Context is key. For example, your own home, even if old and a bit run down, often is comforting and familiar. But if one was to approach a house that looked like it hadn’t had a human inhabitant for years, fear and trepidation might be the first emotions that come to mind.
The “Houses with a History” Facebook group is dedicated to interesting, unusual and sometimes creepy things people have found in old houses. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section down below.
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#1 Anyone Ever See A Wall Outlet Like This??? Looks Like It’s Winking At Me
It says Ariel right on it. Old antenna plug for a tv or radio back in the day
Image source: A House with History
#2 Old House Mystery. Why Is There A Light Switch On The Newel Post???
Yeah. This house, built in early 1950s, has hard wood tongue & groove flooring. The lamp that lightens the stairway is missing but was on/off by a two-way switch at this bottom dite & the head of the stairs above. A Great way to save an the electric bill!
Image source: A House with History
#3 We’ve Shared Some Interesting Brickwork On This Page But Never Like This…
Image source: A House with History
#4 Found At Rge Cornerstone Of An Early 1900s Apartment Building. Any Ideas What It Is?
Corner bollard to protect the corner of the building from cart wheels.
Image source: A House with History
#5 In The Basement Of A 1901 House. Any Idea What It’s For?
Wooden spool from wire-could be electricity wire or it could b from barbed wire if it’s a farm house
Image source: A House with History
#6 Any Ideas On What This Little Nook Area Is For? I Was Thinking Maybe For A Statue??
Corded phone, like an at home phone booth lol
Image source: A House with History
#7 Located On The Second Floor Of A 1906 House. What Is It??
That’s an old telephone lol
You could hear when it’s time for dinner
No central heat then, each kitchen had a stove and that was the hvac of the day
Also a rock by the stove was there to take to bed to keep you warm at night
Image source: A House with History
#8 Another Old House Mystery To Start The Weekend. Any Idea What Thus Is Mounted To The Side Of An Older Brick House??
Electrical insulators for an old electric service
Image source: A House with History
#9 What Do You Think? Witches Window??
Keeps the witch’s out of the jacuzzi
Image source: A House with History
#10 This Walkway Is To A House From The 1930s. Why Do You Think It’s Like This
It’s was for the horse and cart
Image source: A House with History
#11 Definitely Adds Some Character And Looks Awesome
It supposedly bult crooked to keep witches from entering.
Many older homes have crooked chimneys
Image source: A House with History
#12 Old House Mystery. This One From An 1800s Home In Canada. What Is This Item Located At The Base Of A Wall? Note The Two Holes In The Floor Just Below It….
It’s a furnace control damper. Chain would’ve been attached to open or close the damper
Image source: A House with History
#13 Interesting Find While Pulling Up Carpet. A Hole In The Floor With A Message “Run For Your Life”. What Do Think They Saw??
Reminds me of the hole that likely still remains in the floorboards of my Aunt’s home in Denver. One day, back in ye olde late 1900s my Uncle, having just lectured me on gun safety, agreed to show me his firearms. After removing one firearm from the nightstand he tried to clear the round that was in the chamber when the gun went off. Went through the bed, into the floor, and is likely somewhere still in the dirt of the crawlspace.
My father, ever the comedian and somewhat of a jerk, patted my uncle on the shoulder and asked when he planned on mounting his mattress trophy over the fireplace.
Image source: A House with History
#14 Old House Mystery. What Is This Mechanism In The Floor? Looks Like It Has Some Type Of Roller System…
Lowers chandelier for cleaning in the dining room below
Image source: A House with History
#15 Old House Mystery. What Is This? Hanging On The Walls Next To The Doorways. Obviously Painted Over A Few Times
Mezuzah. Jewish people have them at each door (except bathrooms). They touch the mezuzah and then kiss their fingers. Inside is a small paper Torah scroll. It’s a visual reminder that G-d is always present.
