It Became Unliveable! ~ Abandoned Home Of The Spenser's In The USA 

Hello Leslie and Danny, What you thought was a water pump for household water in the basement was actually called a sump pump. It was for pumping out ground water that could leak into the basement either through the wall or up from under the foundation or basement floor, in wetter areas where there is more precipitation or a higher water table. The record player had springs under it to prevent the record from skipping and getting scratched if a lot of people were dancing in the room close to the player.

the 'compass' on the television is a rotary antenna turner. it was connected to the antenna on the house and you could turn the antenna for better reception. thank you for another wonderful video!

I think I have seen this house before, on YT, filmed by other urban explorers. The living room looks familiar. But most other channels never seem to get the story about the house, how it came to be abandoned, why it remains abandoned etc. That's why I love Bros of Decay, they get the story behind the building.

All those children in those pictures are definitely not Spencer if he's in his 80's.Those picture are too recent.My Dad was born in 1940 and if he was alive would be 82.So there's no way those pictures are of Spencer.It's sad he was forced to leave his house.It's sad to see places like that just falling apart.You need to be careful going into houses with a lot of mold in them.Just have fun doing what you do but just be careful too.We love you too guys.

Windowsill in kitchen has paints for model airplanes/cars. Sad that the house is in such decay. Record player is on springs to allow for movement around it, so as not to make the record skip. The device on top of the television is to remotely turn the antenna on the roof, so as to get clearer picture. Before cable internet. The "pouf" in front of the chair is called a footstool. Thank you Leslie and Danny, you work good together! Homemade crochet bedspread on the children's bed.

Love how you describe items from the U.S. that you do not have in Europe. Always so respectful! You and Danny are great together. Keep on exploring.

I bet those ppl in the old photos never imagined they would be on something called RU-vid in the 2020s and the whole world would admire them. Awesome.

The Rotor was an antenae as you turned the Rotor it moved the antenae on the roof of the house. I watch you guys all the time and I Love how much you care about what you do. I must commend your parents for raising such a Great Son!!!!!

The paintings of the fishing and hunting scenes look to me to be "paint-by-number". They come in a kit that has the entire picture outlined with numbers printed on the canvas to tell what color of paint to use. When you are finished, it looks like an actual work of art. I would also guess that those "vials" on the kitchen window sill were actually small containers of paint, possibly left over from the paint-by-number kits. Love your videos and since I am in my 70's I recognize many things that you might not be familiar with. It is so fun to 'EXPLORE' with you!

I live in Minnesota and we have basements That was called sep pump it's where the pump would pump water that would come into the basement out. Quite a few houses Minnesota have this because the water table is so high The water would come into the basement It's not for drinking water or water for the house. Love your videos💗 Be safe😊

This is an amazing home. It’s nice that Spencer comes to see the place every so often, but it’s sad to see the home decaying.

Not a compass but a protractor. Love the fact that you are respectful and replace the items that you touch or pick up. Oh, that red kitchen chair Is a step stool, used to reach high things in the cabinet. I have one myself comes in real handy for a myriad of things.🇺🇸

Bathrooms with 2 doors for access, are done to make it possible to use it without having to walk a long way around to get there. Often they do bathrooms like that between 2 bedrooms and they are called Jack & Jill baths. The sink area is usually an open area, where the toilet and bath tubs are behind separate doors, making it usable for multiple people at the same time. Kind of cool!

The surprising bookshelf, the clean living room, all model toys, the mystery of the packed books... Lesley´s curiosity and Danny´s comments. How could this adventure be better? I enjoyed it a lot!!! How time passes by when I watch you!!!🥰

This house strikes me as a home that was built in the early 1800-1900's, which would account for the odd layout of the rooms where it has been adapted to modern living; It was also rather close to the highway which is another indication it was built before motorized vehicles. The rubble stone foundation and shallow basement are also typical of homes built long ago. I got the impression that Mr. Otto may have married into a local family and that perhaps this was a home that had been in her family---just based upon a lot of the early American furniture still left in the house. This was an interesting tour, Leslie. I'm glad you're enjoying your time in the USA.

Leslie and Danny, you make a great team. The blankets you admired and thought were colorful are actually called Afghans and are either knitted or crocheted using yarn. The colored photos could not be of Spencer. As you said there are two families intertwined but Spencer is as old as my mom and she was an adult at that time. Photos of him at that age old have been black and white. I love your videos. Always so respectful and it has been interesting watching you two travel our country. Thank you very much. You gave me a love for urbex:))

The box on the TV is an electrical device to rotate the television antenna mounted on the roof. Weather conditions would affect the reception, rotating the antenna provided a better chance of picking up the TV signals, this was "high tech" back in the late 60's.

