Treasures From The Past...

I love learning about the history of old houses and the treasures found during demolition. I was very fortunate to have been given some photographs of our house from over 50 years ago. I treasure them and am always absorbed with searching out details I may have missed when I look at them. Taking in the changes in the landscaping and surroundings fascinate me.

For example the grape vine seen in this late 1930's photo. When we bought this great old farm house some 50+ years later that vine was still in residence. It had invaded the roof and rafters. Was working hard at choking out a beautiful old Lilac. I decided innocently to prune it. I consulted my father-in-law to make sure I was pruning with the signs and I cut away and promptly killed it. It saddened me because it was a great loss to us and the house. It was even more disturbing when I was given these photographs and I realized how far back the history of the house and vine must go.

We haven't found any treasures hidden in the walls yet however I'm still looking, but we have found several whiskey bottles tucked in the most interesting nooks and crannies. My imagination floats to the family who lived here and perhaps the husbands efforts to hide his hooch from the wife.

There was a hole in the basement that was full of the most interesting trash though. Old metal filling station and soft drink signs. They were in a bad state of decay but we kept them anyway. Even the trash of days gone by is worth a second look. Many bottles of every variety and some garden implements that had lasted past their usefulness.

The saying "One man's trash is another mans treasure." is a true statement. What treasures have you found in your old homes walls?