Image source: A House with History
#16 Imagine Finding This Under Your Living Room Floor?? House Was Built Over An Inground Pool
Omg an ancient Roman bath house, the first ever discovered in America. You should turn your house into a museum and charge 10$ per person
Image source: A House with History
#17 We All Know These Are, Right?
Yes, there are old window weights
Image source: A House with History
#18 Old House Mystery. Why This Grate In The Middle Of A Living Room Floor??
The heat came up from the coal furnace in the cellar. I can actually remember when my grandparents still used theirs. There were smaller grates in the ceilings on the first floor that let heat go up to the second floor bedrooms. They also doubled as an intercom system. You just yelled up or down through them if you needed something
Image source: A House with History
#19 Old House Mystery. What Is This Item Located Outside Of A Bedroom Door?
A damper control for a coal furnace. If the floor hasnt been covered over you will find two small holes in the floor below if that the damper chains would have passed through
Image source: A House with History
#20 Old House Mystery For The Week. What Are These 3 Wooden Poles Attached To Door Hinge That Allows Them To Swing Out From The Rear Door??
Drying racks if large dowels for blankets sheets and so forth smaller for towels etc.
Image source: A House with History
#21 Located In The Basement Of An 1860s House. What Do You Think It Might Be? Coal Storage?
Duct bank to support the foundation from moving in from the weight of the soil outside the wall. Typical old type build
Image source: A House with History
#22 Brass Plate Found In The Bedroom Of An Old House. Anyone Have An Idea What This Was For?
Navy. Brass bc well everything is brass
S. R. Is state room (where officers live
It tells where the different toilets drain. It is a souvenir from someone’s past. Not Sears roebuck but i like the thought
I’m a submarine guy so I don’t know where mds mdp and all that. Lines up to
mid something portside
Mid something starboard side
Mid something P & S. (Left and right side. ).
Image source: A House with History
#23 What Kind Of Outlet Is This??
It’s just a parallel-tandem outlet, popular from the 1920s until the 1960s. It was made to accept either the old style tandem plugs, or the modern parallel plug. Many might be more familiar with the more common T-slot outlet, which provides the same features
Image source: A House with History
#24 Many Of The Doors In This Older Home Have Two Hinges On The Top Only. Anyone Know Why?
Because the old doors was not made of cardboard
Image source: A House with History
#25 Any Idea What This Odd Brick Is For?
Vent for attic
Image source: A House with History
#26 Found Behind A Wall During Renovations. What Do We Think? Old Phone Sitting Area?
Telephone shelf
Image source: A House with History
#27 What Is This?? Inside A Closet…
There could be one of three things it could be it could be a water shut off valve for the outside. It could be a wooden truffle that’s underneath the floor to make the floor sit flat you turn it and it provides tension on that board or releases tension or it could bea air duct vent valve that’s in the floor
Image source: A House with History
#28 These Paw Prints In Cement Are Over 100 Years Old. Located At The Earnest Hemingway House In Key West, Florida.
Image source: A House with History
#29 Any Idea What The Square Hole Is For? Guessing Ashes But It’s Too Far Forward
Ash removal , my Grandmother had one . There’s a container in basement that collect the ashes. The reason she saved hers , in the Spring when she planted her Vegetable Garden she used wood ash too keep the bugs away. She didn’t like it the ideal of pesticides . Really the food she grew was Organic! Hooray for my grandmother !!
Image source: A House with History
#30 Old House Mystery. What Is This In The Corner Of The Baseboards??
What you’re looking at is most likely an old radiator pipe cover or a decorative steam pipe casing. These were used in older homes with steam or hot water heating systems. The rounded, bulbous top often capped vertical pipes to prevent burns and add a “decorative” flair (though, in this case, it may unintentionally resemble… other things).
These pieces were often made of wood, plaster, or ceramic and painted to match the trim. It could also be a remnant of an antique gas lamp system or another utility that was later sealed off.
Bottom line: it’s probably an innocent old pipe cover with very unfortunate geometry.