Emerson H. Nutting, was the second husband to Spencer's mom. Her first husband died, Harry F. Otto, Spencer's dad. His mom passed in 2007, she was 90 years old. Alice Pike, was Spencer's aunt. His mom's sister.

So many lost items once treasured. Recently I split up old pictures with my brothers making sure future grandchildren, great grandchildren can have a sense of where we come from, through. We had a brownie camera until it left in the backseat and the sun melted it.

I'm Dutch and I can say that we are truly devoted to our memories 💗

that chair in the kitchen, my grandma had one just like it and thats where she gave us our haircuts. lol

The chair in the kitchen with the pull out steps is a step stool often used as a high chair for little ones, the item in the living room you called a poof is a foot stool thanks for your videos I at times see things we had when I was little thanks again

That's so funny! You said; "Back in that time"... 😲 I remember those TV's 😭😂😂 Thank you for making me feel old. 🤣🤣

Leslie you have such a kind heart God bless you Son 💜

There are so many valuable antiques in this house the man could get a great amount of money for them. I wish he would find somebody honest to sell the stuff and give him the money. The little brown round wooden thing is a castanet They are held in the hand and used to produce clicks Spanish women use them in their hands while they were dancing. the one stand in the bedroom is a typewriter stand. Protractor (I think) was the medal thing you picked up out box used to make circles on maps and other things too. There was a Norman Rockwell print behind the old soldier with the gold metal hat. The toys alone would bring in a small fortune. I love your broadcasts but sometimes it breaks my heart to see so many beautiful antique things that go to waste and are destroyed

I love how extremely descriptive he is about even the smallest thing.... It shows that he appreciates history and the natural aging of buildings and things. He's also so respectful to even the smallest thing... What a cool guy he is. His level of detail is unmatched in the Urban explorer genre.

Usually the big bibles are called Family Bibles,it has marriage dates ,birthdates,and dates of death in them. Very interesting.The colorful quilt on the bed is beautiful.Take care guys 💋👍🇺🇸

Leslie,sometime when you find a stereo,play the record that was left on it.The sound is wonderful.Most play the record with a diamond point needle.I have three stereo turntables in my home .The sound is great That was a very nice home.Its fun watching you guys looking at and wondering about American homes,furniture,etc.🥰👍🇺🇸

THAT WAS GOOD! Thank you again!! Lucky to find a US house not trashed by kids!! It is hard for me to see the good belongings going to waste. I would have a hard time leaving many of the items to die with the house! XO 💜🤗💫✨️🕸

Hi Lesley & Danny, so much history in this house! The kitchen chairs were from the 1950`s! The chair in kitchen that was a step ladder to reach things taller than yourself, it also came out in the 1950`s! Cigar Boxes are worth lots of money, especially if not written on it! Yes the little poof thing you called it is Foot Stool, The blankets on the boys beds were Crocheted which took many days to finish, usually 1 square is made & keep making 1 squares & then attach all squares to make a blanket...to have this done today can cost you $50.00 to $100.00 for a small single bed & $200.00 & up for bigger beds! Yes the colored pictures of Spencer Can`t be him , because my child pictures were black & white & I`m 13 yrs younger than Spencer would of been! Yes Compass or Protractor is the thing for a pencil & to put point down & draws a circle...the books & papers are from High School & college! The book you opened up was not 1975 but pages 20-75! The Pin Ball game...if you would of laid it flat it would of worked better! As for Basements, some houses have basements & some are considered finish meaning more rooms downstairs, some don`t! Now I have lived in 2 houses with basements & yes this house has a sump pump so your basement don`t flood if it rains too much in Central Illinois USA!! As for the attic..some houses have stairs to just go up, some have the door you seen on the ceiling & some have a handle on ceiling you pull down stairs to go up! As for Winter in Connecticut very cold, now if you went Florida-east coast or California -west coast, Arizona- west coast, they would be warm in winter & No Snow! The old Vintage radio`s I think would be 1920-1935! Thanks for sharing this Time capsule of this house! Take care & stay safe, Love from Central Illinois USA 😊😍

Damn shame how places just rot away with time.

