Man’s Leg Sinks in Backyard of 1900s Home—Then They Find a Buried Structure

A post about a strange tale of an unexpected discovery in a historic backyard has captivated Reddit users.

Shared by user u/YogurtclosetOld2511 in the r/centuryhomes subreddit, the post titled “My husband’s leg went through the yard” has amassed over 3,100 upvotes and hundreds of comments since it was posted a month ago.

“Let me introduce y’all to our latest curiosity, The Grasshole,” the Redditor wrote, alongside photos showing two feet beside a gaping hole in a grassy yard and a close-up of the unexpected void.

According to the post, the poster’s husband was walking casually through the yard when his right leg plunged into the ground—up to above the knee. “Amazingly, he didn’t get hurt,” they noted, reassuring readers that they plan to “HAVE IT INSPECTED.”

The post arrives amid a broader trend in homeownership. According to a survey conducted by home design site Houzz, money spent on home renovation surged by 60 percent between 2020 and 2023. Median renovation spending climbed from $15,000 to $24,000, with more than half of homeowners spending $25,000 or more on upgrades in 2023. As homeowners continue to invest in modernizing older properties, surprising discoveries—like this one—highlight the architectural quirks of century-old residences.

According to the post, a recently retired city engineer also weighed in, advising the couple that the hole is likely harmless, but recommending it be filled with concrete or whatever a plumber may advise.

The poster shared additional context about the mysterious void. “The specs/more context,” the post reads. “Metal aperture is about 18″ across. Depth measured at 10′. Hole widens after several feet—cannot tell how expansive it is.”

Their home, built in 1900, sits near the outer edge of city utilities and was surrounded by farmland until the late 1950s. The original builders likely relied on independent systems before the arrival of municipal infrastructure. The post suggests that the hole could be a relic from that time. “Best guess is it’s an old cistern or remains of a septic system,” they wrote. “I’m planning to comb the city’s historical documentation for more info.”

While urban mysteries like “The Grasshole” may be unusual, they’re not entirely uncommon in century-old homes, where forgotten septic tanks, cisterns, or root cellars occasionally resurface.

“There’s also a very good chance the previous owners (of 30+ years) didn’t know it existed,” the Redditor added. “Whatever they capped it with was covered by grass and finally deteriorated.”

Interestingly, the hole had previously become a dumping ground—albeit accidentally. “House came with a comically large (6′ corner to corner) fire pit constructed of pavers, which of course had all cracked, because they are pavers. We decommissioned that monstrosity, and tossed it into The Grasshole. The ash coated the rustic stone masonry that lines the belly of this beast.”

‘That’s Wild’

While the couple waits on a professional assessment, the Reddit thread drew theories from fellow homeowners and curious observers.

U/meatballglomerulus said: “That’s wild. Did y’all cover it with something in the meanwhile so it doesn’t become a haunted toad hole?”

U/kbn_ wrote: “My money is on old septic tank but without seeing down into it, really hard to say for sure. It could also be a cistern or even a well, but the cement looks too modern for that type of a shallow fresh water feature. Glad your husband’s leg is okay!”

U/tbs3456 said: “10′ is really deep for a septic tank. My moneys on cistern/well.”

U/ChildhoodSea7062 said: “I wonder if you have a bomb shelter on the property.”

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system.