Image source: A House with History
#31 Old House Mystery. What Is This Thing Located In The Basement Of An Old House?
Radiant Heater, possibly used to provide enough heat to prevent freezing in the winter months
Image source: A House with History
#32 In The Backwoods Of An 1800s House. What Do We Think? Well?
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#33 Old House Mystery. Found In The Rafters Of An Old Barn. Any Ideas?
The object found in the old farmhouse is a glass fire grenade.
These items were a form of early fire extinguisher, popular from the 1880s to the 1930s. They were typically filled with fire-retardant liquids, such as salt water or carbon tetrachloride, and designed to be thrown at the base of a fire to extinguish it.
Image source: A House with History
#34 Old House Mystery. What Are These Metal Things Embedded In The Brick Wall?
They are called whistles. You use them to nail into . You can install trim or flashing using them
Image source: A House with History
#35 Anyone Ever Seen This Type Of Window Weight Before?
There was a rope it worked like pulley that object served as a weight because the windows were made so heavy and very long . The rope has seen it’s better days and gone.
Image source: A House with History
#36 Old House Mystery. Found Inside A 100 Year Old House. Any Ideas What It Is??
Fire grenade, it’s safe as long as its sealed. Some people collect them. Just be careful with it, keep it somewhere safe, it will still put out a fire as well. It contains carbon tetrachloride.
Image source: A House with History
#37 Old House Mystery. What Is There A Stove Pipe Under The Living Room Floor??
I remember before these they were in walls to allow heat from fireplaces to get to other rooms, in the 1800s things changed a bit, but there was always a way to make sure the heat traveled through,whether from coal stoves, or wood or other there were always forms of making heat travel through old houses
Image source: A House with History
#38 A Small House From The Early 1900s With A Rather Long Stairway. Imagine Carrying Groceries Up These?
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#39 Located In The Backyard Of An Old House In Boston. What Is This??
Its a Garbage disposal, someone would pick up the old waste food to Feed pigs at a Farm near by. After heating g it with Steam, from a boiler
Image source: A House with History
#40 Old House Mystery. Any Idea What This Skinny Little Closet Was Used For? Located In The Archway Between Two Rooms In An Old Victorian
Card tables? Maybe they hosted a lot of game parties? It was a much bigger thing back in the day. I found out that the first few owners hosted all kinds of events in my house through searching the local newspaper for my address. They had bunko and bridge parties, “fashion” parties for wives, all kinds of community organization parties, etc. They didn’t have social media, so they put ads in the newspaper when the next party was scheduled
Image source: A House with History
#41 Old House Mystery. What Is This??? Located In The Basement Of A 1927 House
Door bell transformer. Still have one in my house
Image source: A House with History
#42 Any Idea What This Is?? I’m Pretty Sure It’s Not A Well Or Septic Tank
It’s what they call a dry. Well you have a septic tank before that and then as it comes out of the tank it goes into the drywall and then leeches into the ground. That’s what I have at my house and it works perfect
Image source: A House with History
#43 Old House Mystery. What Is This? Located In A Colonial Ear Home
It’s an old water tank where the water was pumped from the cistern into the tank. My hand. It had a check valve on it so the water could be pressurized. There was one in my house when I bought it. I still have it so there was a hand pump prior to the tank with a check valve. Simple as that and when the pressure dropped you had to go and pump it up again
Image source: A House with History
#44 Any Ideas What Thus Is?
Public toilet lock, and in the UK the source of the saying “I need to spend a penny” as a polite way of saying that you’re going to the loo. A penny was the charge when public toilets were first installed, and I remember them still being in use in department store toilets when I was a kiddie, as well as outdoor public toilets.
Image source: A House with History
#45 Found In The Backyard Ofcan Older House. Any Ideas??
This hook may serve as an attachment point for equine-drawn vehicles or horses in general
Image source: A House with History
#46 Ok Old House Experts, What Is This? Located In The Basement Of A 1928 Home
It is an old telephone lightning arrestor, a safety device used in older homes to protect against lightning strikes on telephone lines. Back in the day I knew of several people killed and several others, one of which who lived to be struck by lightning a second time, surviving two strikes.
