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Any of you guys do this????

G

Greg1959

Well-known Member
Whenever I built a house, remodeled a house or built an addition, etc.

Depending on the amount of restoration or building, I would always write a summary of the work I did and date it.

If it was a small addition... I would usually write a quick note on the rafter. Bigger additions or whole houses I would write a few pages of the work I did and include News from the current times. Then place it in a zip-lock bag and enclose the bag in a tupperware container. I would then put the tupperware container between the studs in a wall and hang sheetrock, thus enclosing the container until someone removes the drywall or tears down the wall

I still remember the first house remodel I did in 1984 (30 years ago). I could go in there today and point out exactly where to look for the message I left.

Just thought it would be interesting to later owners if they found it and might want to know some part of the history of the home.

Greg
 
I haven't done that, but about 18 years ago we lived on a house built about 1920, and an upstairs toilet malfunctioned, doing a lot of ceiling and lath and plaster wall damage, so we took the opportunity to rip out the water-damaged and cracked lath and plaster in two rooms and insulate and sheetrock.

In one area of a wall (where the water didn't get) there was quite a collection of regional, state, and local newspapers from the era.

I intended to put them back, along with current versions, but failed at that due to the illnesses of several family members I had to look after.

We moved on, and the fellow I sold the house to has since passed away, and it's hard to say what will happen to the grand old house.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I were in the attic of our Church rectory looking for the source of a cold air leak that was freezing pipes, and noticed a number of rafter cross-braces were written on by workmen in September, 1951, listing their names, the date and what they were doing. That was 6 years before I was born.

I found that interesting as my late Uncle was an electrician and wired the building when it was built. (Didn't find his name in the area we were in.)

The writing appeared to be done in black Magic Marker, but were they around in 1951?

It really didn't look like pencil or grease pencil. What would have been used at that time?
 
We went through my Gandma's place, and my Aunt and Uncle's place before the local VFD burned them for practice, in preparation for the land being cleared for a new ministorage place.

We didn't find anything in Grandma's place beyond what turned out to be some beautiful tongue and groove pine boards. A few trinkets left behind was all the other house left us....until it was almost too late......

After they burned the place there was about an 8x8 section of the living room floor that was carpeted, and didn't burn for some reason. What I found under the carpet was a layer of newspapers from the early 50's until the early 60's (just after JFK was killed). The papers had been lain in about 6 layers deep, I assume as padding and insulation for the floor in that room.

I managed to salvage more papers than I figured I would, but not nearly as many as I would have liked to. One I got part of that made me especially sick, was a full, two page ad for the new 1955 year model year Chevrolets, showing all of the different models available. I wound up with maybe 2/3 of the ad.

What's really interesting is to go back through the old papers and look at the movies playing in the theaters at the time, and seeing the old, now famous names, listed. Even better is looking at the way products were advertised, and the associated pricing.

One of these days I hope to get the time to go through everything and make up some wall hangings out of some of the old ads.
 
Bob- I don't know if this answer your question about "Magic Markers" or not.

In 2007 I stripped and remodeled a 3 story home built in 1913. The third floor was a 'Grand Ballroom'.

Anyway, after removing the lathe and plaster, knob and tube wiring...I saw many hand prints on the studs and joists that were in such detail that you could make out the fingerprints.

WOW! Those prints were from someone from almost a hundred years ago that built this home.
 
When my house was built I wrote the carpenter's name, and my name as owner, and the date on a rafter. My dad built several pieces of furniture over the years; I've labeled each one underneath with as much information as I can give about the item. I do the same with things I build. I just write it with a heavy pencil. The plastic box is a good idea.
 
Late 40's / early 50's they had REFILLABLE felt-tip pens (my Father had one) and you refilled them from a bottle of India Ink.


Doc
 
Long story, short version: I wound up completely gutting one room in the original section of my house. Right down to the joists and studs.

Under the linoleum and tarpaper on the floor was a layer of newspaper from 1917-1918! What could be read was fascinating. Unfortunately the same thing that caused the tear out also ruined most of the paper.

