Moving into a new house although a little overwhelming can be a great little treasure hunt. Cleaning out a new place and discovering old, nostalgic remnants of the people that lived there before us can be an extraordinary experience. Love letters from the first World War, trinkets, hidden murals from the 1900s, to secret underground basements, there is something particularly exciting about finding things in secret places - places you didn’t expect to find things in. Vintage pieces are momentous, and they each carry a story, a story of the past and the history that followed. Treasure finds like old vintage switches, tincture bottles, Carbide lamps, and Woodstock posters, here are some of the strangest things found In people's homes.
Milk Door Under The Cabinets
While moving into their new apartment, this person found an old milk door under one of their cabinets. The invention of glass milk bottles changed the way people acquired milk. In 1878, the first glass milk bottle was created, it was called the Lester Milk Jar. Milk was sold in glass bottles for the first time a year later, in 1879. Customers would place their orders with the milkman, and he would bring the milk over the next day.
Some homes had an insulated box that sat on their porch, and other homes had cubbies or milk boxes that were built into the side of the house.
A Glassed-Over Well In The Kitchen
This person’s grandparents have a glassed-over well in their kitchen. They discovered it after they bought their house and started stripping it down for repairs. The well looked so interesting that they made it a feature that's about 25-feet deep and connects to an old river that ran under the house long ago. The earliest accounts of water wells can be traced back at least 8000 years ago.
Wells were commonly dug by hand and then lined with stones to create steps, which allowed people to access the groundwater. Up until the early 19th century, water wells were still dug by hand.
Basement Cemetery
The Center Church in New Haven, Connecticut, has a cemetery hidden in the basement. The New Haven Green in downtown New Haven, USA, is a small park of about 16 acres. The Green was built in 1638 and was originally conceived as a trade center and town square, and was in fact known as "the marketplace". For the first 150 years of New Haven’s existence, the Green was used as the main burial grounds for the residents of the community.
It eventually became too cluttered so many of the headstones were removed and relocated to the new cemetery, the Grove Street Cemetery, located two blocks away.
A Pub Well
Located in the town of Avebury in England near Stonehenge is a pub called The Red Lion, and stuck right in the middle of it is a well. So if you're afraid of heights it is advised not to sit near it. There’s a round glass covering the hole, which allows people to look down inside, it is truly a mystical piece of historical art. The Red Lion is a very popular establishment in England.
It stands on the site of a medieval tavern that was known in 1434 as the Hopping Hall. It has become a popular establishment for many British Prime Ministers.
Paw Print
It’s impossible for a pet to have left their paw print on this brick after it was laid on the wall. So it’s more likely that the brick came like this from the brick factory. But if these are old bricks, they might have been dried in fields where an animal possibly ran over the brick while it was drying. There are four different operations involved in the process of manufacturing bricks, preparation of clay, molding, drying, and then burning.
After the process of molding and drying, bricks are burnt in kilns to impart hardness, strength and to increase the density of the brick. So there is something special about how this unique piece came out to be.
Trap Door To A Hidden Basement
These owners were in the process of moving stuff into their new office space when they found a trap door. When they opened it, they discovered that it led to a hidden basement full of floor plans. This is not the only story of new homeowners finding a secret basement in their home, so what is the story with all these secret basements? While most people assume a basement to be a luxury, extra space, it was not always this way.
Early basements were not as sophisticated, most of them did not even consider the bad effects of mold and mildew; it was a little later on that builders began incorporating drainage and air circulation.
Bathroom Treasure
When they pulled back the wall right above their sink where the medicine cabinet was, they found treasure in the form of a roll of quarters inside an Alka-Seltzer bottle. But the real surprise was this beautiful diamond ring. Throughout history, treasures from various cultures have been stolen or otherwise gone missing, and often their theft or disappearance happens during times of war or disaster, when they cannot be protected.
No matter how small, a treasure is still a treasure, and finding one in your new home is a discovery that will never be forgotten.
Monopoly Floor
These new homeowners were shocked when they pulled up the carpet at their house and found a large Monopoly board game built onto the floor. So now if they ever get bored or the power cuts out, they can all play Monopoly, and the family can literally be the playing pieces. A fun fact, although she rarely gets any credit, in 1903, a leftwing feminist called Lizzy Magie patented the board game that we now know as Monopoly.
The original board game is much smaller than your standard living room floor, but whether you’re playing on the table or on the floor, you must play monopoly at least once in your life!