My dad had a chair similar to that in his garage (the one with the step stool from the kitchen. I inherited his chair, and I keep it in my kitchen in the corner

Hello guys, I don't usually comment but still love every video you do! You have such sweet gracious hearts, and I love how you study history also of the homes that you explore! Y'all are one of a kind and you make me laugh and giggle the whole time! By the way that bedspread on that bed was tediously crocheted by someone out of yarn and took a long time to make. Such a sweet home God bless you guys stay safe and keep the videos coming Jan from NC and by the way the base under the album is made floating in case somebody walks around and it doesn't make the needle jump on the record and scratch it and now you know.

Hi Leslie and Danny, I love the way the two of you work together and complement each other. This time I have quite a few comments to make. First, the fishing paintings in the living room were done by hand by one of the inhabitants in a method called "Painting by numbers". You get the canvas with outlines with numbers in it and little containers with colours that are coded accordingly. So you paint out the outlines and get beautiful pictures without being able to paint by yourself. What you called a pouf is a footrest in English, and it had a hand stitched top. The envelope with the blue and red border is an air mail envelope. You used them all around the world, and the border was to signify that this letter was to be sent by air mail rather then over land or sea. I used to have very thin ones with very thin paper to write on, so the letter would be as light as possible and therefore cheaper. Finally, I think you got the dates of the family wrong. The pictures in the cardboard frames are not from around 1900 but of the 1940s, so that must have been the original family that came from Holland. If Spencer is now in his 80s, he was their child, and the boy in the pictures that you called Spencer was actually his son. I can tell from the pictures that this boy must have been born in the 1960s. Remember the picture with all the family and the Grandma in the middle? To me it seems that the Grandma is the woman who came here from Holland, the 4 grown-ups her children with partners, and the three boys Spencers children, which would make the girl, Brittany, the child of Spencer's brother or sister. In that case the bedroom with the green bedcover would be Grandma's room which would fit with everything that was in it.

Great video. Those beautiful blankets were called Afghans. The homemaker probably made them. I still make them for family and friends. That tool with the pencil was a protractor.

The room in the middle of the house is a refuge in case of tornadoes.

Hello Lesley and Danny! Very cozy house full of wonderful memories. Nice to see the decayed of the house is from the time and not vandalized inside. The colorful bedspread was made in crochet each square and then sew with needle and the women used the leftover of yarn to made the blanket in other crochet pattern. They are having nice life in the house. Thank you for your kindness ! I am sending one big hug for each of you lovely boys🤗🤗😉👍

At 30:33 - this is not a game or toy but a chord selector: it is about music. When you press the appropriate button it plays the chosen chord, e.g. C7, A7, G7 etc. You do a great job, brosofdecay!! But it is so sad to see this place in such a bad condition. And all these pictures left behind....Really makes me sad! I wish Spencer had the strength to go back to his house, with all the memories of his life. Thank God he is still alive, I hope his family cares for him!

The photos of the children are from the 80s and 90s. Those children would be Spencer's grandchildren. My mom is 85. She was born in 1937.

I believe the paintings are a hobby called “paint by numbers”.

شكرا لك يا ليزلي ولرفيقك.. لاصطحابنا في هذه الجولة الممتعه في البيت المهجور والذي يعاني من الاهمال والسقوط.. تحياتي لكم من بغداد العراق 🇮🇶

I'm so hyped you were in my state! We have a LOT of history and cool things here to explore. You should check out the abandoned zoo in Farmington.

Hello Lesley and Danny! Great to know you are still working together. Lesley please do me a favor... when you go into the kitchens of these homes, please open the cabinets. I LOVE to see the dishes of the period. Thanks . This was a great post.

It's so interesting to see both the differences and the similarities between USA and European abandoned homes and cultures. Similarities being that they both have examples of what was considered wealthy in a different era and also what would be considered poor or middle class in a specific era. It's interesting to see what each culture held as dear or important and collectible as opposed to what Europeans held dear and collectible. Some of the differences would be how each of those classes or cultures of people spent their money and how they lived. I am from a small town in Connecticut and there was a definite large difference between the wealthy and the average family or the poor when I grew up in the seventies. The differences were quite extreme. But growing up poor we had everything we needed along with so much love and family the difference made no difference. Thank you to you and what you do. It's wonderful to see all these homes but it's also sad to see some of the beautiful things and homes that have been left behind. It must be as difficult for you as it is for us to watch sometimes to know that some of these gorgeous houses, possessions and family memories are just going to be left to decay until there's nothing left.

The child’s guitar seemed to be a Gene Autry guitar. He was a famous movie and TV cowboy back in the 50s.

