Most days, a home is just a home. Walls, bricks, doors, windows, and whatever we’ve filled it with. But sometimes, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
In the Facebook group A House With History, curious people share strange things they’ve come across in their own homes or while exploring old, forgotten places. Think secret rooms, hidden tunnels, odd objects left behind—anything that makes you stop and wonder what really happened there.
Here are some of the most surprising finds.
#1 We All Know What This Is, Right?
Boot scraper
Image credits: A House with History
#2 Found In The Attic Of A Condo That Was Once A Very Old High School
Window openers, sometimes they were used to open the transom above the old doors
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#3 This Is Interesting. It Appears To Be Attached To The Wall
You can sit down and take your shoes and boots off, after hanging up your coat and hat
Those were the days
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#4 These Little Doors Are Located In The Rooms Of An Early 1900s House. Any Idea What These Are For?
People put them in for their cats to be able to get to the cat box and other areas of the house without the heat, leaving the room. They want the door closed and the heat in
Image credits: A House with History
#5 Imagine Having A Manhole Cover Under Your Floor In The Hallway
It used to be an old cistern with water in it. Lotta old houses have them.
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#6 Any Idea What The Holes Are In This Old Rustic Door?
those would be musket balls. You can see the powder burn in some top ones
Image credits: A House with History
#7 Typical Radiator But Does Anyone Know What This Feature Is For?
It warms things. That’s pretty much it.
Image credits: A House with History
#8 This Walkway Is To A House From The 1930s. Why Do You Think It’s Like This?
It’s a driveway with steps between the tire treads. Used to see that quite a bit.
Image credits: A House with History
#9 Old House Mystery. This Is Located At The Corner Of The Baseboards In An Old House. Looks Like It’s Been Painted Over A Lot. Any Ideas What This Is?
It’s a damper for an old gravity furnace. I’d remove it, clean it up, polish it and reinstall it. It would be a lovely talking point! I’ll bet it’s a beautiful brass piece.
Image credits: A House with History
#10 What Is This Mechanism In The Floor. Seems To Have Rollers And A Chain
for a chandelier so you can lower it for repair and cleaning
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#11 Do You Know What Kind Of Stairs These Are?
These are Witches Stairs. Supposedly Witches couldn’t climb these types of stairs.
Image credits: A House with History
#12 What Are These Slots In The Side Of An Old Stone House Next To A Window?
For shooting rifles through
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#13 Mounted In The Bedroom Of An Old House.wh Knows What This Is?
Old tie holder.
Image credits: A House with History
#14 Old House Mystery. Found During A Kitchen Renovation. Any Ideas What It Is??
Old wood stove plate lifter
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#15 Who Knows What This Is? Located In The UK
Digby Lock-Up, also known as the Pepperpot, located in Digby, Lincolnshire. It is a Grade II listed building with historical significance.
Originally a 17th-century wellhead, it is made of limestone and stands 2 meters high.
It may have been used as a lock-up for petty criminals or drunks, especially during the Napoleonic Wars.
Image credits: A House with History
#16 If You’ve Seen Our Video On Crooked Chimneystl Then You Might Know What These Windows Are Called
Witches window. They believed witches couldn’t turn and fly through them when they were opened.
Image credits: A House with History
#17 Any Idea What This Wheel Is For? Located In An Old Farmhouse But Doesn’t Appear To Currently Be Operating Anything
My Grandparents had a wheel with a sprocket on it on 1st floor. Sprocket had a chain that went thru floor to stoker in the basement. Turning the wheel caused coal to be fed to the stoker which increased the heat fed up thru floor registers warming the home.
Image credits: A House with History
#18 Old House Mystery. What Is This? Found Under Carpeting And Linoleum In A Bedroom Of An 1800s House
It is a hole to allow heat to pass from 1st floor to 2nd floor. I have one in my bedroom of my 200 year old house.
Image credits: A House with History
#19 Anyone Know What This Is?
Antique door knocker.
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#20 I Think We All Know What This Is
Old door chimes
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#21 Found In An Old House. Do You Know What This Is?
This little device was a grocery list checker. Dates back to the 1920s and people kept it on the kitchen. Probably why these are found during kitchen renovations.
Image credits: A House with History
#22 This Very Old Shoe Was Found In A Wall Near The Fireplace. Do You Know Why They Hid Shoes In The Walls? Specifically Why They Hid Them Near Fireplaces?
Often, when a house was being built, a family moving into the house would hide shoes in different places. There were children’s shoes on the walls of the children’s rooms, women’s shoes next to the fireplaces and kitchens. Men’s shoes were hidden in the attic. The purpose of these was to bring good luck to the house and drive away evil spirits.
Image credits: A House with History
#23 Old House Mystery. Found During A Kitchen Renovation Of An Old House. Anyone Know What This Might Be?
Canning top. You can mark what you have canned.
Image credits: A House with History
#24 Any Ideas What This Is For? Over A Door In A Really Old House
That is 100% for a Bracketed Kerosene Lamp
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#25 Not Too Old, But These Were For The House That Had Everything
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#26 This Item Was Found In The Basement Of An 1907 Home. Anyone Know What It Is?
For sterilizing preserving jars and bottles
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#27 Anyone Know What This Is?
This is a Goffering Iron that was used to put ruffles in clothing
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#28 1935 Silver Certificate $1 Bill Found During Renovations. Awesome Find!
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#29 This Is A Very Old Chandelier
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#30 Any Guess On What This Is?
We had one on our milk crate/ metal cooler left at the door. Its to let dairy delivery person know what you needed
Image credits: A House with History
#31 Anyone Know What Type Of Phone This Is?
This is an A & B phone. You put in your dime and made the call. If they didn’t answer you got your money back. Otherwise your money got deposited and you could continue your call
Image credits: A House with History
#32 Found While Removing The Wallpaper. Any Idea What This Used To Be?
Dumb waiter or laundry chute
Image credits: A House with History
#33 What Are These Old Pipes In The Backyard Of An Old Cottage?
Oil tank vents, it was common to have them barred in the yard to save on space in the basement.
Image credits: A House with History
#34 Some Kind Of Fireplace Insert Obviously But Looks Like An Incinerator
Coal heater.
Image credits: A House with History
#35 Do You Know What This Is?
A Victorian era wooden toilet
Image credits: A House with History
#36 Anyone Know What This Item Is Circled In Red? Found Inside A Wall During Renovations Of An Old House
I’m thinking it was a cover for a latch on a pocket door
Image credits: A House with History
#37 Who Knows What This Is?
This is an antique fireplace spit. My understanding is that most old homes had these and were used for cooking.
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Image credits: A House with History
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