Old Hot Tub Under The Living Room
This person found a hot tub under their living room. From the look of it, it must have been an outside spa since it has a filter lid The previous homeowners undoubtedly extended the house over it and then covered it up. Fiberglass spa shells came out in the late ’60s, which had soon replaced wooden spas. As the decade progressed, more features were added, including more advanced filtration systems, jets, and the first spa pack in 1976.
It’s been a long time since we’ve imagined having a pool in our living room, but if we found one we probably wouldn’t concrete it away.
Walgreens Has A Vault
This Walgreens is seriously unique in its own right because the property itself used to be a bank. And we all know what banks have, a vault! So, this Walgreens uses the old vault as their vitamin section to store all of their products. Over time storefronts close, or owners leave and the buildings are turned into something else.
There is nothing more unique than a Walmart with a vault, not that Walmart sells anything really worthy of a vault, but it’s a nice looking feature nonetheless.
Apartment With Cell Doors
This incredible apartment was once a police station, and while there aren’t any prisoners hidden behind the walls, the original cell doors are still there. However, they’ve been painted white so the renter doesn’t feel quite so cagey inside their place. No longer a lock-up for the local petty criminals, this is not the first old police station to be turned into a home, and we are loving these architectural evolutions.
A known police station that has been transformed is the Corwen Old Police Station. This is also fondly known as COPS for short, has been totally transformed from a low-budget guest house to a stunning two-property proposition.
Hidden Message Under Cork Floor Tiles
Since most people in most countries tend to use realtors to find a home, most people never even know the names of the previous homeowners. But when these people started removing their cork floor tiles, they found a message from those who originally placed the tiles. Just like those messages we used to engrave in tree trunks, or the ones we see on cement tiles, this one is particularly special.
They say home is just a house, and it’s the people in it that make it home, this is definitely a great way to understand and resonate with this metaphor.
This Wall Has Years Of Layers Of Paint
This person discovered that there were lots of layers of paint after their wall broke off. It’s like a time capsule similar to the tree rings or stone layers, but in this case, it shows various color schemes used by different homeowners. Never thought we'd actually say this, but that's one epic wall! We’ve seen a lot of trends running lately that remind us of this wall, as the nail polish layer trend!
There is something really cool about doing something effortlessly and looking at the way it turns out. We are really hoping this starts trending, even though landlords might not approve of their walls looking this way.
100-Year-Old Elevator Handle
You never know what you’ll find when you move into a new property. These homeowners found a 100-year-old elevator handle that obviously doesn’t do anything anymore. Although it doesn’t have much use anymore, we are loving the vintage aesthetic. There could possibly be a place to wire it to and find some kind of use for it, but it definitely isn’t getting an elevator to work anymore.
Preserving historic pieces is worth it despite the value, because regardless of its worth there is something about vintage that never expires. It will always add a sense of nostalgia to the room.
The Back Door Was a Spoon
This person has been living in their home for a while now, but they hadn’t noticed that the metal handle on their back door was actually a spoon. Whoever the previous owners were, kudos to them for MacGyvering this handle, thankfully, they didn’t use a knife. DIY’s are not a thing of the past and more people are jumping on the ‘do it yourself’ train, whether it be to save them money or because they enjoy getting creative and want to take advantage of the resources just laying around.
There are so many inventive ideas floating around the internet, and it’s amazing what we can do with simple materials we find around the house. We can’t wait to see what comes next!
Secret Dungeon
Maybe it wasn’t a secret dungeon, but when these people moved into their new apartment, they found a door on the floor that led to a secret space they didn’t even have to pay for, one they turned into an entire livable space. Secret rooms in the United States didn’t begin appearing until the Underground Railroad in the 1800s, where secret passageways would allow for slaves to find safe passage.
These passageways remain to this day, sometimes they are sealed off, and other times they are found just as they are underground, and are turned into workable rooms or storage space.
Old-Fashioned Light Switches
This house still had old-fashioned light switches in it. Fortunately, the wiring was redone before the homeowners moved in. Those old knobs and tubes originally contained cloth on the outside which made them far less safe than today’s modern electrical wiring. The first light bulbs were invented in the late 19th century, although electric lighting wouldn’t become common in UK homes until decades later.
The design of standard light switches has changed over time, but switches are often not changed for a long time. They can last for decades and may not be changed until there is a need to do some rewiring.
