He Was Just Cutting Grass… Then the Earth Opened Up Beneath Him
Albert Wright had no idea his Saturday afternoon would end in chaos. The 56-year-old South Dakota resident was doing what he always did—mowing his lawn. But with one wrong step, the ground collapsed beneath him. What he found under his backyard shocked not just his neighborhood, but the entire town.
Image suggestion: A lawnmower sitting next to a large, jagged hole in a suburban backyard.
The Ground Gave Way—and His World Changed Forever
Albert barely escaped. Just behind him, a gaping sinkhole swallowed a chunk of his yard. Shaken, he sprinted to his neighbor’s house. That’s when the real nightmare began.
Image suggestion: A man pointing toward a deep hole in the ground, face frozen in disbelief.
The Water Went Out, Then the Land Did Too
Neighbor John Trudeau had been having strange issues all morning—his water had just stopped running. Now his friend was panicking at his door. His wife called 911. Something big was happening beneath their feet.
Image suggestion: A worried woman on the phone while two men look out over a cracked front yard.
Then Another Sinkhole Opened Across the Street
By the time authorities arrived, it was clear this wasn’t just a freak accident. A second sinkhole opened up just across from Albert’s house. Six families were evacuated on the spot. That number would soon double.
Image suggestion: Emergency workers cordoning off a residential street, neighbors watching anxiously.
The Truth Was Hidden Beneath Their Homes for Decades
Cave explorer Adam Weaver of the Pahasapa Grotto—an elite cave research group—volunteered to investigate. What he and his team found underground stunned them. It wasn’t just a sinkhole… it was a secret entrance to something much larger.
Image suggestion: Cave explorers rappelling down into a dark hole with headlamps.
A Forgotten World Beneath Black Hawk
They had stumbled into a massive abandoned gypsum mine stretching hundreds of feet underground. Old tunnels, mining gear, and drill holes told the story. This wasn’t just dangerous—it was historic.
Image suggestion: Underground tunnels with rusted tracks and decaying support beams.
They Even Found a Car Hanging From the Ceiling
That’s right—a vintage 1954 Ford Crestline Sunliner was stuck between rocks inside the mine. Somehow, it had fallen from above or had been entombed there for decades. No one knows how it got there. And that wasn’t even the weirdest part.
Image suggestion: A dusty vintage convertible trapped underground, wedged between rock walls.
Then They Found a Truck Even Older
Deeper in the mine, the team found a second vehicle—an ancient truck rusted and forgotten. The mystery deepened: who had been here? Why was this never reported? What else was hidden below?
Image suggestion: An old, decayed truck surrounded by rock, mud, and mining debris.
Over 2,300 Feet of Tunnels—But It Gets Worse
Mapping the mine, the team found it stretched far beyond what they could explore. Some tunnels were 40 feet wide, ceilings up to 30 feet high. Many collapsed sections and flooded zones remained untouched.
Image suggestion: A blueprint or 3D rendering of an underground mine beneath a neighborhood.
This Mine Had Been Known… But Ignored
Emergency Manager Doug Huntruds confirmed the mine once belonged to the Dakota Plaster Company, opened in 1910 and shut down in the 1950s. Public records revealed something disturbing: the local planning board knew about the mine—and still approved housing development right on top of it.
Image suggestion: Archival newspaper clippings about the Dakota Plaster Plant and zoning plans.
Families Forced From Their Homes, Insurance Refuses to Help
Twelve families were displaced. Most lost everything—and their insurance refused to pay a dime. Underground sinkholes, they were told, weren’t covered. People were left homeless overnight.
Image suggestion: A family standing outside a red-tagged house with boxes and worried expressions.
Residents Launch Lawsuits… And Questions About a Cover-Up Begin
The lawsuit now names the county, the developers, and the real estate agents who sold them the homes. Many residents believe the dangers were ignored—or deliberately buried.
Image suggestion: Legal paperwork with highlighted sections and frustrated homeowners at a press conference.
Even the Interstate Was at Risk
Engineers had to inspect I-90, a major highway near the mine. After digging and scanning over 1,500 feet of road and 60 feet deep, it was confirmed safe. But how close had disaster come?
Image suggestion: Engineers scanning beneath a highway using radar equipment.
One Sinkhole Exposed a Century of Secrets
What began with a man mowing his lawn exposed a hidden mine, endangered lives, and uncovered a potential scandal. But the biggest question remains: how many other neighborhoods sit on top of time bombs?
Image suggestion: A drone shot of suburban homes built over suspected underground cavities.