Timebound Treasures

By guest contributor, Mr Masterson

The year is 1756. In Canaan, Connecticut, a young  child sitting on the floor of their bedroom notices that one of the floorboards is loose. Lifting it up, he finds a  perfect hiding spot for all kinds of treasures. His sister’s  shoes, letters from his father’s desk, and a number of  other pilfered goods from around the house get stashed in this secret compartment that only he knows about. Almost 300 years later, someone else would uncover their trove of treasures. 

This story is a fantasy, but it might actually not be  far from the truth of what happened. A few years ago, a  good friend of mine bought that house in Canaan, CT. From the first moment I visited it, I knew that it was extremely special. Being built in 1756, the United States of America was not even yet an independent country. Instead, Connecticut was still one of the original colonies under the rule of the British. When my friend began to renovate the house, pieces of the floor and walls were removed to make room for new construction. This is when this fascinating stash of goodies was found. 

It’s a strange experience holding a letter or a shoe that no other person has laid eyes on in centuries. I thought it would feel creepy, but I was just so intrigued by what story led them to end up in my hand that day I went over to see what my friend found. He ended up contacting the local historian who helped him date and organize the items. He even donated a few to the local museum to be put on display. But several pieces he kept for himself to be displayed in the house. My friend sees this as a small way to honor the  lives of the people who first lived in this special place many generations ago. 

The letters were particularly interesting to me as I wondered what kinds of things people were discussing at that time. The pieces are so shredded and faded that it’s hard to know for sure, but it seems like the majority of its contents were simply family members keeping each other informed of the happenings in the town. There’s something comforting about knowing that even 300 years ago, the things we like to talk about with one another haven’t changed very much. In many ways, we are probably a lot more similar to the people of the past than we may realize.