A 20-Year-Old Promise
When these homeowners removed their wallpaper, they found a promise made back in 1997 that said a dad would eat his overalls if the Spice Girls were still popular next time the room was decorated. Maybe that’s why he moved. But Dad would have been safe since the Spice Girls are no longer popular. We’ve all been there, renovating or painting, and writing something down that we probably think will never be seen again.
Next time we renovate our place or decide to leave a little hidden secret or confession somewhere, make it a good one, it might end up on the internet one day.
Mural Behind The Wall
When you tear down a wall, the last thing you expect to find is smiling flowers and bees or even an apple tree. But that’s exactly what this person found behind the wall, a beautiful mural. Murals are a beautiful form of art, they’re a way to express beauty on a larger and more public scale. Murals date back to 30,000 BC from the earliest paintings in the Chauvet cave, France.
Murals have always been a beautiful way to express language and later evolved to express ideologies. Murals are continually coming up, now even in our homes.
Vault Inside The House
These new homeowners moved into a house that used to be a bank. When they discovered that the property still had a vault, they decided to use it as a basement to store all of their extra stuff. Hopefully, they disabled the lock so no one gets locked in by mistake. Most homes don’t feature vaults large enough to keep a person inside.
Having a vault in your home isn’t the worst thing, it can be great for storing valuables, or hiding in case of a break-in, or band practice! In this case.
Bundles Of Coins In An Old Safe
These dirty containers actually hold a lot of treasure. Each of the containers in this photo is filled to the brim with currency. And some of the coins were very old, which could make their value even higher. There's nothing better than finding some hidden treasure, especially one with value. Although some may be regular coins, some coins hold extreme value, and others can be a great collectors item.
Whether we like to collect coins, keep them as souvenirs or admire their history, finding treasure is always a welcomed surprise.
Love Letters From WWI Soldier
When houses are torn down, hidden objects in the actual walls of a home that may have been left there for decades can be uncovered. This new homeowner found love letters from the first World War, and they were still in pretty good condition considering how old they are. During the First World War, letter writing was the main form of communication between soldiers and their loved ones, helping to ease the pain of separation.
Receiving letters from family and friends was also vital to morale, keeping men and women connected to the homes they had left behind. Some of these letters ended up in museum archives, and others can sometimes be found hidden.
Lucky Clubs
"Found this taped to my new apartment's window. Apparently, the previous owner won the lotto and decided to put it there to grant the next one good luck." Throughout the centuries, different countries have adapted card decks so that the colors, designs, and symbols, as well as card names better reflect customs and cultures. Clubs are, in fact, the suit which has the lowest value in an ordinary deck of playing cards.
However, they were connected with money, wealth, and luck. Some people believe in luck and others don’t, nonetheless, nice gestures don’t go unnoticed, and we think this one was pretty thoughtful.
Memories In A Polaroid
“I absolutely love stumbling upon old pictures, or better yet old, almost faded Polaroid pictures.” In the digital age, we’re used to pointing and shooting photos with our smartphones and getting instant results. However, these photos are easily lost among the thousands of other images in our camera rolls. Polaroids are a great way to capture memories as they happen, and be able to have them with you instantly.
It’s even more nostalgic to look back on old polaroids or find ones that belonged to other people. The moment is so much more authentic, and we love that polaroid cameras have been making a comeback!
Hidden Art
“Isn't it amazing what some people end up covering up?” Some things earn more value as they age, or if they’re found hidden. If this wallpaper is restored it would be the centerpiece of the entire room. Now it is easy to find vintage wall murals as wallpaper, but when they come on the wall, it adds something even more special to the space.
There are many different styles and techniques, but the best-known is probably fresco, which uses water-soluble paints. Murals today are painted in a variety of ways, using oil or water-based media.
Mouse House
“I feel like I'm looking at a cartoon picture here because these mouse holes gnawed in a house built in 1741 are so reminiscent of Tom and Jerry." When you think of a mouse hole, a cartoonish image, the reality isn’t so pleasant, though. Mouse holes aren’t as easy to find as we would think, they definitely aren’t well rounded openings like they’re portrayed in cartoons.
Usually, mouse holes will appear as a damaged section of a wall. So next time we see something that looks like a scene out of “Tom and Jerry” there are mice close by.
Note From 1947
“I always find it fascinating when people find old notes from the previous owners hidden somewhere in their house. This one is actually from 1947.” Hand-written notes have always had a special meaning, more valuable than anything in print or digital. Two million tourists arrive in Verona every year, just to visit the city linked to Romeo and Juliet’s love. People leave post-it notes and messages.