Also, I built a small three-walled windbreak around the back door. I needed to sheath the inside as well as the outside, so I boxed the corners. Inside one box I placed a challenge coin and one of the many souvenir pocket knives I've somehow collected over the years.

I'd love to see the reaction when that gets torn down.
 
My father and I remodeled a hardware store interior and found my grandfather's name (my father's father) etched in a stud. My grandfather was a carpenter also.
 
I used to also. Put my business card and some change from that year. I also used to do dry laid field stone walls and would put a tin box with card and change in the wall.
My grandfathers old farmhouse was post and beam and plank and had newspapers on the plank under the lathe, some dated civil war era into 1880's. Other grandparents farm we found a stone in field stonewall with previous owner/builders name and 1884 chiseled in.
 
I recently climbed up in the rafters of the barn at the "other farm" that Dad bought in the 1990's. Painted on the top beam on the inside was "Barn painted 1964. L.H,K.H" The previous owners initials were LH and his son was KH. Thought that was cool
 
A little off topic but close. When I was a Dodge mechanic our dealership was repairing a brand new Dodge Ram short bed 1500 series football "Ram" series truck. Assembly line workers signed the truck from front to rear underneath. I thought it was a great idea.
 
I usually sign my work - between the studs on the sheetrock of the wall behind or behind a wall mount medicine cabinet or behind the vanity or kitchen cabinets.
I leave a standard note - May god bless this home, this family and this work. + name and date.
 
On all of my spec-houses I made a photo journal starting with the bare lot and then took pictures throughout the construction process. I made special note of wiring and plumbing locations. When I sold the house I presented the homeowner with the photo journal and an expandable folder with all of the owner's manuals, warranty registrations, lien-waiver copies, etc. It also served a useful selling tool when I had the house on the market as buyers could see the construction method and materials used.
 
Sheet Rockers left some fresh fish behind the newly hung rock in a new garage they were finishing. Yes there was a reason for doing it.
 
All sounds like a good idea. I wish I'd thought of it in 1973 when I built my house. As it is, all anyone would find in the walls are some empty Busch cans. I did find an embossed beer bottle, "Furniture City Brewing Co.", under the floor in an old grain mill in Quincy, MI about 30 years ago.
 
A buddy of our bought a little old farm house up north a ways, and I went to help him start getting it ready for winter last year. The place was in pretty rough shape, but you buy what you can afford!!

I was in the attic removing the insulation, kind of looked like cat litter.. And under neath I found some paper, didn't think anything of it, just threw it down stairs to inspect later. Well he found it before I did, and it was a complete "Elks Club" magazine from 1946... WOW, I was amazed! Donated it to our local Elks Club, they were very happy to have it! Bryce
 
IN 1987 I had my 2 story farm house vinyl sided. When the work crew tore off a window casing board under that was a date in 1894 and about 6 names under the date. Written in pencil on that clear wood the writing looked very good. Wish now I would have taken a picture of it.
The date and names are still there, but under a new window casing waiting for the next generation.
 
Well sorta . When we gutted the whole down stairs of THIS OLD HOUSE i was as careful as i could be on removing the trim work as it was in really good shape and all red oak , WIDE red oak eight inch base boards with a two inch wide top molding five inch wide trim around all the doors and windows with a sorta L cap molding on all of them . Well the old carpenter that built this OLD HOUSE had signed and dated each piece of trim . The bathroom was redone in 1927 and it was sort of a dry wall plaster board where as the rest of the house was horse hair plaster , nasty stuff to remove . According to the trim work this house was built around 1892. But anyway i added my name and date to the trim work after i had stripped it and refinished it before i put it back up. I did have to go and make up a few pieces that were broken while removing them and to make up new is the reason that i now have and almost complete wood working shop because you just don't find red oak at any Lowes or Homer Depot that is 7/8th inch thick and full width . And the Custom yuppy lumber mill work place wanted more to make what i needed then it cost me to BUY everything i have in the basement now . Just one more piece of equipment and i will have it all and that is a good shaper . Then i will start making the War Dept's dream kitchen ( IF i live long enough).
 
