As he scraped away the earth, Sims struck a solid object that turned out to be a metal hatch leading to a subterranean chamber. Inside, he found a dome-shaped room, reminiscent of the sketches he had unearthed, a testament to the era when fears of nuclear conflict prompted many to construct such shelters. This find is part of a broader narrative about forgotten wartime preparations, as many such structures were sealed and abandoned after the Cold War faded.