40 Strange Things People Discovered In Abandoned Homes
There’s something deeply captivating about old houses—the creaky wooden floors, faded wallpaper, mysterious locked doors, and that lingering feeling that the walls have stories to tell. For those who’ve ever been intrigued by such places, the Facebook group A House With History is an absolute treasure trove.
With over 500,000 members and counting, this group is where history buffs, curious homeowners, and amateur sleuths gather to share the most unusual, eerie, or downright fascinating things they’ve discovered in their homes or while exploring forgotten buildings. From handwritten letters sealed in time to hidden staircases and even secret rooms, the group serves as a digital archive of relics that time almost forgot.
#1 Interesting Newel Post. Seems To Have A Candy Dish On Top. Thoughts??
Image source: A House with History
Was for the “calling cards” I.em the cards everybody carried around to give to the butler to announce their visit.
#2 We All Know What This Is, Right?
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Boot scraper
#3 These Little Doors Are Located In The Rooms Of An Early 1900s House. Any Idea What These Are For?
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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
#4 Found In The Attic Of A Condo That Was Once A Very Old High School
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Window openers, sometimes they were used to open the transom above the old doors
#5 Imagine Having A Manhole Cover Under Your Floor In The Hallway
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It used to be an old cistern with water in it. Lotta old houses have them.
#6 Any Idea What The Holes Are In This Old Rustic Door?
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those would be musket balls. You can see the powder burn in some top ones
#7 This Is Interesting. It Appears To Be Attached To The Wall
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You can sit down and take your shoes and boots off, after hanging up your coat and hat
Those were the days
#8 Anyone Know What This Is??
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Yes we had one for our cellar, to tell us the light were on downstairs.
#9 Found Inside The Wall. Guess Which Room
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These double edge razor blades were found in the bathroom wall. Way back when, the medicine cabinets had a slot in back. It was purposely put there to dispose the old blades which just fell into the wall.
#10 What Is This Mechanism In The Floor. Seems To Have Rollers And A Chain
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for a chandelier so you can lower it for repair and cleaning
#11 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?
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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.
#12 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 source: A House with History
#13 Do You Know What Kind Of Stairs These Are?
These are Witches Stairs. Supposedly Witches couldn’t climb these types of stairs.
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#14 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.
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#15 Hanging Up Over The Doorway Of An Older House. What Is It??
An old glass fire extinguisher filled with Carbon Tetrachloride. Very dangerous.
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#16 What Are These Slots In The Side Of An Old Stone House Next To A Window?
For shooting rifles through
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#17 Typical Radiator But Does Anyone Know What This Feature Is For?
It warms things. That’s pretty much it.
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#18 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 source: A House with History
#19 I Think We All Know What This Is
Old door chimes
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#20 Coat Rack?? What Do You Think?
In the 1970s they were called valets—men hung their suit jackets on them when they came home from work and put their pocket contents in the little tray.
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#21 Old House Mystery. Found During A Kitchen Renovation. Any Ideas What It Is??
Old wood stove plate lifter
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#22 Any Ideas What This Is?? Pretty Sure It’s Not A Well Or Septic
Old wine cellar of a long gone house
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#23 Mounted In The Bedroom Of An Old House.wh Knows What This Is?
Old tie holder.
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#24 Anyone Know What This Is?
This is a Goffering Iron that was used to put ruffles in clothing
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#25 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.
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#26 Old House Mystery – Why Is There A Pedal In The Bottom Of This Wall???
My old house in Utah had one for releasing coal down the chute
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#27 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 source: A House with History
#28 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.
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#29 What Is This? Sink Maybe??
It’s a Laundry tub
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#30 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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#31 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 source: A House with History
#32 Odd Space Found Behind Thus Metal Grate In The Basement. Anyone Have An Idea What It’s For??
Air flow for old furnace
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#33 Old House Mystery In The Garage. Any Idea When This Space Would Be In The Garage Floor?? There Is A Small Cover For It But No Idea What It Was Used For
it was probably used for used oil. Back then you changed your own oil and disposed of it on your own. This hole would allow the oil to seep into the ground and it would go bye bye
Image source: A House with History
#34 I Have No Idea. Hanging On A Radter In The Basement Of An Old House. Any Ideas What This Is??
An old razor sharpener
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#35 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.
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#36 1935 Silver Certificate $1 Bill Found During Renovations. Awesome Find!
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#37 Not Too Old, But These Were For The House That Had Everything
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#38 Anyone Know What This Is?
Antique door knocker.
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#39 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.
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#40 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
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Got wisdom to pour?