In the rural wilds of Ontario, Canada, an incredible discovery was made when a photographer ventured inside an old abandoned house. What looked like a dilapidated home, packed to the rafters with discarded family possessions, turned out to be so much more than it seemed when thousands of dollars were uncovered among a lifetime of historic mementos. Click or scroll through to find out more...
Abandoned photographer Freaktography, who goes only by Dave, was given the coordinates to the mysterious property by an urbex (urban exploring) friend and he couldn't resist taking a look around the rumored time warp home. Little did he know what he would find amongst the debris...
Captured in the midst of a snowstorm, the rundown home in eastern Canada is nestled amongst a bleak, icy landscape. Because of the snow, access proved difficult for Dave, while the howling winds and inhospitable weather only add to the intrigue surrounding this forlorn property.
The religious family is said to have struggled with their son's troubled past and consequently went into hiding, no longer selling their fruit to local grocers or attending their church. When their son was purportedly arrested for drink-driving again in 1984 the shame was too much, and after his grandmother passed away they left for good.
Left to decay and rot for 35 years, the home is abandoned and frozen in time. Pots and pans sit discarded in the kitchen sink, while trash litters the floor and a discarded mattress lies propped up against the wall. Unknown to urban explorer Dave, the mattress harbored a secret that the family had left behind...
The kitchen cupboards are still brimming with old household products. Some of the old tins and food cans appear untouched since the owners upped and left the property. This dusty bottle of Labatt's IPA beer has gone unopened, while the Imperial Blend tea tin looks to have stood the test of time.
Dave, who filmed the house for his Freaktography YouTube channel, also found this vintage Edgeworth Pipe Tobacco tin which dates back to the 1950s. The unique tobacco was said to have had an especially rich flavor – we wonder what member of the family it belonged to?
No longer a cozy family space, the cluttered living room still has old family photos scattered around and a calendar from 1979. The adjoining living room accommodates what appears to be an old hospital bed – according to Dave, who spoke with relatives of the former residents, this was brought in for the grandmother of the family when she was sadly battling cancer.
Heading upstairs, 35 years of neglect has clearly taken its toll on the structure. Holes in the roof mean that the home's interior is now exposed to the elements, with the four bedrooms having lost their fight with Mother Nature.
While the bedrooms upstairs are derelict and cluttered, they offer up a treasure trove of antiques and personal items which have been piled up and left to rot. Now damp and inhospitable, this attic space would've once been a warm and cozy bedroom in the eaves.
Remarkably, this photo album has survived amongst the debris and looks to be in relatively good shape. Other mementos of the home's past life include this mini portable radio and a pinstripe suit jacket that lies beneath the album – probably worn to family events and smart occasions.
Sitting in one of the bedrooms lies this vintage sewing machine. Once likely used to make clothes for the family, the hand-crank manual machine lacquered with gold decorations has sat gathering dust for many years.
Elsewhere, a dust-covered dressing table featuring a mahogany-framed mirror accommodates an antique radio, baseball and jewelry box, though whether it still holds the family jewels is anyone's guess. Atop the radio sits a mysterious key and we can't help but wonder what it opens...
Next to the dresser is this Ledo record player – we can just imagine it crackling away into the early hours, spinning the latest hits of yesteryear. With built-in speakers, it would have been the height of sophistication back in the day. We wonder if it still works today?
This space has suffered the effects of nature worse than others, with plasterwork crumbling and damp fast advancing across the walls. Where once was a bed, piles of trash now stand, covered in dust and debris accumulated over years of abandonment.
It's hard to imagine what this bedroom looked like before nature took over, but this storage unit gives a clue as to the previous occupant's tastes. A vintage record hides inside one of the shelves, while the regal carpentry of the unit hints at the past grandeur of the space before Mother Nature closed in. The property could almost be classed as an abandoned hoarder house!
Found in a yellow plastic bag tucked discreetly behind an upturned mattress in the kitchen was a vast collection of money. Rolled up, the money was mainly US dollars, with a few Canadian dollars, which all added up to a grand total of $6,800.
So just why did the family hide their money? Bundled up in elastic bands and marked in pencil with dates spanning from the mid-1960s to the 1970s, the stash was extremely well organized. How they came about the money is something of a mystery, but it has been suggested that the notes could have been collected from their fruit stand and kept as undeclared income.
Having uncovered the significant sum, Dave made contact with the grown-up daughter of the family, who was now the owner of the home, along with her brothers. Now married and living in northern Canada, he reunited the money with its original owners. Today, the house is still standing and the family have begun the large task of clearing out the rundown property. With any hope, the next chapter of the home's history will be happier than its past...
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