New Homeowners Find Hidden Door, Blueprints While Restoring 1910 House

An Illinois couple have discovered everything from old blueprints to secret doors and house numbers while renovating their newly purchased 100-year-old house—and they've been sharing the whole process online.

Jeremey Martin and Bailey Lutz were born and raised in Collinsville, Illinois, where they have become the fifth owners of a historical house that has been home to various businesses over the years.

The three-story, 4,300-square foot house has been transformed by various owners over the past century, each of whom left their own traces that are now being discovered by the couple.

The first floor of the house served as a doctor's office for around 75 years, before becoming a flower shop with the house's third owner.

"The first owner lived in the entire home. The second floor was nothing but bedrooms, but after he passed away, the second doctor put a living room and kitchen on the second floor and then made the first floor the entire doctor's office," Martin told Fox 2.

"The third owner had a bunch of his family members living here. His mom lived in the back of the first floor, where he had his flower shop. He and his niece lived on the second floor, and his sister lived on the third floor."

The couple have gained an online following with fans excited to see how the historic building transforms. The owners have also been sharing the interesting discoveries they've found while renovating the house.

Martin and Lutz found boxes left in the house, containing blueprints from each renovation over the century that show each and every change made. The couple also stumbled on old receipts and a greenhouse manual.

Perhaps most fascinating discovery was a hidden door on the first floor kitchen, along with a different street address on the back of the house. The couple found a house number sign of 323 above the porch.

"There's our big backyard and then there's an alley, so we don't know if maybe at one point the 323 was an address for the back of the house that was at one point kind of separated from the original part of the house. That's been interesting," Lutz told Fox 2.

Martin and Lutz have promised to keep the house community-focused and have even turned to their Facebook page to ask local individuals for suggestions on what business they should rent the first floor of the house to.

"We have talked with a few local people and have heard some ideas but would like some feedback from the community to hear what you think Collinsville needs.

One thing that we are both set on is we want a business to move in that is open to the public because we want to be able to share the house with you all," they wrote in a social media post. Suggestions ranged from a used book store to a tea room.

"A lot of our friends moved away after high school and we both kind of believe that if you don't like the hometown, you think it can be improved, you should be one of the ones that steps up to improve it, and not go to a different town," Martin told Fox 2.

"I think Collinsville offers a little of everything and we just want to preserve this and have the house be a part of the community again."

Last month, a different couple discovered forgotten items in their 1896 house renovation, including a WW2 scrapbook in the trash that detailed a breathtaking love story.

"After the estate sale anything that remained in the home was pushed into a large pile in the dining room which we were told was trash," homeowner Kevin Berry told Newsweek.

"We were told to rent a dumpster and just throw it away, but we've been doing this too long to do that. We picked through each piece of 'trash,' and made TONS of discoveries, one of which was a trash-bag labeled 'Ingram Memories.'

A full scrapbook documented the life of Marjorie Mae Ingram, born on February 1, 1921, according to her obituary in the local paper.

The Berrys found photos, newspaper clippings, telegrams and letters spanning her early years, her education and her relationship with Clifford L. Fluitt, who became her fiancé.

According to reports, Fluitt was a pilot who fought in World War 2, but never returned home after going missing during an "important tactical mission" in the North Pacific in 1945.

The scrapbook revealed she had kept all communication with her fiance, along with his dog tags, his wings, his Anchor and his second lieutenant bars.

"And most surprising of all, her engagement ring, which she kept for 70-plus years," they added.