did think at 1st that this could be an old septic tank but I do not believe that it is because I already know where those tanks are as they are much closer to the house.
The cooking thing sounds possible I guess. Didn't people have grills in the 50's? Seems like a lot of work to do to flip a hamburger but to each his own.
Plan tonight is to flip this thing over. Bomb shelter would be so cool!

 

[DCMatt]

Didn't people have grills in the 50's?

Backyard barbecues were all the rage in the 50's.


1949 - How to build your own...



[h=1]You can thank American GIs for your backyard grill[/h]https://timeline.com/summer-barbecue-grill-july-4-military-b1aca2a3715

 

[Rock22]

That would explain why it was built so solid. It would have held a lot of weight just fine. Maybe I don't want to flip it over, good project next spring to build me a nice backyard grill.

 

[mick56]

on a side note, would anyone know why TN shows my comment post time as being on Iceland time which is 7 ours later than my local time?

At the top of the page, go to Settings, then General Settings, then you need to select whatever time zone you are in.