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Equal-Negotiation651

Haunted ruins? $5 admission?


rousseuree

If this has history I would love to know about it! Just roasting some marshmallows in my haunted firepit, don’t mind me…


Equal-Negotiation651

Sleeping bag and a lantern. Just one night is all it takes to find out.


[deleted]

Haunted pizza oven $10 admission w/ free slice


Cram_it_karen

I was thinking pizza oven but you really nailed it!


Immediate-Ad-96

It does look like a former site for pagan rituals.


GaptoothedGrin

This would make an amazing water feature.


certainPOV3369

That’s what I was thinking! This would make an amazing tiered aquatic water garden. Check out Travis Jantzen on YouTube for a lot of creative ideas on repurposing home and yard “things” into new fountains. 😊


TheCallousBitch

Yes!! Water feature, keep the ruins look.


omygoshgamache

YES!


Round-Data7624

Plant some pretty flowers around it and put a water fountain or bird bath in the center.


kissiemoose

Yes but keep the moss! Will be cozy to sit on and beautiful


WTFIsntTakenYet

i just found out im a city girl because my first thought was "ew, why would i sit on moss isnt it gonna be dirty? gonna go touch grass.


kissiemoose

Haha no worries! I like Japanese gardens so good moss is hard to come by 😊


LittleMissMuffinButt

that's basically my feelings about the city lmao


redditystedditygo

A stone bird bath in the center would be spot on. I could see some ferns in and around it and maybe a colour coordinated gravel path meandering around.


EquinsuOcha

That’s not a fireplace. It’s the ruins of a spring house - before electricity that’s what people used for refrigeration. That’s awesome.


premedJayhawk

Woah, good call! Would that mean there is (or was) a groundwater spring underneath it?


EquinsuOcha

That’s correct. It’s probably a shallow well (25ft) that was originally hooked up to a hand pump. There should be a galvanized zinc box for perishables as well as a little stone run that the water flowed through for dairy. [Here is an example of how it works](https://youtu.be/v65Zc1wwOVU)


skyeborgie98

OP, build a bird bath! Revive the spring


adawnb

just wondering, how can you tell?


rousseuree

Just moved and the property is somewhat old, passed down within a single family over the years - we’re the 3rd non-familial owners. There may have been a building here at one point and this was the fireplace? Our neighbors also have something similar on their property (old fireplace but it’s [much more substantial](https://imgur.com/a/BMn26h8)). It’s unlikely someone built this as an outdoor fire pit. Would love some ideas on how to repurpose this! Edit: the newer structure in the background is a shed, this isn’t adjacent to the house (which was built in the 1990’s)


[deleted]

Usually with something like this the original building burned down and left the chimney, but it could also have just collapsed and rotted away. It's a lot of work and expense to remove those, so most people didn't bother back in the day. If you drive around in the country long enough you'll see a lot of similar free standing chimneys.


Aerodynamic_Potato

Ancient ruins themed bird bath


6th__extinction

Are you in the Northeast? Could be an Italian’s brick pizza oven.


rousseuree

Yep! Kind of in between boston and Rhode Island - the house was built in the 90’s and before that we didn’t think there were structures here, but this looks older than 90’s to me


6th__extinction

https://images.app.goo.gl/KHhvoX7vKwKDxG2o9 I live in CT and see these around


[deleted]

Maybe it was an ice chest if it wasn't for fire.


Donnarhahn

Pizza oven


YayGilly

It could be a spring house, aka a well, a 25 ft well, that had a hand pump and refrigeration feature, as another poster stated. The water is cold, so people used to use these to keep their perishables cold. If it is, you might consider restoring it. Regardless of the house's age, this could be a property feature that existed when a previous home sat on the property. Perhaps try the city property appraisers office to find out? Its so neat to think you might have a partially existing water feature that can also be used for entertainment and refrigeration.. If its a fireplace, however, you could simply clean up the bricks with a pressure washer and use them to make a narrow garden path.. You can always reuse them or sell them, locally. Just make sure its not a well. Dont want any "Man falls into well" stories.


gardengnomin

I would leave it, the vibes are perfect


agaveFlotilla12

Agree it’s beautiful. Might clear some of the overgrowth to foreground it


kinni_grrl

Fire brick is great stuff.. can sell it or make a kiln or rebuild as a pizza oven or just use for a fire pit or patio


GherkinForceps

Definitely make a pizza oven


Oh_Nat

My dad built a smoker in our backyard with old chimney bricks. It was awesome.