People for decades express their feelings in hand-written letters, and put them in secret places, and other people sometimes come across them. Sometimes if we’re lucky, they end up on the internet for all of us to indulge in.
Woodstock Poster
“Here's another groovy discovery someone found in their house. This vintage Woodstock poster was found underneath the drywall. I wonder if stuff like this is worth anything?” The Woodstock Music Festival began on August 15, 1969, as half a million people waited on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, for the three-day music festival to start. People came to enjoy music, and be in the great company of like-minded talents and people inspired by art and a free spirit.
This particular poster for the event was for the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, August 15–18, 1969, featuring memorable performances by Crosby, Stills and Nash, Santana, Joe Cocker, and Hendrix amongst the many more talents.
Deciphering Code Words
“This looks like something out a sci-fi flick, doesn't it? I didn't even know books written in code actually existed. As it turns out, this is a Masonic book written in code. Cool!” Freemasons belong to the oldest fraternal organization in the world, a group begun during the Middle Ages in Europe. Freemasons have long communicated using visual symbols drawn from the tools of stonemasonry.
The Masonic Cipher is a geometric simple substitution cipher, which exchanges letters for symbols to create encrypted messages. It consists of a 26-character key that replaces every character in the alphabet with a different symbol.
Jurassic Coin
“I would love to stumble upon some buried treasure one day and it looked like one person did when they posted this picture to Reddit. So, it's actually a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers coin and not treasure, but, hey, I'd take it!” Mighty Morphin Power Rangers coins are collectors coins for a list of different “powers” relevant to the power rangers game.
The original Power Coins drew their power from dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals and had an animal engraved on each one: Black Mastodon, Pink Pterodactyl, Blue Triceratops, Yellow Saber-Toothed Tiger, and Red Tyrannosaurus.
Flying Squirrel In The Shower
“Someone discovered this little guy in their bathroom, but couldn't figure out what exactly he was. After going through a list of local rodents, the internet figured out that it was a flying squirrel!” Flying squirrels have 50 different species of squirrels in the family Sciuridae. They are not capable of flying in the same way as birds but are able to glide from one tree to another.
So if we happen to find any of these little guys around our homes, don't be afraid, they are harmless and possibly just lost their way.
Secret Starch Capsule
"I found a small starch capsule in my new house, inside the capsule was a roll of paper wrapped with a brass ring. To this day I still don't know what it said. Luckily for this person, a commenter had the translation, "Baby, I know that you still believe that I can wait for you, but time will prove." Capsules with hidden notes have long been a sweet gesture for a spouse or partner to receive.
Next time there's an occasion or an anniversary, just slip a nice little note in a capsule for your significant other. A unique and thoughtful gesture that they can keep for decades.
A Note On A Tracker Pebble
“A Reddit user found this in their aunt's treasure collection, and it's actually a tracker pebble! These are buried alongside a river and then discovered when they eventually get carried downstream. It lets people track longshore drift.” Pebble Tracker is a secure, battery-operated, cellular prototyping platform designed for blockchain-based applications. We’re not exactly sure what it was doing alongside a river with a code or note written on it.
We don’t think tracker pebbles are waterproof or water-resistant, and maybe sticking it in a bucket of rice might not really work well, but it’s still an interesting find.
Old Metal Item
“When someone found this in their home, they knew it was definitely old and that it was definitely missing some parts. Reddit determined that it was part of a carbide miner's lamp.” Carbide lamps, or acetylene gas lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn a gas known as acetylene developed in the United States in New York in the 1900s. Gas lamps were used to illuminate buildings.
The lamps remain a very beautiful item of vintage, we’re not sure they work anymore, or whether they’re safe to use, but they’re great to add some vintage-rustic aesthetic to the room.
Vintage Tincture
“I am so fascinated by vintage medicines and tinctures. Who even knows what lies within this bottle! Don't try to find out, though.” Tinctures date back as far as distilled alcohol. Ancient Egyptians soaked herbs in alcohol to create tinctures and cordials- tinctures made with lower alcohol content. Now, tinctures are once again gaining popularity, as more people are becoming educated about herbal medicine and the traditional ways of preparing it.
We can’t exactly tell what this tincture was, but with a good clean this vintage bottle can be re-used to hold candles, flowers, or another tincture!