I love what you do and the respect for other peoples homes

Very beautiful and very sad that the older brothers didn’t go back to look after the younger brother and his family

Those quilts on the beds look handmade to me crochet or knitting and the same colors. The orange box under that table was a school lunch box from the 1970 or so. Very cool i had a similar one when i was young, memories ❤ The Puff that was in living room is simply called a foot stool in the U.S. and Canada. Really awesome home thanks Lesley

I think it's cool how you study the history of these places. That would be really interesting to me too. Your kind of like an urban archeologist. 😄 I really hope you two have your own TV show one day. Both of you. Traveling the world, going to exotic places. Studying the history of each location. Maybe a little surfing and then back to amazing places. 😏😄✌

The fishing and the duck hunting pictures in the living room look like the paint by number kits you can buy.. the big window in the living room is called a bay window. The paints on the kitchen windowsill were used to paint model planes/ cars. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s we had a chair like the one in the kitchen with the drop down two steps. It was good to use to climb up and get things in the higher cupboards. They are still sold today but are rather expensive. We had a RCA tv record player combo back in the day. Very common in most homes. The card from Brittany to her grandpa was so sweet💕. Pouf =footstool. Thanks for a fun explore 😊👍🏻

It pains me to see those beautiful wooden furniture pieces sit and rot. 😢

Love this house so many things that were in my Grandma's house and even my parents. Mom is 89.

This was a wonderful place and that was a foot stool in the living room. Thank you both

Some of the old homes in the US that you explore have bathrooms in "funny" places because they "had" to install bathrooms, so they just found a space to do so. This happened to my great-aunt in Elmira, NY, at the family home (including my grandmother). It was an old farm, from IDK how far back, except I know it was the early-to-mid-1800's, but houses that weren't originally built with indoor plumbing were often up-dated (often required)

I love listening to your point of view on the things in our American homes and the way we design/style our homes. Lol. Alot of things you're so interested in is realized we really look over. If I could go back to my great grandmother's home... 😌 I'd make sure I take it all in, in a whole new perspective 💓

As you publish these videos you are getting a good education on American culture through the comments. We’re happy to see your US explorations. Good memories!

Each room , each item it’s part of once family memories .. how sad how all things come to an end . Thanks Lesley for your respectful work !! 😊

We have old abandoned buildings in Sacramento. I’ve always wondered what they look like inside. Must be why I love your channel. Keep up the good work. So interesting.

Sad to see this beautiful house go to waste!

The device is a protractor with a pencil in it. Portable radios are essential because they are battery operated and are used when there is severe weather like Hurricane Ian.

Thanks for the tour…..The red white and blue edged envelope was what we used for airmail years ago. The plastic thing with the sliding bar was for viewing photograph slides. Just trying to be helpful not picky, but Chevrolet is pronounced with a silent T. The bed was an iron bed not steel. The photo cards are a way different families send holiday greetings with a photo of your family sent to someone else. The photos in cardboard frames are typical photos taken in 1940s- 1950s. The device with the pointy part and the pencil is used to draw a circle in whatever dimension you need and is called a compass. The pump in the basement is called a sump pump to pump water out of the basement in case rain floods the basement.

My daughter lives in Connecticut and their basement has been flooded twice!

Awesome house sad that nobody in the family wants it thanks

It’s also sad that the niece didn’t even go back to the house

A few things noticed. The pump in the basement is not a well. It’s a sump pump to keep water out of the basement. Well water is pumped usually from the outside into the house. The front picture window that bows out is called a Bay Window. The picture of the young boy is probably not Spencer or the last owner of the house. If he’s 84 the picture of him at that age would have been in black & white and the pictures with his brothers. The boys have to be his sons. Your poof is called a foot stool or foot rest. And it is rather odd to have a bathroom between the living room and the kitchen.

So great! That pump in the basement, I think is there sump pump which collects water that leaks in the basement and pumps it outside. Keep up the good work!

I love how Lesley excitedly fiddles with toys when he enters rooms. In the area where I live, abandoned houses are generally looted and nothing is left inside. and when local youtubers record houses I can't feel their soul. Luckily I met you a long time ago. When I watch it, I feel the spirit of the past in my heart and I miss those times. I'm happy you gave me this opportunity. pls be careful guys. love xx

The basement has a sump pump in case the basement floods, it pumps water out of the basement.... The object on top of the television makes the antenna rotate on top of the house for better reception! I don't think the pictures are of Spencer but Spencer's children!!! The dates and color of the picture do not add up to being him... 84? That would make him from 1938' pictures don't look old enough...