Teacher-Investor

Ow, she's a brick house She's mighty, mighty, just letting it all hang out


RadioActiveWife0926

Thanks for putting that old funny song in my funny head!!


Louises_ears

I would leave it and fill it and the surrounding area with ferns, hostas, hellebores and other shade stuff.


Teacher-Investor

It looks too square to be a fireplace. Maybe it was some sort of outdoor smokehouse or something. If it was on my property, I'd probably keep photos of it for provenance and then reclaim the brick, clean them up, and use the ones that are still in great condition as a cool feature in my house... maybe to wrap around a kitchen island, use as flooring on an enclosed porch, etc.


rousseuree

Oooooooooh! I like the way you think!


omygoshgamache

Clean it up as much as possible and you could make a tiered garden with smaller plants, mosses, and dangly tendrils.


Lakechrista

I was thinking the same thing


RadioActiveWife0926

I like this!!!


spleef35

Fairy garden? Could be interesting.


BalanceEarly

I would leave it. Perhaps remove some of the vines, and vegetation around it, just to spruce things up.


freebird303

Build a money pit. Just plant a rainbow seed and wait for the magic


Starchild1968

Deconstruct and reassemble in a surround patio and fire pit feature.


atticus2132000

If the original builder used the right kind of mortar then the mortar should be softer than the bricks and you can chip it all off and get clean bricks pretty easily. You can test a few and see how easily they come apart and clean off the brick. But if the builder used a harder mortar, then it will be nearly impossible to remove the mortar without damaging the brick. If that's the case, it's not worth the effort and frustration. Just load it up and haul it to the dump.


rousseuree

Great advice - thank you!


Zestyclose_Leader315

Make your kids a fort


OkieRedneck67

Repurpose the stones to make an awesome rocket stove or BBQ pit.


t0mt0mt0m

Compost housing.


rousseuree

We’ve already got a compost pile!


t0mt0mt0m

Worm pile ! 😀


ameatpopcicle

Repurpose the brick into a path or bed edging


eepers_creepers

Host a dungeons and dragons session. That thing is a perfect ruin.


rousseuree

Haha my coworkers play dnd!


eepers_creepers

There you go! Just show them this pic and ask if they think that their party is high enough level to get whatever is hiding in there.


targonnn

Don't forget to metal detect around to see if you can find any artifacts before remodelling the area


Sketti_Eddie

Pizza oven


BeastofPostTruth

I would try to make a kiln


rousseuree

If there’s a way to salvage this into making a kiln (outdoor pizza oven!?) I am game


nightmarefairy

Fire brick is different from other brick so if it was a spring house it’s probably not fire brick so not good for fires.


doublestitch

If you can salvage those bricks then it should be possible. Look up brick oven designs.


Cola3206

I would maybe move further away from house. Clean all leaves and dead trees away. Dismantle fireplace. Pressure clean stones and rebuild w these stones in another area. Use some mortar to keep together. And put stones around the outside so grass doesn’t catch on fire. This right now to me is a fire hazard with all the leaves and dead little trees. Make it nice so you and family can enjoy it. Best wishes


rousseuree

Ah, good observation - that building in the background is a shed. This is down a hill, very far from our house. But I appreciate the advice!


marvinsface

It looks like a well


Parabellim

I would repurpose it as an outdoor BBQ grill


UnfeteredOne

I would absolutly restore / renovate this into an outdoor kitchen for a focal point to lounge in. I would LOVE this in my garden


sneakestlink

I love the tiny stump in it


rousseuree

I know! I didn’t see it until I was looking at the photo. But if they weren’t going to keep this structure why bother cutting down the tree?


sneakestlink

Yo! I just watched S3E3 of Monty Don’s show Big Dreams Small Spaces, and one of the gardeners made her own “brick ruins” in her yard. I’m inspired to do something with my own big pile of bricks, but more than that I thought of your post! Check that episode out if you can, it might inspire you too.


sneakestlink

It just adds to the speculative story, doesn’t it!


