A COUPLE of new homeowners found out that a piece of history was hiding in a very peculiar spot.
Robin and Bryce Shipman were renovating their civil-war era farmhouse in New York when they came across some unusual relics from the past.
Robin and Bryce Shipman were renovating their civil-war era farmhouse in New York when they came across some unusual relics from the pastCredit: WIVB TV
While lifting up the floorboards, the curious couple found stacks of newspapers dating back to the 1930sCredit: WIVB TV
The small two-story home is just 18 by 26 feet in size, but it stored a few secrets too big to be kept hidden.
After coming across the unique site, the Shipmans wanted to disassemble it and transport the structure to their property.
While lifting up the floorboards, the curious couple found stacks of newspapers dating back to the 1930s.
Although it is not clear exactly why the newspapers were left under the floors, the couple suspects that they were being used as insulation.
The Shipman’s told WIVB-TV that it is fascinating to look back at which stories made the headlines.
When visitors drop by the almost 200-year-old farmhouse, they say that the Shipmans should preserve everything they can.
“People are saying we need to put it in plastic and save it,” Bryce Shipman stated.
“And we can display them and then people will actually be able to come in and read the front page,” he explained. “It’s just more history for our house.”
His wife, Robin seemed to agree. “Yeah, it’s fun to uncover things,” she added.
The history junkies have also come across some other rare treasures, including some classic coins and horseshoes.
The property used to belong to a blacksmith shop, which explains the horseshoes.
Initially, Robin wasn’t enthused about the idea of purchasing the carriage house.
“She said, ‘Drive on by,’ because it was green and it was really ugly,” Bryce told Niagara Frontier Publications.
“When we stopped in and finally went inside the structure, once we got into the carriage house, and the fact that the stairway was so cool, she said okay,” he explained.
If the two had kept driving, who knows whether anyone would stumble across the priceless papers.
Although it is not clear exactly why the newspapers were left under the floors, the couple suspects that they were being used as insulationCredit: WIVB TV
The Shipmans have decided to preserve the papers and allow visitors to take a lookCredit: WIVB TV
