On a whim, I ventured into the unfinished part of the attic last week. A previous jaunt had revealed some antique drapery rods and curtain hardware. What else may be hiding between the dusty joists?

A chimney, ever so slightly stepped to the left, marks the transition from the floored portion of the attic to the windowless portion without flooring. The chimney was stepped in this way so that it would emerge from the roof perfectly centered on the ridge.


Here we can see inside the jerkinhead gable above the front porch. Between the joists we can see the dusty backside of ceiling plaster in the two front parlors.


I found these drapery rods with brass finials on my first trip to the attic, along with assorted curtain rods and shade rollers. The drapery rods seem to be a bit wide for the windows in the house, so I’m not sure if they were used in the house or not. I like them, so I’m hoping that they were.


Also between the joists were some wallpaper remnants! I suspect that this finely textured specimen was intended as a ceiling paper; it has a subtle shimmer to it.



The North jerkinhead gable. Note how the boxing was installed diagonally, forming a “V” at the center of the wall. This was done to increase the structural integrity of the wall and prevent leaning.


More tidbits between the joists! A portion of a wood shingle suggests that the original roof was painted green. What’s that beyond? It looks like a wallpaper border…


That’s exactly what it is! In keeping with the rest of what we’ve learned about the house, it’s a bit loud. It even has a fair amount of gold in it for some subtle bling. I’m guessing that this is more 1890’s than 1880’s, but I’m really not sure. It was a fun find either way!


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