Image source: A House with History
#47 Old House Mystery. Found In The Backyard. What Is This?
I think it may be a closed well. If you look at the bricks there are several layers and it looks to be in shape of a circle. An outhouse most likely wouldn’t have that many bricks. But it could be a cistern where they gathered water (rain water) for animals, irrigation of some sorts, but they are usually kind of like a barrel or enclosed.
Image source: A House with History
#48 Old House Mystery. Found In An Upstairs Bedroom. What Is This?
It’s where the flu pipe came through the floor to heat that room
Image source: A House with History
#49 Old House Mystery. Why A Closet Door Above The Bathtub???
It’s probably the original staircase to the attic. A lot of people put the bathroom in there because the space wasn’t being used when plumbing first came out.
Image source: A House with History
#50 Old House Mystery. What Might This Be?? Located In The Attic Of A Vet Old House
An insulator. Were used back when closet coated wiring was common.
Image source: A House with History
#51 Old House Mystery. Not Super Old But Non The Less, What Is This? Located On A Rafter
That looks like half a fluorescent lamp set up with the ballast still there
Image source: A House with History
#52 Old House Mystery. What Is This?? Located On A Bathroom Wall In An Earl 1900s House
That’s a tandem-parallel outlet. They can be used with modern parallel-blade plugs, but at the time, tandem-blade plugs were also in use and were common enough that outlets were made which could accept both plug types.
This specific one is probably from the 1920s, made by GE.
The visible part of the outlet is made of hard rubber and is not burnt, but has always been black.
Image source: A House with History
#53 Old House Mystery. Why Is This Doorbell Hidden In A Kitchen Cabinet? Any Ideas?
By any chance is there an outbuilding on the property? Sometimes they would use a buzzer or bell to let people know dinner was ready if they were in the outbuilding.
Image source: A House with History
#54 Old House Mystery. Why Is There A Chain Coming Out Of The Floor?
Coal furnace it opens and shut the damper
Image source: A House with History
#55 Found Behind A Hidden Panel In The Basement Of An Old Tudor House. Have You Ever Found Something Hidden In Your House?
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#56 Old House Mystery. Why Would There Be A Key Hidden In The Newel Post? Thoughts?
There used to be a tradition where you would hide the house key in the newel post as a symbol of ownership to grant prosperity to the home.
Image source: A House with History
#57 Located In The UK. Anyone Kniw What This Tiny House-Like Item Is?
This small, domed stone structure in the UK is known as a “village lock-up” or sometimes referred to as a “round-house lock-up” or “cage” in local terminology. These were once common in British villages from the 18th and 19th centuries and were used to temporarily detain drunks, petty criminals, or people who had been arrested before they could be taken to a magistrate or larger jail.
Image source: A House with History
#58 Found In The Basement Of An Old House. What Are These?? And No, They Are No Coconuts…
It’s a Saxon game where these were painted differently and made to look like animals then catapulted against walls and wooden buildings..if you were successful you would proceed to next level
Image source: A House with History
#59 Old House Mystery. This Is Located In The Middle Of The Dining Room Floor Of An Older Home. What Is It??
In the middle of the dining room floor, it’s definitely a servant call button that sat under the dining table and the host/hostess could tap it with their toe to summon servants discreetly.
Image source: A House with History
#60 From A 1930s Home. Ever See An Outlet Like This??
1930s bakelite outlet. These were usually surface mounted for use with multiple plug types.
Image source: A House with History
#61 This Gives New Meaning To Nightlight. If You’ve Ever Seen One Of These Newel Post Lights Drop A Comment
Image source: A House with History
#62 Old House Mystery. This Lever Is Located On A Living Room Wall In An Old House. What Is It For??
Damper from when the house had a coal furnace
Image source: A House with History
#63 Old House Mystery. Located In The Basement Of An Old House. What Is This For??
