A post about a homeowner who discovered a piece of history hidden beneath their floor has captivated viewers on Reddit.
The post, titled “Pulled up some old linoleum,” was shared in June by u/Samethang-0 in the r/centuryhomes subreddit, where the user revealed a collection of 1950s-era newspapers tucked under old flooring.
The photos featured in the post show yellowed newspaper pages with now-vintage advertisements, including a listing for the Wylie Theatre promoting films from the 1950s such as Dear Brat, The Dakota Kid, Francis Goes to the Races, and Target Unknown.
The post also included an ad for Sherwin-Williams’ home decoration services, and a grocery circular from the Whiteway Grocery & Market—described in the ad as “Wylie’s fastest growing food store.”
Alongside the entertainment and shopping listings, one image captured a political cartoon referencing inflation, wages and government spending, underscoring that economic anxieties of the past bear a striking resemblance to those voiced today.
As homeowners increasingly take on renovation projects across the U.S., discoveries like this are becoming more visible, thanks in part to social media and online communities.
The post comes amid a booming renovation economy, with Americans spending more on home upgrades.
According to a 2024 survey by Houzz, a home design website, median home renovation spending rose by 60 percent between 2020 and 2023, climbing from $15,000 to $24,000 over just three years.
The study found that more than half of renovating homeowners (51 percent) spent $25,000 or more on their renovations in 2023, up from 37 percent in 2020. Among those with the highest budgets, spending reached $150,000, the survey found.
‘So Cool’
The discovery in the recent post struck a chord with others on Reddit.
U/Fancy_Grass_1999 said: “So cool what you can find while renovating…”
U/Major_Guide_1058 said: “I would frame it and hang it, cool conversation starter!”
“I always loved these small town papers that report on who went where and who’s visiting from out of town,” said u/crapatthethriftstore in a comment under the post.
“Wow! What year are the papers from?” asked u/Lonely_North_8436. “It’s so neat to read them and pricing from the time.”
User u/PatienceHelpful1316 added, “Looking at the stories it seems like some things remain the same, except prices of course.”
Another user, u/Wide_Coconut_6899, observed, “All I got from this is that we’ve been complaining about government spending and inflation for at least 75 years.”
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