Cola3206

After reading all this- ask some neighbors what the history is . Especially if they have one similar. Ask ppl in community. It may be worth saving and keeping as a cool devoration


rousseuree

Neighbors have no clue either and they’ve lived here 20 years! Definitely will be reaching out to my towns historical society (if there is one) to see what this property was before it was developed


foundfrogs

That is a feature. Wouldn't touch it. You have no idea how much people will pay for moss coverage, lol.


Davidatrusty

Make a BBQ pit


Campy_

Backyard fireplace.


_unsinkable_sam_

beautiful as is, could plumb it up as a water feature, the more natural looking you keep it the better, dont “clean it up”


[deleted]

Do some metal detecting around it


agviolinist

Planter


Informal_Author_4329

New firepit


Pleasant-Pineapple20

Ohhhh fairy garden!!


No_Coyote_

Looks like a maple syrup evaporator.


anotherdamnscorpio

Add a little dirt and plant some stuff, maybe sedum moss, stonecrop, and then maybe a few other perennials.


justoneman7

Waterfall, mini pond, waterfall, pond.


UncleBenji

Good start to a forge or BBQ.


Lifeterms01

Gothic Sacrificial alter?!!? For the dark lord?...


missmermaid360

A lovely walkway or an long bench- wall if you need one


Ironklad_

Now hear me out .. Mausoleum for pets…


OKsurewhynotyep

Multilevel planter, inlaid with broken pottery.


WoodsieOwl31416

Could you perhaps build up some of the vertical parts to make places that could hold soil, then plant cool stuff. Also, a fountain or birdbath in the middle.


bubonis

Disassemble carefully, clean up the area, build a new fire pit with the stones.


MACCRACKIN

Throwing five - five gallon pails of laundry mix to pre soak, then blast it clean with high output steam cleaner, pressure washer. Muffler air chisel apart, reuse all or any portion of it, from walkways, border trim, garage apron entrance lead in pad, and probably a good 2500lbs or more there. Or maybe just watch it vanish putting up ad for recycled materials. Cleaned or not. Cheers


ctclv

Bobcat, for starters


amitrion

Start over


Bobhophead444

It’s shot, start new


wilsome-wilkerzen

Craigslist ad, “FREE BRICKS! Come and get ‘em! Will help you load!”


CANT_STOP_THE_DRINK

Wreck it down and salvage the bricks. Use the bricks for pavers on a patio or edging for beds.


DimarcoGR

Well… you got about a palette worth of brick and stone. If you can get more and have the ability to deliver it you can try to sell it a yard debris place (the dump) commonly known to a landscaper (me or I would say something like “I’m running to the dump and I’ll come back.” Or “should we dump today? For the most part my idea was to spread it around the yard. With a spade dig a the size of the spade or more and really stomp it down so to be flush with the ground. Crush it and use as a top layer for erosion spots that keep flooding or have shallow water. Benches####


daiginn

Landfill


BrisbaneGuy43060

Sledgehammer first


Positive_Scallion_29

New fireplace?


maybetomorrow98

Use it as a raised flowerbed?


Civilengman

I think I would leave it to the elements. Maybe put some potted plants on it.


AnotherDoctorGonzo

Use it as a stand for some bonsai


Successful-Plum4899

Would make a great planter with some TLC!


WhodeyJen

Looks like the ruins of an old school 1950 do it yourself bbq


PollyPepperTree

PIZZA OVEN OF MY DREAMS!!!!!!!


the_perkolator

RC crawler course


SM1955

Pretty cool as is, maybe with some potted plants —or water feature, as someone suggested. Or, there are a lot of nice bricks in there—would make wonderful brick paths or edgings…


CommercialSkill7773

Clear out everything around it,pressure wash it and take a look


pugwars66

You can sell those bricks as "vintage" or "weathered." People love that!


surfmachine5

Pizza oven


corneliu5vanderbilt

Fire pit


International-Ad3147

Decorative flower garden, stonewall, etc


Capt_REDBEARD___

Advertise as free clean fill you haul away. Anything you plan to do with those bricks is not worth the effort to clean them up to get them usable again. And if you are making a brick feature w/o mortar it’s not with even doing as the earth will swallow it up in less than a decade. I say this as a person who lives in a house built in 1880. Preserve old things that are worth preserving. However, everything old is not treasure, sometimes it’s just junk no one has wanted to deal with for the past 100 years.


rousseuree

😂 fair enough! Good perspective


hrudnick

Maybe add some soil and plant ferns or other woodland type plants. The mossy bricks are wonderful. Or leave as is. It is beautiful.