Our house was built in 1918. When we remodeled in 1980, in the wall, we found a tobacco tin with a note inside saying the names of workers, their ages, down to the day, and they were going into the service to beat Kiser Bill. The tin is on our fireplace mantle.
 
The house I live in was built about Just before the civil war. The previous owner of this house was born in it. There is writing all over the walls from when he did or had anything done to it. I replaced the cast iron tub in the 2nd story bathroom a couple of years ago. It had 2 dates on the wall from when it was originally installed 1933 and the date when it was taken out to fix a leak, now it has a date from when I replaced it. In the cellar there are dates it was wired knob and tube another date when it was upgraded to pushmatic breakers and last year when I rewired the house with 200 amp Square D homeline. Dates for when the furnace was installed and replace, a date when village water was hooked up and marks and dates on the outside cellar entrance for depth and dates of flood waters. There are 2 large oak trees along side of the garage which he said were planted by a relative of his when he came back from the civil war. He planted several Oak trees as seen in old pictures but only two left now.2 years ago I planted acorns and we have several 3ft oak trees coming now.
 
We built a new log house in 1987. I put some new pennies between the logs in one corner. I don't think I will ever see them again.
 
My first house was my Great Grandmas sisters farm house. They built it themselves in the 1920s. When I was putting on an addition, I found all sorts of pictures of cars and trucks cut out of what I assume was a Sears Catalog. These pictures were throughout the house behing the baseboard trim.

When I looked closer at the trim, most pieces were signed by a last name I recognized but it wasnt my relatives. When the house was built, their friend helped them and he signed the back of the trim.

Well, turns out I was friends in high school with the trims guy great grandson and daughter.

Anything major I did at that place I signed my name and dated it. Maybe someone else will find it in 80 more years.

Rick
 
I helped next door neighbor remodel his old two story...upstairs under a door header found two 1917 pennies, one each side. Correct date for age of the house. Mine was built in 1921. I wish I knew the carpenter's names.
 
Unfortunately most building get torn down with a large excavator and go right into a large truck and most of what is discussed here will be lost forever!
 
Always put my initials in any new concrete I work with. In the footers of the first two buildings ever built at our county fair is WHS. I'm sure nobody ever noticed even though thousands of people have walked right past.
 
(quoted from post at 23:47:02 12/11/14) We went through my Gandma's place, and my Aunt and Uncle's place before the local VFD burned them for practice, in preparation for the land being cleared for a new ministorage place.

We didn't find anything in Grandma's place beyond what turned out to be some beautiful tongue and groove pine boards. A few trinkets left behind was all the other house left us....until it was almost too late......

After they burned the place there was about an 8x8 section of the living room floor that was carpeted, and didn't burn for some reason. What I found under the carpet was a layer of newspapers from the early 50's until the early 60's (just after JFK was killed). The papers had been lain in about 6 layers deep, I assume as padding and insulation for the floor in that room.

I managed to salvage more papers than I figured I would, but not nearly as many as I would have liked to. One I got part of that made me especially sick, was a full, two page ad for the new 1955 year model year Chevrolets, showing all of the different models available. I wound up with maybe 2/3 of the ad.

What's really interesting is to go back through the old papers and look at the movies playing in the theaters at the time, and seeing the old, now famous names, listed. Even better is looking at the way products were advertised, and the associated pricing.

One of these days I hope to get the time to go through everything and make up some wall hangings out of some of the old ads.
Click to expand...

Old fella not far from St. Louis had a business selling old paper. He had boxes and boxes of old adds, photos, full papers and magazines. The adds were all sorted by type. he might have several boxes of John Deere, Farmall, Chevy, Nash, etc. Cars, baseball, any old adds. Going way back.

I use to buy quite a few things from him and frame them for gifts.

Gene
 
When we tore down my grandmothers house, big old Victorian, built in about 1904, the wallpaper had fallen off of some of the walls. It was plaster lathe underneath. The fella that wallpapered it had signed and dated it. He had papered it in the late 50's. we tore it down in 1977.

Gene
 
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