Finding Interesting Things While Renovating.
- Thread starter MNCYWX
- Start date
Pulled up two layers of linoleum in my mud room last week. Found newspapers they had used for padding. The Des Moines Register and Boone Republican from 1937 under the lower layer of linoleum and the same from 1941 under the upper layer. I just finished reading a short article Amelia Earhart wrote during her trip. As well as some Nazi articles. After getting all the linoleum up I found a well/cistern under the house. I was not expecting that! I also found an accessory for a wood burning stove in the attic - it's an add on oven that would sit on top of the stove. At least that's what I think it is. The house was built in 1900 and had never been sold before I purchased it this year. I wish I could have gone through it before they cleaned it out for sale!
Found something like this in our attic, the winter after we moved in. Looked like a 16" softball. Thing was huge. Brother in law is an exterminator, came over and removed it.
All I've ever found were mice skeletons but my cousin is remodeling a house in Omaha and went into the attic to run a vent pipe for a new bathroom. In the attic he found three garbage bags. Each one was full of old steel beer cans, individually wrapped in newspaper from the early 70's. There were some duplicates but about a hundred different cans. The Schmidt beer cans with the different outdoor scenes were the coolest in my opinion.
When remodeling my last house I left a lot of empty beer cans in the walls, but they were all Busch Light.
When remodeling my last house I left a lot of empty beer cans in the walls, but they were all Busch Light.
Here's a story for you. A new business was moving into a building near downtown Ames about a year or so ago and they were tearing out walls for the remodel and found a wallet. That wallet was stolen from my mom who worked in a retail store a few blocks away. The wallet was stolen about 30 years ago.
I have bought, renovated and sold a variety of houses over the years and have found things of value. I've found silver spoons and forks, money, weed, antiques etc. I've got a buddy who found a cigar box full of old out of circulation coins in the duct work of a house he bought. There's lots of stuff waiting to be found. In the early sixties in the small town of Eldon, as the story goes, a guy was digging a basement under his home and found a kettle of gold coins. Eldon is close to the old Indian agency and it's suspected that these were the coins the government paid the Indians when they purchased Iowa.
I have a buddy whose parents live in St. Paul. (for those who didn't know, St. Paul was a favorite weekend hangout of the Chicago gangsters back in the 20's & 30's) A few years ago, my friend's folks were remodeling their kitchen & tore down a wall in during the remodel. In the wall they found nearly $40K in cash & a bunch of guns, including several Tommy guns. In return for a small display case for some of the stuff, they "donated" most of it to a local museum.
We have often speculated over a few beers why the items were there & what happened to cause them to be left behind.
We have often speculated over a few beers why the items were there & what happened to cause them to be left behind.
Almost forgot.......my grandparents found a civil war uniform and rifle in the attic of their home. I believe the uniform was donated to a museum in Missouri Valley.
We once found a hobo behind our garbage cans. He wasn't worth any money though so we just took him to a shelter.
My dad found a old double barrel muzzelloader shotgun inside a wall of a house he was tearing down. Not in gtreat shape but pretty cool.
My biggest find was a very well preserved old box of sparklers. I'd guess they are 1930s or older.
My biggest find was a very well preserved old box of sparklers. I'd guess they are 1930s or older.
My dad's friend was remodeling his mom's old house to sell when she passed away about 4 months ago. He remembered in the 1970's they remodeled the house last and they had closed off/boarded up an old staircase with a small room behind it. After tearing that apart and opening the small room they found an old moonshine distillery! It was a time capsule to say the least with everything needed to make whiskey. They were all excited cause most of the equipment was made of copper and they were going to scrap it for money. I told them they should at least tell someone in case it was of any importance. I hope they took my advice.
I happen to know there is an interesting assortment of power tools behind the drywall of one lucky house in Dakota City, IA.
Apart from old newspaper and dead rodents, I've only found a 70's porn stash in the walls of an old supermarket that I was gutting when I lived in Tacoma. Don't worry, I had gloves on.
Apart from old newspaper and dead rodents, I've only found a 70's porn stash in the walls of an old supermarket that I was gutting when I lived in Tacoma. Don't worry, I had gloves on.
cannot find the article but one buddy who works for a campground with old trailers back home found 40 grand, a benelli nova, and a few handguns in the walls of a cleanout.
I usually just find that the previous builder did a crappy job and my renovation becomes a lot more expensive.