Pencil sharpener
I especially like the placement of the dry wall screw , so when you trim your pencil you can rip your knuckles w
Image source: A House with History
#64 Old House Mystery. This Is Located In The Front Yard Of An Older Home. Any Ideas?
Missing parts to a water well pump. We see them here a lot and people take them apart for lawn ornaments . They don’t work – just for decoration
Image source: A House with History
#65 This Old Scale Was Found In The Basement Closet Of A Home From 1904. What Do You Think They Measuring With This??
The scales like that were used in assay offices. You put the precious metal on one side and you added weights to the other side until it balanced. They also use those in General stores to weigh merchandise that was sold by the pound
Image source: A House with History
#66 Old House Mystery. Located In The Upstairs Bedroom On The Wall. What Is It? I Originally Thought Maybe Telephone But It Doesn’t Look Like It
It is an old telephone hardwire connection.
Image source: A House with History
#67 Old House Mystery. Do You Know What This Is? This Is An Easy One But In Case You’re Not Sure I Will Post A Video Of This In Action In The Comments
It’s a mechanical doorbell where you turned a knob on the outside of the door and it rang the bell, I just about bought a house that had one of these but a more modern version from the 1930s.
Image source: A House with History
#68 Anyone Know What This Is Called? Answer Is In The Comments
It’s a dinner bell. Turn the crank, ring the bells, the farm crew come running for their dinner.
Image source: A House with History
#69 Supposedly This Is From An Old Farmhouse Out West. Not Exactly Sure But My Guess Is That Thus Is A Dinner Bell System. Any Thoughts?
This was for rooms to call for service.
Evidently this household was large enough to have maids or ‘footmen’ and this told them which room required their attendance.
Image source: A House with History
#70 Old House Mystery. Located In A Home From 1920. What Is This Lever On The Side Wall?
My guess, to tell the guys in the basement, to keep stoking the furnace and full steam ahead!
Image source: A House with History
#71 Old House Mystery. Located In An 1865 House And Sticking Out Of The Walls Of Various Rooms. Who Knows What This Is? Answer In The Comments
Speaking tube , some you’d blow through and they’d whistle and then you’d talk to the person on the other end.
Image source: A House with History
#72 Not An Old House But A Castle. Any Idea What These Features Are On The Side Of The Castle. I Will Put An Answer In The Comments
Supposedly these features were the toilets. They just dropped right out to the moat.
Image source: A House with History
#73 Old House Mystery. What’s This Item Located In The Kitchen Of A 1950s House?
The Exhaust fan – for smell of fried chicken, bacon, sofrito, rice and beans to billow out into the neighborhood…
Image source: A House with History
#74 Old House, Old Door, Old Horseshoe. Anyone Know The Significance Of Hanging A Horseshoe Above The Door? Answer Is In The Comments
The horseshoe signifies good luck. Point up like in the photo means catching good luck. Pointing down means showering with good luck.
Image source: A House with History
#75 Not An Old House Mystery But An Old Alley Mystery. What Is This Think In The Corner. Location Is Tge UK
It’s to stop people from peeing in the alley, it’ll splash back on them
Image source: A House with History
#76 Old House Mystery. Would They Put A Window In The Chimney?
As the wife of a Mason this chimney is fully functional. It has flues on both sides of the window, that allow the smoke to rise. The window works at it should opening and closing.
Image source: A House with History
#77 Old House Mystery. What Is This? Located On A Home Built In 1926
Furnace/flue control.
It would be your home thermostats great, great, granddaddy
Image source: A House with History
#78 We’ve Seen A Lot Of Things In Older Houses But This One Is Very Unique…
Image source: A House with History
#79 Old House Mystery. Located In The Basement Of A 1920s Home. What Is This?
