Man makes shocking 100-year-old discovery hidden in his bathroom ceiling
A man was stunned to find a time capsule from more than 100 years ago in the ceiling of his home, containing old newspaper clippings, rusty toys, photos and a handwritten letter from the early 20th century.
Jesse Leitch, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, made the surprising discovery when contractors came to install new pipes after he had heating problems in his home.
While workers were “cutting into the ceiling above his bathroom,” they came across a slew of items left there by the previous occupants – dating back more than a century.
Jesse talked about the “really cool” finding with ABC’s 13 On your side recently.
A man was stunned to find a time capsule from more than 100 years ago in the ceiling of his home, containing old newspaper clippings, rusty toys, photos and a handwritten letter.
Jesse Leitch, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, made the surprising discovery when contractors came to install new pipes after he had heating problems in his home
While workers were “cutting into the ceiling above his bathroom,” they came across a slew of items left there by the previous occupants – dating back more than a century
Jesse recently talked about the “really cool” find with ABC’s 13 On Your Side. His house is seen
‘Actually because they were sawing in the ceiling above the bathroom [they found the stuff]. It wasn’t in a box, it was all things in a pile,” he explained.
‘I’ve always thought about doing things like that. You know, when we renovate the house, leave something in the wall for the next guy.
‘I just thought it was really cool and it gave me a connection with the [house].’
Jesse also talked about it Fox newswhich explained that there were twelve items in total.
Among the items left behind were a newspaper from 1913 and a business card from a local music store, which after some research he discovered had closed in 1907.
In addition, a handwritten letter had been sent from someone named Gertrude to someone else named Ruth.
‘Hello Rutte. This is exactly what Ethel looks like now with her hair up on electric curlers,” Gertrude wrote in the note, according to Fox, next to a drawing of a woman with hair sticking up.
‘Do you remember Helen Stuart? Well, she says “Hello” to you. This also applies to Anna. If any of the professors see Ethel, they’ll put her in the museum.”
‘Actually because they were sawing in the ceiling above the bathroom [they found the stuff]. It wasn’t in a box, it was all things in a pile,” he explained
Among the items left behind was a newspaper from 1913
There was also a business card from a local music store, which after some research he discovered had closed in 1907.
In addition, a handwritten letter had been sent from someone named Gertrude to someone else named Ruth
‘Hello Rutte. This is exactly what Ethel looks like now with her hair up on electric curlers,” Gertrude wrote in the note, according to Fox, next to a drawing of a woman with hair sticking up.
Also in the group of items was a small cast iron pan (left), which he thought belonged to a doll set based on its size, a part of a music box and some dominoes (right)
Jesse told Fox that he plans to display some of the items in his home and offer the rest to the Grand Rapids Public Museum
Jesse told the publication that they found a gravestone of someone in Michigan named Helen Stuart, who had died in 1996.
Also in the group of objects was a small cast iron pan, which he thought must have belonged to a doll set based on its size, a part of a music box and some dominoes.
“I think we want to get the rust out and cook some small foods with it and see how that works,” Jesse told ABC about the pan.
“Clearly some kid who lived here thought this stuff was important to save for the next guy.”
He said he plans to display some of the items in his home and offer the rest to the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
He now also wants to make his own time capsule and put it in the hole in his ceiling before it gets patched up.
“I made some music that we put on vinyl records. And I think so [might be] a good way to preserve music for the future,” he told Fox.