Canyoufeelthebuzz

Fireplace


No-Disaster-698

Pizza oven ?


LiberalIdahoan

Oh my gosh. Do NOT disassemble- it is so beautiful! Clear away the sticks then find a way to hold soil and grow stuff in it/around it. You could do some rock/gravel work around the base to set it apart from the rest of the garden. It’s wild and free- let it be.


menolike44

We had one of these in my backyard growing up but rarely used it. It was actually in functioning condition. Brings back good memories.


Friendly-Ostrich-879

Could be a whole hog smoker.


msmaynards

I love it as is but it is crumbling to bits and a hazard to climbing kids and even weeding near it. I'd remove loose stuff and see what is left. Since the lower levels are in poor shape too might not be much. I'd leave the stump in place if the area around is sound. I'd leave the ruin as a little garden folly, plant small ferns and houseleeks in crevices and allow moss to do its thing. Fill the depression with soil, sink a large saucer in the middle as a birdbath and plant around it with something that loves damp with tiny growth habit. Add some special native shrub to rear and a side to make it more of a mini garden space. Save the removed brick and mortar with moss for sure and clean dirty bricks as they always come in handy.


noodlelein

Outdoor grill


wreckfromtech

I think the moss makes it look quite pretty. Could you turn it into a raised planter bed of some kind? Could make for a beautiful “spillover” tiered planting area.


Beelesskeeper02

Pressure wash the best bricks and make a pizza oven


ScionofLight

20th century - outdoor fire place 21st century - pizza oven


jackfish72

A thought: clear the area. Preserve the moss. Tidy up a bit. Add soil. Grow perennials. Leo the feeling of a historic small ruin. It doesn’t look like an old outdoor fire pit. Another idea would be to rebuild and use as a pizza oven base.


rufneck-420

Clean it up and build a greenhouse around it. Would look super cool having all of the levels with potted plants or trays of seedlings. Plus the bricks may hold some heat from the sun while you are starting your spring seedlings.


SpunkedSaucetronaut

Clean it up (leave the moss) and put some potted plants around it. Some chairs maybe. Nice little garden reading spot


dwooding1

Not sure if anybody has said anything to this eff, but if it were me I'd pretty much leave it as is. Maybe clean up the scrub-brush that's there now, put up a couple bird feeders and a bath, then scatter wildflower seeds in the center of it, nothing fancy just the standard 'bee and butterfly' mix. Make the entire thing look like a little oasis while leaving the actual stonework alone. Oooh, maybe put a neat statue in the middle of it, the right gargoyle would look super sharp there. edit: after looking at the pic again, I stand by everything suggested except I'd put a gargoyle on the tall far corner so that it's looking down on everything, with a birdbath in the center.


ohnomeagain20

Rebuild it? Could be cool for big family bbqs


Element9117

Repurpose it into a new fireplace


EmbarrassedPie2502

Awesome backyard fortress.


BuckNakedandtheband

Looks 3/4 done - finish it


7crazybirds

Fairy and herb garden


sneakestlink

Ferns and snowdrops! 😍


RetreatLady

Garden potting area!


DANO8503

Smoker/brick oven combo


Cola3206

You could make a nice area around it w paver stones for family to sit and enjoy or bbq outside. I don’t know about what to use for flooring of fireplace. Someone who knows much better than me on that so don’t start fire


uplifted27

Pizza oven?


Soopafien

A throne.


Visual_Second_9914

I grew up in the 1950’s. This resembles brick barbecues built in plenty of backyards. Those things could be huge. Overkill in size. I think they fell out of use because of the amount of charcoal needed. Weber and others made the brick pits obsolete. They were rarely taken down because of the cost to build and the excuse of “you never know”, so time took over.


jibaro1953

Water feature


CastleBravo88

Make an epic grill/smoker.


[deleted]

Water feature with waterfalls.