Well pump possible a sump pump but am leaning more at actual pump motor. That’s an electric style one it looks like the gas ones is pretty much once ya got it going it went till it ran out of gas or if ya stopped it ya self an shut it down. I got a dozen or so of those old style motors gas an electric from grandpa I don’t really know much about em still learning on em
Image source: A House with History
#80 Old House Mystery. On The Front On An Older Brick House. What Is This For?
Yes…that rack used to hold porcelain insulators, and incoming electrical wires were once tied to them for electrical service. Common on buildings in the 1920s-1950s.
Image source: A House with History
#81 Old House Mystery. What Is This Thing Built Into The Side Of An Old Brick House?
Boot scraper to get dirt off your shoes before you enter the house.
Image source: A House with History
#82 Old House Mystery. Located In The Basement, What Is This????
That is an old utility transformer / service entrance distribution point, likely from the 1930s–1950s era.
It’s basically the building’s main power feed, long before modern breaker panels were standard.
Image source: A House with History
#83 Old House Mystery. What Is This?? Located On The Ceiling At The End Of The Stairway
That is a decorative element called a drop finial. There is probably a newel post above it.
Image source: A House with History
#84 Old House Mystery. Why Is There A Gear Inside The Top Of The Newel Post. Come To Find Out It’s Not A Gear. It’s A Specialized Nut That Holds The Newel Post Down
It’s a nut and rod that runs down the center of the post and secures it to the subfloor below…. You may be able to see the opposite end looking up between the joists in the basement.
Also, sometimes the homes architectural drawings were placed in the newel post for safekeeping. It happened occasionally with some vintage houses
Image source: A House with History
#85 Old House Mystery. Why Are There Jar Lids Attached To The The Basement Ceiling?? House Dates Back Yo The 1950s
Memories: in the ‘50s my grandfather had the lids of pint jars screwed to the underside of a shelf above his bench. In each jar were screws, nails, bolts, and nuts and a bit of camphor to keep them from rusting.
Image source: A House with History
#86 Old House Mystery. What Is This Lever Under The Sink Of An Early 1940s Home
Probably the main water shutoff. I’ve seen this as a way to shut off water to the house when it’s in the crawlspace or other inconvenient place. It could also just be for a specific run or fixture.
Image source: A House with History
#87 Old House Mystery. If Anyone Knows What This Thing Is Please Share
Cream separator, let’s cream rise to top then open valve at bottom to drain milk off
Image source: A House with History
#88 Old House Mystery. Located On The Baseboards Near The Kitchen Entrance. What Is This?
It’s how you controlled the furnace in the basement without going in the basement
Image source: A House with History
#89 Old House Mystery. Why Would The Chimney Be Proped Up On A Wooden Structure??
I ‘ve often seen this in older houses, and in sheds and summer- kitchens. This was an economy. The chimney going through the attic and roof had to be brick for fire safety. But bricks cost money, so they were used only where required.
Image source: A House with History
#90 Old House Mystery. This Hole Is In The Garage Floor. What’s It Used For?
My guess… a drain. Then again, a portal to Lucifer’s Lair.
Pour a bucket of water down and see if it drains…. But make it Holy Water. That way you are covered on both possibilities.
Image source: A House with History
#91 Ever See Tongue And Groove Like This???
It is possible to do if each joint is 2 pieces of timber and placed in layers from bottom to top.
Although this image may have had the grain AI ed to fuse the grain.
Image source: A House with History
#92 Old House Mystery. This Feature Is Located On A House From The 1800s. What’s It For?
It was probably added as a phone nook. Since phones didn’t appear till the 1920s. Probably held a candlestick phone.
Image source: A House with History
#93 Old House Mystery. This Item That Resembles An Oar Was Found Inside The Wall Of An Old House. Any Idea What It Is Or What It’s Used For?
It is for laundry. I have one without the holes. The clothes or whatever is hot in the pot. It could also be yarn. Whatever you have to stir to clean the laundry….. or really anything that is hot. The holes, I think, help against the resistance. Or if it is short its for spanking and again the holes help against the air resistance.
Image source: A House with History
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