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| Coming Soon! |
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Permit
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Artifacts
Whenever you are renovating an old house, we have heard you usually find artifacts in the walls, the yard, and other places you might not expect.
In our research on the house, we learned that the prior owners found Minie balls in the process of putting in the current driveway. We also read that there was an 8' x 8' underground room somewhere between the house and the current shed that is now filled in. Theories for that structure's purpose range from the root cellar for the original kitchen to a stop on the Underground Railroad, or both. Whether we will find this room or not during excavation remains to be seen.
Having said that, so far in our process we haven't found much. A few things remain with the house that hint at its age and prior owners. The first item is truly old, and was located in a drawer by our oldest daughter just before deconstruction started. We're not exactly sure what it is.
The "artifact" is about the size of an adult's hand, has a purpose-bored hole in the top for hanging or attaching to something, and has inscriptions chiseled into it. The rock clearly bears the date 1859 on it, and what looks like the initials/name of "W L Pax".
It is hard to tell what this item is.
Given the proximity to a number of churches, and the relative scarcity of much else nearby in 1859, it is possible this was something that hung in a church. It seems too small to be a gravestone, but that could partially explain what could be a name and a date (September 25, 1859). Truthfully, we are stumped.
A few mundane items left behind date mostly from the 60's and 70's so far, such as a TV guide from 1974, and 8-tracks from Joan Baez and Roger Whittaker. A couple of the more interesting things left from the prior owners appear to come from the elder Mr. Jones and one of his sons.
Among his professions, including cinematographer, Mr. Jones was a sculptor. During the process of removing the damaged tree and other dead limbs in the backyard, we spent a lot of time walking around through the thick blanket of ivy covering about a third of the side yard. While stumbling through the ivy on day 2 of our cleanup, I stepped on what felt like a rock under the ivy. After digging it up, we discovered this:
It weighs about 40 pounds, and appears to be a discarded sculpture from Mr. Jones, left in the ivy some time ago. We are going to clean this up, possibly paint it, and find a place for it in the new house. Maybe the bar, or wherever else I get approval to display it from the new first lady of the house.
Another item we hope to make room for is the totem pole carved by one of the Jones sons that was resting under the roof of the shed, and the old yoke and horseshoe also adorning the outbuilding.
In our research on the house, we learned that the prior owners found Minie balls in the process of putting in the current driveway. We also read that there was an 8' x 8' underground room somewhere between the house and the current shed that is now filled in. Theories for that structure's purpose range from the root cellar for the original kitchen to a stop on the Underground Railroad, or both. Whether we will find this room or not during excavation remains to be seen.
Having said that, so far in our process we haven't found much. A few things remain with the house that hint at its age and prior owners. The first item is truly old, and was located in a drawer by our oldest daughter just before deconstruction started. We're not exactly sure what it is.
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| Unknown Artifact |
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| Inscription with "1859" |
It is hard to tell what this item is.
Given the proximity to a number of churches, and the relative scarcity of much else nearby in 1859, it is possible this was something that hung in a church. It seems too small to be a gravestone, but that could partially explain what could be a name and a date (September 25, 1859). Truthfully, we are stumped.
A few mundane items left behind date mostly from the 60's and 70's so far, such as a TV guide from 1974, and 8-tracks from Joan Baez and Roger Whittaker. A couple of the more interesting things left from the prior owners appear to come from the elder Mr. Jones and one of his sons.
Among his professions, including cinematographer, Mr. Jones was a sculptor. During the process of removing the damaged tree and other dead limbs in the backyard, we spent a lot of time walking around through the thick blanket of ivy covering about a third of the side yard. While stumbling through the ivy on day 2 of our cleanup, I stepped on what felt like a rock under the ivy. After digging it up, we discovered this:
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| Historic Mayan |
Another item we hope to make room for is the totem pole carved by one of the Jones sons that was resting under the roof of the shed, and the old yoke and horseshoe also adorning the outbuilding.
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