History Uncovered at Marblehead's Old Town House

One of the benefits of renovating the interior of a building that was built in 1727 is that you never know what you're going to find.

Crews working to install a handicapped-accessible elevator in Marblehead's Old Town House recently uncovered what may be the building's original flooring, Marblehead Museum and Historical Society Executive Director Pam Peterson said.

The more than 200-year-old floor boards, she said, were discovered by a contractor while peeling back the layers earlier this month.

"It certainly looks old enough, and it absolutely could be the original flooring from 1727," Peterson said.

And while the wood won't be sent away for carbon-dating, Peterson said local historians will be able to compare the wood with other local items from the same time period.

"I think we can probably identify the kind of wood and then we'll take a look to see if it is consistent with other items we have from the period," Peterson said.

But what will they compare it to?

Peterson said the museum has some 18th century carpentry items, as well as pew panels from Marblehead's First Church that may just help shed some light on the recent historical find.

Marblehead Patch will post additional information about the flooring as it becomes available.

[Editor's note: An incorrect date reference has been fixed since the original posting of this story.]