A questioner said:
We pulled down a false wall in the cellar of our 1857 house and found this! What is it? Any idea?
May be an image of water heater and hearth
Some of the people comments about this found were:
How come no one talking about the tea kettle that’s just suspended in the air
Weird it was covered
My mother cooked on one of these, she made amazing meals, also bread and cakes, Friday was bake day. We lived on the moors in the borders of England and Scotland. I now live in western Maryland, US.
Excellent find, too bad it was not a treasure chest
That is beautiful. An antique dealer will give you quite a lot of money for that. I wouldn’t move it or touch it until I talk to antique dealers.
What an amazing find. I wonder why the former owners covered that up.
Nice I would start tearing down other walls maybe find something else!
It was probably too heavy to get it out of the cellar so they left it.
Wooooow lucky you I would be over the moon and use it with pride … I remember staying with my nan at weekends she had one and remember her having an iron on there to do her ironing … and doing toast on the fire it was lovely… lucky you 
What a treasure
So the original kitchen may have been in the cellar or it was the kitchen for the servants. Love it
I’d leave it right there. Dust it off. Then design around it. It would be the focal point of your room.
NO!!!is it full size or a child’s size? Whatever! What a FIND!
It appears like they intentionally closed up the fireplace with stove and kettles intact for a future find like this. As a builder/contractor we almost always leave little mementoes or time capsules in the wall or closed off portions of the build. We often include owners information and pictures as well as our information. Coins from the year we did the project. Even bran new tape measures or hammers. Sometimes I’ve included brief essays on current events or political thoughts. It’s fun.
Imagine putting a wall up with the kettles still on the stove!
It looks child Size. That’s truly amazing!
Do you think this was original kitchen?
Wow! They left the tea pots in there!!
I used to black lead one of these for my gran, when I was a child. Of black lead can still be bought ot will come up like new.
That old black grate is in great condition. So what are you going to do with it?
What are your thoughts?
Owning an old house often feels like holding a piece of history in your hands. Each creak and groan of the floorboards, each worn corner, and each weathered brick tells a story. When we bought our 1857 home, we knew it had secrets. Little did we know that one of its most remarkable stories was waiting to be uncovered behind a false wall in the cellar.
The Discovery
Our journey began with a simple home improvement project. The cellar, with its stone walls and cool, damp air, had always intrigued us. One wall, in particular, seemed different. It sounded hollow when tapped and had an odd, almost hidden, seam running down its length. Curiosity got the better of us, and with a few tools and a lot of determination, we decided to investigate.
As we carefully dismantled the wall, brick by brick, our anticipation grew. Finally, the last layer crumbled away to reveal a dusty, forgotten room. What lay within was beyond our wildest dreams.
The Hidden Room
The room was like a time capsule, sealed away and untouched for decades. Dust motes danced in the beams of our flashlights, illuminating a collection of objects that seemed frozen in time. We found old furniture, crates filled with yellowing papers, and a variety of curious artifacts.
Treasures and Traces of the Past
Among the most fascinating finds were:
Antique Furniture: A beautifully crafted wooden rocking chair, a small writing desk, and a trunk filled with linens and clothing from the 19th century.
Historical Documents: Letters, diaries, and legal papers that offered a glimpse into the lives of the home’s previous occupants. One particularly poignant diary detailed the daily life of a woman who lived in the house during the Civil War.
Vintage Tools and Equipment: A collection of old tools, a sewing machine, and even an early model of a phonograph.
Personal Items: Family photographs, a set of silverware, and a few pieces of jewelry that likely held sentimental value.
Piecing Together the Past
As we sifted through the items, we began to piece together the story of the house and its inhabitants. The documents revealed that the house had been a refuge during tumultuous times. The hidden room might have been used to store valuables or even serve as a safe haven during periods of unrest.
One particularly fascinating letter was from a former owner to a relative, describing how the false wall was constructed to protect the family’s most prized possessions from potential looters during the Civil War. This discovery added a layer of historical significance to our home, connecting us to the broader tapestry of American history.
