Hunting your home inside and out?

[Mama2Twins]

Thank you

I will do!

Here are a few of my thoughts:

1. If it was something that a women was hiding - then go look out the kitchen window for clues-she would probably want to be able to see where she hid the loot!

2. If a man hid it --then look out the bedroom window- he would have wanted to keep an eye on the loot to make sure all was well...

3. If there is an old car on the property --check the gas tank...

4. Any type of vent inside the house needs to be checked.

5. Check fence posts--if one is higher than the rest--check it.

6. I’ve told too may of my secrets...

7.

 

[Silversmith45]

My Grandfather built his old two story house in the early 1900's. In a closet on the second floor, there was a high shelf with no back to it. Anything pushed to far would fall down inside the wall. Also they say that children used to stick coins into the old locks on the doors. I've often wondered what old secrets that old house held. The farm was sold and the new owner burned the house down to get rid of it. Everything fell into the basement and was covered up. I can't get permission to detect there.

 

[canudiggit?]

Check the banisters!

My son just bought a huge graystone house that was built in 1908 and he thought the topcap(?) of the corner bannister of the staircase was lose so he was going to fix it. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that it came completely off and there was an open space to hide things in. Unfortunately, it was empty. And yes I nose around there when I can! I will also be giving him a list of the places to check from this post. Thanks!!

 

[canudiggit?]

Good luck with that, I live on a property that was est in the 1930's, burned and rebuilt, I figured I would find all kinds of old coins since no one gets to remove their valables before a fire.
What I am finding is that the lazy sobs just buried every thing left of the burnt house, even against building codes, so I don't have more than 3 inches of signal free land, in which are nails, and screws and bolts and car parts and gas pipe parts and more nails, than I find more nails, than even after a month, I find more nails, bolts, screws and did I mention nails? I did find a quarter that I dropped.

One of the best things I've ever bought is a magnet (shaped like a long bar) with a long handle and two wheels on it. My husband manages a lumberyard and brings home lots of wood pallets to burn, so the nails end up in the yard/burn pile. I take a steel rake and lightly rake through the dirt there first and this cool tool picks up hundreds of nails. This raking/magnet method also works great if you are md'ing an area with lots of bottle caps or small pieces of iron, wire, etc. Too bad it doesn't work on aluminum or pulltabs!! Mmmm...have these ideas going through my head now of how to make a magnetized rake. lol

 

[Mama2Twins]

Great!

That is a cool story.

See there are hiding spots that await us! Keep the info going maybe one us will find something....

It got me thinking about some wooden posts holding a canopy. I will have to check out there

My son just bought a huge graystone house that was built in 1908 and he thought the topcap(?) of the corner bannister of the staircase was lose so he was going to fix it. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that it came completely off and there was an open space to hide things in. Unfortunately, it was empty. And yes I nose around there when I can! I will also be giving him a list of the places to check from this post. Thanks!!

 

[hillbillydigger]

My son just bought a huge graystone house that was built in 1908 and he thought the topcap(?) of the corner bannister of the staircase was lose so he was going to fix it. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that it came completely off and there was an open space to hide things in. Unfortunately, it was empty. And yes I nose around there when I can! I will also be giving him a list of the places to check from this post. Thanks!!

That got me to thinking... I've heard of people hiding things under brick and rock walkways leading to the front steps.

 

[Irish Luck]

Banks weren't trusted until the government started insuring them. Not sure when that started happening, but guessing it was part of the "start-up" programs after the Great Depression.

My house was built in 1947. One of the first things I did was crawl through the attic, and search the floor beams in the basement. Found some odds and ends, my favorite being a Black Flag bug sprayer in almost mint condition from about the 60's. The interior wall are rock wall (?). Tough stuff. Little ledges in the closets might be a good place to look. I have two built above the door of a "walk-in" closet. Those big ole floor vents are a given also.

The 40's and 50's were a more prosperous era. My Mother grew up during this era, and I know her favorite stash place was under the kitchen sink, usually bills in an envelope and tucked, tied, or taped out of view. I believe this was more of the time people kept nest eggs and ready cash.

 

[Mama2Twins]

One of the best things I've ever bought is a magnet (shaped like a long bar) with a long handle and two wheels on it. My husband manages a lumberyard and brings home lots of wood pallets to burn, so the nails end up in the yard/burn pile. I take a steel rake and lightly rake through the dirt there first and this cool tool picks up hundreds of nails. This raking/magnet method also works great if you are md'ing an area with lots of bottle caps or small pieces of iron, wire, etc. Too bad it doesn't work on aluminum or pulltabs!! Mmmm...have these ideas going through my head now of how to make a magnetized rake. lol

Yes love those magnets to rid the trash

 

[Mama2Twins]

Banks weren't trusted until the government started insuring them. Not sure when that started happening, but guessing it was part of the "start-up" programs after the Great Depression.

My house was built in 1947. One of the first things I did was crawl through the attic, and search the floor beams in the basement. Found some odds and ends, my favorite being a Black Flag bug sprayer in almost mint condition from about the 60's. The interior wall are rock wall (?). Tough stuff. Little ledges in the closets might be a good place to look. I have two built above the door of a "walk-in" closet. Those big ole floor vents are a given also.

The 40's and 50's were a more prosperous era. My Mother grew up during this era, and I know her favorite stash place was under the kitchen sink, usually bills in an envelope and tucked, tied, or taped out of view. I believe this was more of the time people kept nest eggs and ready cash.

Deposit insurance was created in 1933.

