The Timeline [Today]
Purchase of the house
Jason and Julie Brand purchased the house in Spring 2020 "as is" and immediately started remodel work to get the triplex to a fully functioning multi-unit building. The basement had been mostly finished, however unused for quite some time. The second floor and attic were occupied with a tenant, and the main floor needed some work to get up to living standards.
In typical Jason and Julie fashion, walls started to come down and the layers started to be peeled back from the years that the house had been slowly altered. As the layers were peeled back and the basement completely gutted, it became clear that the foundation issues were significantly more challenging than what was originally diagnosed. The house was literally sinking in on itself.
Jay of Jay's mechanical took on the project and realized there was something being covered up that could answer some of the foundational issues. What was thought to be just a thin basement floor turned into a channel that was built underneath the house.
The Saga Continues
Beneath the Surface
Sure enough, after removing the sandstone planks, a 3 foot wide by 2.5 foot deep [need to confirm dimensions] channel had been dug (and later filled in with debris), and the sides were built up with brick. The Tunnel starts at the Southwest corner of the house, underneath a faux chimney stack that connects to the first floor and ends in an almost key hole shape towards the back middle of the house.
"Known" History
1905
According to the Real Estate Listing, the house had been built in 1905 in conjunction with the house to the West, both had been built for "two sisters" and had a shared garage. At this point the only history on the house was hearsay. At one point in the house's history, the attic had been rented out separately, making this house a quad-plex.
Working Theories
We confirmed it's intent
Julie contacted some professors from her undergrad and they provided helpful information. The tunnel was used for one of the first air conditioning applications.
The following have been debunked:
1. Coal Chute- there is no external access to the trench and there is no evidence that coal was stored there (coal leaves a black residue of which there was none, the bricks are completely unstained).
2. Cold Storage space for Canning , root cellar - the remaining basement is all subterranean and plenty large enough to offer space for that.
3. Access to another structure on site - the tunnels connect the main floor and the basement and do not connect to any other building (e.g. garage).
4. Cistern - there is already a cistern on the property, on the backside of the house and none of those pipes are connected to this tunnel / channel.
5. Plumbing mechanism that predates modern plumbing - there is no...ahem...residue in the tunnel / channel.
6. The property had been used for the Underground Railroad prior to the structure (house being built, or there was something there prior to 1905)
7. Barrels of booze were hidden in the channels during Prohibition
Coming Soon
Map Research
Property Ownership History
Property Ownership History
Based on Map research there is evidence that a structure was located on the property prior to 1905.
Property Ownership History
Property Ownership History
Property Ownership History
The Stark County Library has aided us in researching the property's history.
MaMu & Springhill - Coming Soon
MaMu & Springhill - Coming Soon
MaMu & Springhill - Coming Soon
The Massillon Museum has a rich cataloged history of the area, and we are working with them on leveraging those resources to help find answers.
Architectural History
MaMu & Springhill - Coming Soon
MaMu & Springhill - Coming Soon
We are looking to the architectural historic trends of residential buildings during the property's life.