There have been so many, let's call them interesting, things we've found during this demolition process, I thought they deserved their own post... enjoy!
Linoleum
Apparently back in the day, people liked to install linoleum "area rugs". Some interesting choices to say the least...
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| Larger bedroom. At least it matches the paneling? |
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| Plaid linoleum in the second bedroom. |
This was all found under the carpets in the bedrooms. My initial
reaction was horror, imagining all of the home improvement shows I have watched where people spend hours scraping up linoleum floors, but to my chagrin, they weren't attached at all and peeled right up! The plaid one was too retro/fun to trash, so I relocated it to the garage!
Random holes
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| I always use masking tape to plug large holes, don't you? |
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| I'm guessing this used to be the exit for the original wood stove |
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| Found this beauty with basement access when we pulled up the masonite in the living room |
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| This one goes from the dining room ceiling to the unfinished space upstairs |
Dead animals
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| Two unlucky birds that I found in the wall |
Paneling
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| Two layers of lovely wallpapered paneling |
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| Not one, but two layers of paneling in the laundry room |
Wallpaper galore!
As if the wallpapered paneling used in much of the house isn't offensive enough, we discovered a menagerie of different wallpaper patterns as we peeled back the layers...
Grafitti
The previous owners must have let the kids draw on the walls before they put up paneling, because we found these gems:
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| Truck |
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| Warren Area High School fraternity |
There was also "Scott" written backwards in the living room. Kids are so funny!
Newspapers
In an attempt at what I can only assume was some sort of vapor barrier or wind-proofing, there were numerous newspapers plastered to the walls, on top of the interior sheathing.
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| This wall in the kitchen has papers ranging from 1894 - 1939 |
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| Before the Warren Times Observer, there was the Warren Times Mirror. Dated April 8, 1939. |
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| The New York Times Magazine, July 29, 1928. |
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| Copyright, 1902. |
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| New York Weekly Witness, Wednesday March 14, 1894. |
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| A wall in the living room is covered in copies of the Warren Weekly Mirror. |
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| Warren Weekly Mirror, Saturday September 8, 1894. I'm assuming this was the precursor to the Guide? |
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| Weekly railroad schedules. |
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| Poor Celia Smith. Back before "right to privacy". |
Other random items
Also found plastered to the walls under the sheathing were various flour bags from Erie and Warren. We plan to put these in poster frames and hang them in the garage.
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| Little bits of history. |
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| Du-Pont Anti-Freeze can used as a patch |
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| Our kitchen cabinets were born the same month as me! |
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| Need a patch? Use what you've got! Broom stick, carpet scraps, spray foam, it's all fair game! |
