I got a call last week from the exec dir of the local historical society museum. They had just moved a refrigerator to do some restoration work and found a trap door in the floor. There's about a 3 foot crawl space under the existing (newer)kitchen that had originally been outdoors. It's probably 40 feet long by 7 feet wide. It's been "covered" by additions to the original house for tens of decades. I (immediately) went down to the museum to look at it and she then also showed me the basement (half of which still has a the dirt floor. The dirt is pretty much like concrete, but she also showed me where that kitchen crawl space was accessible through a big hole in the wall near the ceiling in the basement. Just inside the entry hole sits the old WELL. Half of it is collapsed, but the other half circle is still upright. These ought to be REALLY interesting to search!
The original building was built ~1800, and had several additions by 1850. It's remained as it was then, ever since. It's been used for everything from a Dr's office, to a tavern, a funeral home - even as a HOME. I have to double check, but either this building or the one next door to it was a pharmacy at one time. I've offered (of course)to try to recover anything I can for the historical society, but I'm curious as to how others would suggest that I go about this search. Basically, the entire area used to be outside the home, but has been covered for tens of decades. The building sits within 40 yards of the Susquehanna river, right where a log boom was used to coral timber and load it onto a lock of Penna Canal. Being so close to the river, the building has survived at least 6 or 7 floods. The basement soil ought to show several layers of sediment.
Thanks in advance,
Tagamet
The original building was built ~1800, and had several additions by 1850. It's remained as it was then, ever since. It's been used for everything from a Dr's office, to a tavern, a funeral home - even as a HOME. I have to double check, but either this building or the one next door to it was a pharmacy at one time. I've offered (of course)to try to recover anything I can for the historical society, but I'm curious as to how others would suggest that I go about this search. Basically, the entire area used to be outside the home, but has been covered for tens of decades. The building sits within 40 yards of the Susquehanna river, right where a log boom was used to coral timber and load it onto a lock of Penna Canal. Being so close to the river, the building has survived at least 6 or 7 floods. The basement soil ought to show several layers of sediment.
Thanks in advance,
Tagamet