That’s an old step stool Lesley, my grandma had one. We used it as a seat at the table when we were little.

I have been watching your channel for a while now and never commented, got too say I love it very much. Ty be safe and keep warm.

On the bed table that was a slide viewer. Slides were popular 50-80s. My grandfather had them. We had them in school usually in a carousel type projector. The one you had was for person use or to preview slides.

We had a stool like that. We just called it a step stool. I love how you talk of the family's and history of these homes. Shows you truly care!!

Wow. That combination chair/step stool reminds me of the one my parents had when I was a kid. 🙂

Love this video.. thank you for all you do, Lesley and Danny. I'd never get to travel around the world to see these things!! Love to you from Texas♥️🤠🇨🇱😘

pinball game is meant to be laid down and played not holding up like that. Probably works just fine. Awesome explore.

Hope you have been enjoying our country, and get a chance to see some of our beautiful scenery. The afghans on the beds were beautiful, and I used to have a TV & radio( the one standing) a long time ago. You are so great to follow,

Protractor/ scholastic compass

The brown box on top of the TV is a dial to move the TV antenna on top of house it would turn it to tune it different stations

The device with a pencil in it is called a protractor. I love how you connect all the clues to make the full potential story of house and the family. You’re both great

Pump in basement is to take water out. Not a painters chair, a kitchen step stool to reach the upper cabinet shelves. That box on top of the tv... it's a remote control for a rooftop tv antenna > a real big deal in it's time! Thank you very much for the tour!

I've watched a lot of your documentaries, initially to improve my English. The videos are always very interesting, because you do a lot of research beforehand and then always give an idea, inform yourself very thoroughly and always put a lot into it. I also think it's very good that you are very interested in learning languages, especially German. Greetings from ...🇩🇪

I have to say thank you. I love and enjoy your content. You are very respectful to others peoples property even more than the family may be when they trash everything. Your appreciation and respect is admirable for such a gifted young and talented young man. Keep up the good work. I wish a historic property/museum would use you to do video tours or something like you did at the one place. Your awesome

I love this old house 🏚. Sad to see a lot of memories left behind. I love ❤ the old radios 📻 that were left behind. Stay safe 👌 👍 🙏 ❤ 💓 💙. And thank you for sharing this video.

Amazing episode guys, I absolutely loved this place,,,and the story behind it. The way you respectful and described this family, as well the items shown really brought it all to life again! Incredibly done, love you guys, blessings from Canada to everyone 👍🤝🇨🇦💯

I wish I knew you were in CT. I could have have shown you the house In Monroe, CT in the woods which has abandoned for 60 years and still in decent shape.

All the info you've given on Spencer and his family is incorrect. Search for Winifred Nutting Connecticut obituary for a better understanding. She was Spencer's mother and owner of this house. She died in 2007. I tried sharing the link but RU-vid deleted it.

Wallpaper.... Miss all the beautiful wallpaper. Gave the rooms a cosy charming feeling. Houses now are so sterile.

If you ever come to the Savannah, Ga., USA area I would love to explore with you! Your enthusiasm, respect and romantic view of history is amazing.

Thank you so much for sharing this time capsule home 🏡 with ao many memories left behind. I really enjoyed watching this video Leslie. Take care guys 👦

Great how you explain the history of the house. Good job!

Hi Guys: Love every show you make. In this video, you are in the boy's room with that beautiful knitted bedspread. You picked up a guitar 'headstock' that said Gene Autry. He was a very famous country actor and singer. I'm 74, and as a kid I grew up on his westerns. There was very little available on TV back then, and our TV could only get 2 channels. Those are the same TVs that you are finding in these old houses that needed an outdoor antenna to bring in the picture. Today, this toy guitar is worth about $300 US dollars. There was another gadget that you couldn't identify on top of the tall dresser to the left of the guitar. It had buttons with the letters A-G on it. This is an attachment that you fit over the guitar's fretboard that allows the kid to play chords. So even if he couldn't play guitar, he could pick it up and sing a song. If you press the A button, the gadget will press the 3 strings that will make the A chord shape. This gadget came as a package with the guitar. I adore your accent. I love it when you blow us viewers a kiss. I'm blowing one right back at you.

