For a child like me, in love with mystery and mythology from a very early age, this was devastating. I pretty much knew (but asked anyway, just in case) that there were no secret passages or magic doors in our basement. The odds of finding a portal to some fantastical alternate world there were less than nil. Somehow I carried on.
Of course, these days I don't have that problem. Though I haven't discovered any mysterious doors or false walls in my basement (yet) the possibilty does exist. They wouldn't necessarily lead me to Narnia, but rather to somewhere more illict. In the 1920s, the fashionable area of Walkerville (which takes its name from Hiram Walker and is where I now live,) was a hotbed of rumrunning, what with it being on the border and all. All sorts of dubious characters from Al Capone to the Purple Gang to any number of self-made booze barons were on hand to profit from Prohibition. As a result, there are houses around here with hidden rooms and secret doors behind which one could stash their, erm, stash. There's even a really good scrapbook-style book about it.And all the while my house stood here while the Twenties roared around it. I can't help but wonder what the house would divulge if it could -- I'll let you know if I hear anything.
8 comments:
I feel the sameway my house is 1878 and could have been part of the underground RR though probably not. I keep looking everytime have to cut a holein the wall or floor!
This is why I love my old house. Built in 1918. There is one compartment in the closet upstairs that I'm dying to open up. However it will only be accomplished when we remodel the closet later this year.
Spring Cottage was built around 1800. I know quite a lot about the history of it, as it was built as a farm worker's cottage and used to be part of the farm behing us, which was formerly part of the local estate. It has an old bread oven inside the inglenook fireplace and lots of old features.
I often wonder about its former inhabitants, as I know only the names of those going back to about 1900 from the deeds. One thing I'm sure of, though, is that the cottage's original inhabitants would have shared their living space with some of the animals in their care. I think I prefer now!
We live in an old cottage in Port Stanley, built right around the twenties...when I was a child, I would have loved the upstairs here, full of knee-walls and hidden storage areas behind hobbit-sized doors built into the walls...In fact, I love it as an adult...though, haven't found the passage to Narnia...I believe that's reserved for old wardrobes and such...If I do find a way to Wonderland, I'll let you know!
My great-granddad was in the Purple Gang! He was my best bud growing up and had amazing stories.
Our current place is a 1930's log cabin - and not a level surface in the joint! It's pretty small so haven't found any secret places in the house or barn yet, but you never know what we'll find. It was the original homestead in the area before acreage was sold off.
The local militia marched through what is now our barn foundation on their way to fight the Battle of North Bridge ... I won't say that's why we bought the house, but it didn't count against it!
Your house sounds relly amazing, and I'm glad it has an appreciative owners. I hope it's not as wonky or draughty as my old place though!
I just moved into a condo in a house built in 1920. I've been hoping to find something cool, old and mysterious but my house doesn't seem to hold any secrets.
:( I did find something neat but modern stick between the floorboards in my living room: 2 1994 pennies taped together. Were they left from a couple starting out on their life together? Neat to think about...
Post a Comment