Historic Homes, Hidden Secrets: Salem Window Installation Turns Up a 1927 Treasure

Hi, Chris Zorzy here from A&A Services, and today I’ve got a light-hearted, funny story for you—something a little different from the usual tales of dry rot, moisture damage, and home repairs. This one takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, a city well known for its rich history—and, as it turns out, a few hidden surprises in its old homes.

So, we were hired to do a window installation project on a very old home in Salem. Like many homes in the city, this one had been through decades—possibly more than a century—of additions, renovations, and who-knows-what-else. The homeowner was in the early stages of planning a future attic renovation, and part of that included replacing the old attic windows.

There was one window in particular that we needed to replace, but it was behind a partition wall that had been built at some point—probably decades ago. The wall had a door in it, but it was locked tight. We didn’t want to force our way in, so we ended up measuring the window from the exterior. The homeowner said, “When you guys come back to install the windows, can you dismantle that wall and dispose of it?” We said, “Sure, not a problem.”

Well, here’s where the story takes a funny turn.

When we took down that partition wall, we didn’t just find an old window. We found a copper still. Yes—an honest-to-goodness, old-fashioned moonshine still, tucked away in the attic of a Salem home. And sitting right next to it were twelve bottles of whiskey, sealed, dusty, and clearly aged—each bottle dated 1927. The bottles were beautiful, antique-style glass, and from the looks of it, they had been hidden there since Prohibition.

We called the homeowner up immediately and showed them what we had uncovered. They were stunned—and amused. After the initial surprise wore off, the homeowner looked at us and said, “Well, anyone want to take a swig and see if it’s still good?”

Let me tell you—not one person on our crew volunteered. We weren’t about to gamble with 100-year-old liquor, no matter how well it had aged! But we all had a good laugh, and the homeowner ended up keeping the still and the bottles as a quirky part of their home’s history.

In our line of work, we’re used to uncovering hidden issues—like rotted wood, bad flashing, or insulation nightmares. But this was the first time we ever uncovered a hidden speakeasy setup. No gold bars, unfortunately, but it was definitely one of the most memorable “demolition discoveries” we’ve ever had.

So, there you have it—a little humor from the field. You never know what’s hiding behind the walls in these old New England homes. That’s part of what makes our job so interesting. Until next time, thanks for listening, and we’ll see what other surprises we uncover next!