Secret Compartment
We heard this weekend that some old houses have a compartment inside the newel post of the staircase where the owners kept blueprints and other papers.
Some new neighbors who are restoring a Folk Victorian down the street came over to tour the house on Sunday, and they had a lot of ideas about it. The newel post thing was something they suggested when they saw ours, which does have a cap-looking thing nailed on top. I think they saw something about it on TV, either This Old House or If Walls Could Talk.
Though I doubt our luck is good enough to find blueprints inside, I still think it's worth prying off the cap and taking a look.
Has anyone heard of this or found anything like that?
Some new neighbors who are restoring a Folk Victorian down the street came over to tour the house on Sunday, and they had a lot of ideas about it. The newel post thing was something they suggested when they saw ours, which does have a cap-looking thing nailed on top. I think they saw something about it on TV, either This Old House or If Walls Could Talk.
Though I doubt our luck is good enough to find blueprints inside, I still think it's worth prying off the cap and taking a look.
Has anyone heard of this or found anything like that?
posted by K | 4:07 PM
12 Comments:
That sounds so neat! I hope you find something awesome inside.
Unfortunately, my house has been so totally molested even the lower box style newel post is missing! Only the middle and top newels have survived.
I thought maybe you were going to tell us you found something.
Hmmm, I have 4 hollow newel posts. I might have to get out the old pry bar.
Huh, I have to put in a new newel post....maybe I will do that so future owners have something to hunt for. I don't have blue prints, but maybe some photos...
I've heard that too- several of my friends mentioned it to me, and another said that she knows of several houses in Annapolis, MD where owners found blueprints there during restoration. Our staircase has been relocated, so I doubt that there is still anything in there, even if there once was. We've got to take the cap off of ours and tighten it up though, so we'll find out one of these days.
Our staircase was added later, we think in the 20s or 30s. Maybe we could find info about the additions? Any info at all would be welcome.
Another of our neighbors found an old tin-type photo wedged between two bricks in a hearth. No fair.
I had heard that too a couple of years ago so we excitedly came out to the house and pried the top off the post. Nothing. I was really disapointed. My plan was to fill it with my own stash (copy of the web site, photos, history of the house, etc.) so if someday someone down the road did the same thing they wouldn't be disappointed. Only problem is Dale and Tim sealed it up with out me knowing and now if I tear it off again I will probably mess up the finish. -sigh-
I have hear this too and not just with newel posts, but within walls. We have this weird area of teh kitchen that has a corner that has been sealed up so that what should be a square kitchen ends up having an extra 3 foot wall across one corner. I have heard that things can be hidden in there too... I have put things in the walls as we work on our remodeling, a cork from our first bottle of wine, a letter signed by a group of women I had over. the outline of a handprint behind a base board... and will do more as I go.
There was a circa-1900 home that belonged to a nearby town's first doctor, then was subsequently a newspaper office, flower shop and antique store. When the current owners had it moved to another lot and restored it, they found old medical journals, really old newspapers, bits of ancient quilts and photos. I guess some walls do talk. It's sure worth a look in your post just to see.
– Texas T-bone
Never thought to look under there
My newel post intrigues me too. The finial was ripped off and previous occupants of the home threw bubble gum wrappers and trash in there. I just finally got one part of the top off to take that stuff out and discovered shredded newspaper and concrete chunks underneath. I can't get them out without further dismantling of the post, so I'm holding and pondering on what to do...
I live in a neighborhood in Boston where the older homes here (1880's)have small bowls as newel post end caps. I have been told that if we were to take it off, we would find the names of the builders carved underneath. But I'm still trying to fugure out the purpose of the bowls? Any ideas? I love the idea of blueprints hidden... will have to check our newl cap.
There used to be a house down the road that in it's heyday must have been a fine residence. The newel post at the bottom of a long sweeping staircase was topped by a hand-carved angel complete with wings. After it had been deserted for many years we kids (i was about 14-15) used to use this house as a hideout.Sometime during this period somebody else came in and ransacked the house, destroying this angel. Broke it into several pieces along with many other fine pieces of woodwork. Later the house was tore down and burnt. I wonder if they were looking for some treasure while not even seeing the true value of this place? This post would be worth several thousand dollars today! (sigh)
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