Antique glass bottles. A 1969 Playboy magazine. Magic cards. A vintage sign.
These are among the quirkier items emerging from the rubble at a downtown Chilliwack site.
Crews have been dismantling buildings on a four-acre site ahead of the phased construction, while retaining fa莽ades 香蕉视频直播� and a few historic finds.
Jarrett Enns, construction lead for Algra Bros., has been supervising commercial sites for years.
香蕉视频直播淏ut this is one is different because we are dealing with much older buildings,香蕉视频直播� Enns.
They香蕉视频直播檝e found some really cool vintage pieces, some from an old Woolworths store, and others from a building that once housed the Imperial Theatre.
香蕉视频直播淔rom the walls we香蕉视频直播檝e stripped off layers and layers,香蕉视频直播� Enns said.
香蕉视频直播淚t seems that back in the day people weren香蕉视频直播檛 too concerned about recycling or not littering because they would just sort of leave stuff in the walls, under the floor, on the roof. Anywhere.香蕉视频直播�
Some items haven香蕉视频直播檛 seen the light of day for decades 香蕉视频直播� or more than a century.
One of the buildings coughed up an ancient posterboard with paint chips in drab colours like slate, yellow, red, or dark slate, as well as choices for varnishes and stains.
| Some early paint and varnish colours to choose from.(Jennifer Feinberg/The Progress) |
They found things more on the surface initially, such as in cupboards, back rooms, or on shelves.
香蕉视频直播淏ut now at this stage we香蕉视频直播檙e getting into the real guts of it,香蕉视频直播� Enns said.
Digging deep they came up with old tools, and lots of trash, like some empty tomato tins under the floor joists.
香蕉视频直播淢ost of it we think they were just trying to dispose of as they were building,香蕉视频直播� he said, 香蕉视频直播渂ut in other cases we think they were definitely trying to hide stuff.香蕉视频直播�
The June 1969 edition of Playboy might fit the bill. The vintage magazine, with a rather tame cover by today香蕉视频直播檚 standards, was discovered tucked away inside a furnace equipment room.
Algra has also been posting images for all to enjoy on their DowntownChilliwack Instagram account.
One of them is a well-preserved sign for a tailor香蕉视频直播檚 shop from the 40s that was being used as a shim in the ceiling of the old theatre building.
| A sign for the Central Tailor Shop |
Several empty bottles were brought up from the depths. They once contained alcohol, ink or herbal medicines.
One of them still had some oozy brown residue in it. It dates back to 1910-20, with the words 香蕉视频直播渕edicine香蕉视频直播� in relief alongside 香蕉视频直播淟ydia E. Pinkham.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been learning a lot more about glass bottles than I ever imagined,香蕉视频直播� said Jon Kinneman, marketing and artdirector for Algra Bros. 香蕉视频直播淛ust trying to figure out the connections, and how old they are and when they couldhave been put there.香蕉视频直播�
Certain characteristics can help date the bottles, like makers香蕉视频直播� marks.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 fascinating what you can find out about a silly little bottle,香蕉视频直播� Kinneman said.
The old bottle contained a herbal tonic from a company founded by Lydia E. Pinkham, which specialized in a vegetable compound to treat myriad 香蕉视频直播渇emale complaints.香蕉视频直播�
There were also several 香蕉视频直播楳cdonald香蕉视频直播檚 Nightcap Scotch香蕉视频直播� bottles found, which apparently was a pretty popular libation in the U.S. during the 1920-33 when alcohol prohibition was in effect.
香蕉视频直播淲e found about two dozen in the floor. Someone was really enjoying those,香蕉视频直播� Enns said.
They have no real clue why the empty tin cans and booze bottles ended up under the floors. Under the floor joists of one of the buildings, they found what they think is rusted shaving brush and a chisel.
香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 think anyone has touched this stuff since the late 1920s,香蕉视频直播� Enns said.
One of the buildings used to house Chilliwack香蕉视频直播檚 oldest theatre, The Imperial Theatre. Phyllis Martin, a teenager sent a message to the world by penning it onto a wooden two-by-four frame, that they removed from the theatre building and kept.
| Phyllis Martin left a message for Chilliwack in 1924 |
The next year, Miss Martin had the honour of winning the coveted prize for 香蕉视频直播渕ost improvement shown in arithmatic香蕉视频直播� by any student in the entrance class, according to the Progress in 1925. A 香蕉视频直播済old eversharp香蕉视频直播� pencil was her prize.
Other finds? A Beautiful British Columbia magazine from the 80s was still in good shape, and a vintage 1970s GEclock radio, as well as pack of cards labelled 香蕉视频直播淪vengali香蕉视频直播檚 Magic Cards.香蕉视频直播�
The concept of connecting a community to its history through redevelopment comes up in this Algra Bros. description of their ambitious project: 香蕉视频直播淭his isn香蕉视频直播檛 a mall or a shopping centre.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 the city香蕉视频直播檚 downtown being rediscovered, reimagined, rebuilt and reconnected. Chilliwack is back 香蕉视频直播� be a part of it.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE:
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
Like us on and follow us on .