Hej Guys, first of all I love how caring and gentle you are with these premises. Love it. But I truly have doubts about the family picture in 24:10, that the young blond man on the sofa is Spencer. This picture looks like it is from the 1990, assuming by the jeans the young man on the left is wearing and the velvet dress from the young girl next to the elderly woman. Also the woman's tights on the right and her thin belt :D also a 90ish era. So you know either one of the elderly gentleman in the back is Spencer or the young blond man's name is also Spencer Junior or something. And the stripped envelope (to my knowledge) was for air mail. I remember my mother using them in the 90ies to send letters to our relatives abroad. Thank you for sharing your adventures online.

Hola chicos hermosos,, 🤗 Esto me hace pensar en no atesorar nada material , y me da pena , las fotos tantas fotos que tengo , de mi familia más cercana , en el tiempo de las máquinas fotográficas, fotos a todos tengo 3 cajas medianas llenas de fotos 5 álbumes 100 fotos cada unos y 12 álbumes chicos 20 fotos , para mi son como un tesoro , se algún día terminarán en la basura , pocas serán asesoradas y al final se olvidaran. Y la pena de ver tantas casas , canciones y terrenos abandonados , y tantas familias sin hogar , es una pena . Bueno así es la vida , todo envejece las personas, los animales y las casas cuando no hay quien las habite y le de el calor de hogar ❤ 💗 Abrazos de Chile 🇨🇱🇨🇱🤗👏👏👏👏🤗🤗🤗🤗 😘😘

Disfruté muchísimo con éste vídeo : Gracias por presentarme a la familia Otto. Llegué a sentir que me transportabas a ese lugar mientras imaginabas la vida de esa familia. Recibe un cordial saludo para tí Leslie y también para tu amigo Dani. Desde Gran Canaria

What a wonderful house and great furniture! It's scares me though. I'm alone and not well. I see myself in these videos and it's really frightening.

@16:55 Your “compass” is actually a directional finder for a tv antenna on the roof. If the tv picture was bad, you would rotate the antenna to get a better signal. Those UHF signals would get bad on windy or snowy/rainy days. My aunt bought a color console tv like that back in 1965. The first color tv show that I watched at her house was the movie Blue Hawaii with Elvis Presley. My aunt said she paid $800 for it, which in today’s money would be $3-5,000. It was high tech back then. That’s why if you see reruns of shows like Hogan’s Heroes or Walt Disney presents, it has words on the screen and an announcer declares “In Color.” It was a big deal in 1965 going from black and white tv to color.

I think the notes were intended for movers to move their belongings. But they were forced into a nursing or retirement home instead. So the belongings stayed behind. Very sad there's some good Furniture in there. There's no reason for the belongings to rot.

Hello everyone, I saw he was noting about the size of the basement and what he thought was a well pump. My Grandparents house and My Great Grands had something similar only difference was that in my Dad's parents house, that was built early 1900's . The basement were always flooding because of lowland or swamp land ,plus high water table. Many have sunken wells with, sump pumps to pump out the excess water; I'm from lower Michigan. When it would typically flood due to snow melting in the spring. Our old, :( now abandoned house had a similar set up in the basement because of this. Ours was built somewhere in the mid to late 1920's early 30's? We had to abandon ours due to health reasons. Prior to main roads and highways being paved, having a dirt floor in a basement was common, older cement floors were unsealed and was practically porous. When the road beds became built up in order to support gravel and black top, it changed the water shed off the roads. Lack of sufficient drainage along side the roads, lead to yearly spring indoor flooding, so combine that with a high water table being very close to swampy, marshy area and you get the picture. My Great Grands on my Dad's side, in their house the basement was half dirt, half cement built in the 1920's after my Great Uncle came home from WW1. I believe the idea was in order to use it like a root cellar and for canning storage so, you are correct in that thinking. The original dirt floor, wood long house, built in 1911 note they were very poor farmers, had immigrated from Norway; still stands on the property. (My Great Grandparents property which my Mother now owns after everyone else had passed on including my Dad in 1995.) What remains of it, the long house made from logs and rough hewn lumber, is being used as a cow shelter. The original barns and sheds have been literally buried on the property. My parents house was built on a hill. Across from my Dad's parents property, after being purchased from one of my paternal Great Aunts and Uncles, on a life lease in 1972 ? and my parents house which my Dad built from the ground up, also has well water but, little to no indoor spring flooding by comparison.

The thing in the bedroom that wasn’t a compass is called a protractor. I remember using it for math class. The gold looking thing probably- originally- was bought with cookies in it … then used to store sewing things much like the cigar boxes were used to store other things

I wish I can join you to these amazing places.