Loading…
15
Basement renovation turned into an impromptu archaeological site
I was digging out for a new drain and uncovered several old bottles and tools. Should I contact the historical society or is this common in older neighborhoods?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
sean_green446mo ago
Back when my cousin was fixing up his century home, he pulled up the kitchen linoleum and found newspapers from the 1920s used as underlayment. We spent an hour reading classified ads for Model Ts and local gossip. It was like a time capsule, with stories about bootlegging raids right there in the neighborhood. He ended up framing a few pages and hanging them in the hallway. Makes you wonder what everyday stuff we're burying for future generations to find.
7
phoenix_reed6mo ago
Old tools and bottles are common in pre-war homes.
4
david7556mo ago
Ever find a tool that clearly had only one purpose? I uncovered a leather stitching awl in a basement crawlspace, wrapped in a 1930s tax receipt. The handle was worn smooth from use, and the receipt was for a forty dollar property payment. Just holding it made me picture some guy fixing his work boots by candlelight.
4
barnes.seth6mo ago
I used to see single-use tools as useless. But a find like that shows the human story behind them.
3