Preserving Our Find
Realizing the importance of our discovery, we decided to preserve and document everything we found. We contacted local historians and museums, who were thrilled at the prospect of examining the artifacts and documents. We even received guidance on how to properly preserve the items to ensure they remained in good condition.
A New Chapter for Our Home
Uncovering the hidden room has deepened our appreciation for our historic home. It’s more than just a place to live; it’s a repository of memories and stories that have transcended generations. We plan to incorporate some of the artifacts into our home decor, creating a small museum-like display to share the history with visitors and future generations.
Conclusion
Our discovery behind the false wall in the cellar of our 1857 house has been nothing short of extraordinary. It serves as a reminder that the past is always with us, waiting to be uncovered and appreciated. As we continue to explore and restore our home, we look forward to uncovering more secrets and preserving the rich history that lies within its walls.
Uber driver saves up for 8 years to build a genius expandable container home
Imagine dreaming of an expandable container home that can travel with you, unfolding into a comfortable living space quickly, and equipped with all the essentials.
That’s exactly what Kamal Kadhar dreamed of ten years ago, inspired by innovative designs he discovered online.
Despite lacking formal construction training, Kamal started a journey fueled by determination and passion.
Using his earnings from eight years of driving for Uber, Kamal built a compact yet expandable container home measuring 7.5 feet by 24 feet.
The beauty of his creation lies in its portability – it can be towed by a 4×4 vehicle, eliminating the need for cranes or forklifts.
Kamal’s journey began in a field outside Tiruchirappalli, a southern Indian city, where he constructed his first prototype.
What sets Kamal’s creation apart is its simplicity and resilience. He opted for mechanical winches instead of complex hydraulics to ensure ease of deployment in remote locations.
As Kamal describes it, the expandable container home is like an octopus – small when needed, expandable when necessary, and can withstand disasters like fires, hurricanes, or floods.
The relocation process is as easy as moving a shipping container, making it legally transportable anywhere in the world using a 4×4 SUV.
The journey wasn’t without its challenges.
After investing almost a decade of hard work and facing financial strain, Kamal’s family was on the verge of giving up.
However, witnessing the prototype changed everything. Realizing the idea’s value brought relief despite the personal and financial sacrifices.
Kamal’s unconventional path involved learning everything from YouTube, combining his experiences as an Uber driver with visits to construction sites and apprenticeships at a builder’s shop.
The relocation process is as easy as moving a shipping container, making it legally transportable anywhere in the world using a 4×4 SUV.
The journey wasn’t without its challenges.
After investing almost a decade of hard work and facing financial strain, Kamal’s family was on the verge of giving up.
However, witnessing the prototype changed everything. Realizing the idea’s value brought relief despite the personal and financial sacrifices.
Kamal’s unconventional path involved learning everything from YouTube, combining his experiences as an Uber driver with visits to construction sites and apprenticeships at a builder’s shop.
His creative mindset was founded on his father’s small scrap metal shop, where he played with metal and aluminum, shaping the project to resemble a regular shipping container.
The main structure starts small at 7ft 6in and expands to 20ft.
The expandable container home takes less than 2 hours to build, with a foundation not required.
It can be adjusted on uneven surfaces using built-in leg jacks.
The roof opens with stainless steel hinges, both mechanical and electrical components, avoiding hydraulics for reliability.
The roof opens to add solar panels, maximizing power generation for personal use or resale to the government by connecting to the grid.
The sides expand mechanically, controlled by a hinge, making it easy to pull and open with just one finger.
The kitchen, also expandable, is attached to the bathroom facility. Utilities run down the middle, and it’s designed to hook up to city sewage.
The living area is spacious, with a total interior size of 300 square feet, and the bedroom features a foldable bed.
This house has been tested in a remote village, and even non-professionals helped build it confidently.
You can expand it and adjust the interior to make it more spacious.
Leave a Reply