Unusual Items Found During Remodeling Projects

 Stacks of yellowed newspapers in dark attic recesses are the least of the surprises found when remodeling older homes. We found newspapers in the walls that announced the sinking of the Titantic on a 100 year farmhouse we were remodeling. Valuables that were once stashed away for safekeeping (and later forgotten), mummified critters that checked in and didn't check out, time capsules of building methods and materials that died out decades ago are among the many discoveries. It can be lessons in history and can add to the personality to the home when these are found.

Weird things found include an antique trivet, an old iron carpenters punch, and a Victorian tulip cover. Also, some old Art Nouveau-ish wall paper, some of it on the backs of scrap blocking for baseboards. Another remodeler found a corn cobb pipe hanging on the side of a stud on a nail. Hand written names, dates and weather from the carpenters who worked on the house before.

Here is another good one that always makes homeowners shake their heads in amazement. In bathrooms, the old steel medicine cabinet inserts from right after WWII had slots in them to dispose of used double edge razor blades. One bath they found a pile of rusted together blades that was the width of the stud bay and about 6-7" high. Either a BUNCH of men lived there or the guy changed blades every other shave!

We did a whole house remodel for a gal who was a widow. She bought the home from a couple in their 80's who were the original owners. It just so happened that the contractor and the homeowner were in the room while the guys were doing demo in an office. When they knocked a hole in the wall an old revolver fell out of the wall on onto the floor. Both guys immediately threw their hands in the air and said, "Not mine!" The homeowner didn't know it was there, and we all wondered why the original owner (long since passed) would have hidden it in the wall. We gave the gun to the homeowner and never heard another word about it.

Sometimes we remodelers feel like archeologists, a little like Indiana Jones, thankfully no snake pits yet, Anyways we’re always thrilled with our discoveries, our little version of the Dead Seas Scrolls. Let us know if you find any little treasures in your home.