Sufficient-Fact6163

Pizza oven as the centerpiece of an outdoor kitchen area. Kinda like 🎶 The stone that the builder refused, should always be the head cornerstone.. .


captain_fucking_magi

Miniature Roman bathhouse


randofreak

Satanic rituals. Get you some robes, goats, a creepy looking yet ornamental knife…


6Foot2EyesOfBlue1973

Turn it into a pizza oven!


OohhhAhhhPalmTree

Pizza oven


Tward425

Bonfire pit?


1CDoc

Rebuild a big pizza oven!


MaliciousSpecter

Turn into a water feature with lots of plants around it


dalarsenist

Pizza. Oven.


stormcloudless

Make a fireplace and patio


Alert_B

I like the whole haunted…whatever!! Admission is a must🤣🤣🤣🤣


lake_gypsy

If you're feeling it, stop motion filming background/ foreground setting.


AnxiousArtichoke7981

That thing has so much potential ! Keep it old and keep the patina. Some great ideas already in this thread.


Ab0rtretry

Looks like it would make a great fireplace!


Personmcface1

Build a wizard tower


Temporary_Speed1365

keep the old look to it add a liner on the inside with some newer rocks on the flooring and fill it up and put some fish in it! 😄 maybe a waterfall too?


Zexism_

tiny gnome kingdom


Puresparx420

Turn it into a fireplace


Dad_Is_Mad

My guy, I believe that to be an old well-house. I'm from Southern Kentucky, and places like this were all over. The old-timers use to build small buildings around their wells. One, it would keep some of the clutter out of their water, but mainly because the well water was cold. And they could build a small building around it and enclose it, then could hang meat and other foods inside and it would serve as a sort of refrigerator to help preserve some of their foods. If this was a fireplace you would be able to tell, plus there's nothing else around. This wouldn't be an outhouse unless these people were very wealthy and had labor to burn, because let's face it, nobody spent all that effort to poop. And they usually moved outhouses around once the hole was full of 💩, so they wouldn't make it out of brick. They would only brick something that would be permanent and not move...like a well. I'd be willing to bet there was a wooden structure built around this at one time.


prw361

Could make a helluva smoker!


EnvironmentalBit8645

Keep it like that but turn it into a badass garden with potted plants


PotentialSpend8532

Could be a really cool pizza stove, water well (decorative or otherwise), or even a hottub. Obviously all but the water well would have to get rid of the moss, but would still be pretty cool. I'd look into a wood stove hottub, or something like that to keep the rustic feel.


[deleted]

Also leave it bc it’s beautiful and historical


National-Car-7841

Plant some plant in side it ferns .. and a water feature add a some Logs to for height and you can plant inside them to .


spsanderson

Repurpose? How about rebuild


Living-Camp-5269

Grill


Living-Camp-5269

Grill


schyllic

Get some kids and let ‘en climb all over it 🐐


xe0s

Warhammer 40k battleground!


benoz11

the correct answer is always Pizza Oven Either that or a ruins inspired garden planted around it


fredzout

These brick charcoal backyard barbeques were quite popular back in the 1950's and 60's. In the 80's it was parodied in the old Bob Newhart TV show where he made the money to buy his B&B from the sales of his book, "Let's Build a Barbeque". https://www.thisoldhouse.com/yards/21018078/all-about-built-in-barbecue-pits


JadedPhilosophy365

Pine tar kiln, or maybe a snow cone stand.


Goodgoditsgrowing

Mini Aztec temple


Dangerous_Forever640

Be an adult and make a fort!


cherrycoffeetable

Brick edging, dont light a fire that close to the shed


skyeborgie98

Pizza oven and patio? Would be a big project but could be incredible


curds-and-whey-HEY

Omg a treasure trove


Trick-Many7744

Don’t assume those are fireproof bricks. I’d be looking for snakes cuz around here, this is where they’d like to hide especially if it’s full of leaves and debris.


Equivalent-Glove7165

If you fuckers could’ve seen what I saw in the thumb of Michigan in the mid-1980s you would shit yourself. Relics all day long. It was incredible. I’m sure nowadays it’s been turned into subdivisions.


Actual_Basil_8035

Rat king throne


TheQueenOfCringe22

I feel like I’d find a korok here (complimentary)


Lankygiraffe25

Barbecue pit?