Interesting fact to bring up.

I did a lot of home renovation in my home except for the kitchen and master bath. Too bad I didnt know this earlier. I wonder if my renovation company went home with anything!

I should have torn down the Sheetrock in the guest bath that had tile instead of just removing the tile and coating it. I still have the floor in that bath as well as a kitchen, bath and bar in the basement.

Thank you

 

[Mama2Twins]

Thanks for contributing

I really want to thank everyone who posted on this thread. So many thoughts and clues brought up have been really helpful. You guys are amazing! Many thanks for sharing. Happy New Year!

 

[IMShooter]

Where the outhouse was or is.

As a bottle digger, I loves me some outhouse/privy digging. Inlaws farm has 1 standing from the 30's and 2-3 from 1800's and up that are just depressions in the ground now. have found everything from bottles, marbles, animal bones, handfuls of coins etc...Some people even used to hang money in there. Small pouch on a string, hang it from inside (where no fluids etc...would hit it).

Also look at areas from the kitchen. Many housewives would hide money etc.. in a place where they could see their dig spot. Since many housewives were in the kitchen back then, look for trees, depressions in the ground, areas next to garage.

And men would hide stuff from their vantage point..usually the bathroom or the master bedroom.

Plus all of the other areas people have said should keep you busy hunting for awhile...

Friend of mine bought a house from the 30's. gutted it and found a box full of money in the walls..you never know..

 

[Beepette]

In my house there is what looks to be a plastered up window in the wall between the parlor and a bedroom. I always thought why the heck is there a window in an interior wall? Then I had a chance to talk to an older lady who knew some previous owners, and she told me that the 'window' was a clock niche - a little area in the wall where the clock would be set. And she told me that when the niche in my house was torn out, the people found lots of old papers, deeds and such, in the wall below.

 

[hillbillydigger]

In my house there is what looks to be a plastered up window in the wall between the parlor and a bedroom. I always thought why the heck is there a window in an interior wall? Then I had a chance to talk to an older lady who knew some previous owners, and she told me that the 'window' was a clock niche - a little area in the wall where the clock would be set. And she told me that when the niche in my house was torn out, the people found lots of old papers, deeds and such, in the wall below.

I'm not sure I understand what a clock niche is. My guess on an interior window is that an addition had been added to the house and the window was on the original exterior wall.

 

[Beepette]

No, no addition... The niche was on an interior wall. It was a recessed section between studs that was framed in like a window, but had a wall at the back and a shelf to set the clock on, that would be kind of like the window sill.



http://www.architecturaldepot.com/NCH13X13-p-niches.html

 

[Mama2Twins]

Interesting find by me!

After all the members contributions to this thread, I started to hunt my home. I started with a Victorian era rolltop secretary bookcase. Not only did I find that a piece slides out to make a desk and a hidden compartment. I found a photo of my husband's great grandparents. It is a really dark type negative/photo size, but it has our last name written on the frame. Also some bobby pins and a 2 cent red Adams stamp in great condition unused. Nice little keepsakes! Thank you all for keeping up the thread if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have found a family heirloom. I think this is our only photo of them. Photos were destroyed in floods we had.

 

[hillbillydigger]

After all the members contributions to this thread, I started to hunt my home. I started with a Victorian era rolltop secretary bookcase. Not only did I find that a piece slides out to make a desk and a hidden compartment. I found a photo of my husband's great grandparents. It is a really dark type negative/photo size, but it has our last name written on the frame. Also some bobby pins and a 2 cent red Adams stamp in great condition unused. Nice little keepsakes! Thank you all for keeping up the thread if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have found a family heirloom. I think this is our only photo of them. Photos were destroyed in floods we had.

That's so cool! I'm happy for you you were able to recover some hidden keepsakes. That's neat the desk has a secret compartment

 

[Mama2Twins]

That's so cool! I'm happy for you you were able to recover some hidden keepsakes. That's neat the desk has a secret compartment

Thank you

 

[texasmustang]

One of the best things I've ever bought is a magnet (shaped like a long bar) with a long handle and two wheels on it. My husband manages a lumberyard and brings home lots of wood pallets to burn, so the nails end up in the yard/burn pile. I take a steel rake and lightly rake through the dirt there first and this cool tool picks up hundreds of nails. This raking/magnet method also works great if you are md'ing an area with lots of bottle caps or small pieces of iron, wire, etc. Too bad it doesn't work on aluminum or pulltabs!! Mmmm...have these ideas going through my head now of how to make a magnetized rake. lol

I love that idea! I think Canudiggit has a patent in the future. Really have enjoyed reading this thread. Wonderful ideas and suggestions! Cathy

 

[Mama2Twins]

Secret hiding space

I posted that I found a secret hiding spot in a Victorian era rolltop secretary. I but forgot to mention where it was!

Once I found the hidden pull out type of desk. I took out the large center drawer. Now under the in the area to the right is a document sized area that had a 1/2" wooden piece covering a depth of an 1".

 

[sonnydigs]

A friend of mines uncle died, my friend said his uncle was a hoarder.. He saved stacks of old newspapers in a closet.. As they started gathering them cash started to fall out of the pages.. They wound up recovering $50,000 between the pages of the old stacks of newspapers.. You never know..

Also back in the old days farmers frequently had what were called post hole banks.. Typically a corner post close to the yard they would bury a can or jar with their money in it..

I would give that stone wall a good going over.. Especially with a Garrett Propinpointer you may can get under it a bit..
Happy hunting..