Secret Passageways

FinalVestige79 · May 22, 2009

Well, in all the old movies you see the quintessential moving bookcase or the trap door in the floor. Anyone have a house with any secret rooms? Alcoves? My aunts house which was built in '40 had what the blue prints call a "sav-a-space" at the end of the closet under the stairs to the attic.

I have been fascinated with secret passageways since I was a youngster, all the cloak and dagger mystery stuff. The ability to push a book and slip inside a secret room with wood paneling and a fire place and a big comfy arm chair. lol

I found a company that makes secret passageways! I plan on consulting them in the future!

http://hiddenpassageway.com/

Rachael · May 22, 2009

oooh, that's wonderful!

My sister lived in an old house in Bremerton, WA back in the late 70's that had a secret room. The entrance was a large bookcase at the far end of the main sitting room, and it opened into a small sitting area. Whether it was built for smuggling or due to the eccentricity of the owner we never found out; she only lived there a short time, largely due to the lack of window glass and excess of clutter. House always reminded me of Norwegian Wood

JJWord · May 22, 2009

If you're handy and want to tackle something like this yourself someone posted a very good article at instructables.

Ethan Bentley · May 22, 2009

A topic right up my street. I don't have any secret rooms, yet. But I do have a number of hidden compartments built in the room and in furniture.

FinalVestige79 · May 22, 2009

Same here, I use reference books like,

The Construction of Secret Hiding Places by Charles Robinson

The Big Book of Secret Hiding Places by Jack Luger

How to Hide Anything

And The DEA Stash and Hideout Handbook.

These books are out of print and it took my about 3 months to track them all down. I am so glad I found them!

Story · May 22, 2009

An Interior Decorator worthy of the folks in Langley, VA

I know a woman - educated as an Interior Decorator - who owned a 1930s single story bungalow with a steep-peeked attic. Her husband worked for Home Depot, so they converted the attic to a spare bedroom with windows fore - and - aft.

That left two triangular-shaped passageways on either side, running the length of the house. Each was roughly 6' wide.

She converted both to storage areas, with carpeted flooring and tract lighting. To disguise the entrances and maximize the use of floorspace in the second floor bedroom, she mounted dresser on track-rollers in front of each.

John in Covina · May 22, 2009

It's a win the lotto option for me and also a friend of mine. To build a home where some spaces such as a winecellar, game room and home theatre room is reached only thru a secret passageway!

Ethan Bentley · May 22, 2009

GranadaGuy617 said:
Same here, I use reference books like,

The Construction of Secret Hiding Places by Charles Robinson

The Big Book of Secret Hiding Places by Jack Luger

How to Hide Anything

And The DEA Stash and Hideout Handbook.

These books are out of print and it took my about 3 months to track them all down. I am so glad I found them!

Thanks for the tip. What edition of the Jack Luger book do you have?

irb · May 22, 2009

I'll just leave it at this: it would not be outside the realm of possibility to load a certain volume on a shelf with an RFID tag such that, when placed in a certain spot it authenticates and unlocks ... whatever you'd like it to unlock.

Ethan Bentley · May 22, 2009

irb said:
I'll just leave it at this: it would not be outside the realm of possibility to load a certain volume on a shelf with an RFID tag such that, when placed in a certain spot it authenticates and unlocks ... whatever you'd like it to unlock.

Ah RFID chips reminds me too much of work. Nonetheless I reckon you're right.

DutchIndo · May 22, 2009

Being a "Stooge" fan it seems it was a common back then. I remember an episode of the "Addams Family" where Pugsly was lost in a secret room. He seemed content though as he found some of Uncle Festers comic books. Now a days it would be real creepy. Too many creeps with Dungeons are being found out.

FinalVestige79 · May 22, 2009

EB

I have the 2nd Edition circa '99 with Breakout Productions. Its an awesome book I implemented about half the ideas in it in my house lol my mom was not pleased. HA!

MK · May 23, 2009

.

I have always loved secret passage ways. There is a great one in the Doheny mansion.

AtomicEraTom · May 23, 2009

We collect breweriana and have a big mirror that advertises Arrow Beer, its very Art-Deco advertising on a more Victorian Style mirror. And actually the story behind this big piece of advertising in my basement is that it was a secret door to a basement room at a place in Oklahoma. The place burned down, but this door survived.

Miss Neecerie · May 23, 2009

No secret passages, but I do have a secret compartment guest room.

For the nice guests, I don't roll you back into the compartment while you are asleep.....misbehave and I can shut you in there....it's tin lined, and quite claustrophobic.

Think Fifth Element...with less plastic wrapping.

Diamondback · May 23, 2009

The only problem with all these wonderful books is, the serious nasties you're trying to hide stuff from have 'em too...

I've devoted considerable attention to this very subject, thinking was for my gun-safes... but of course there's nothing to see here. Move along...

Of course, hiding things in plain sight is always fun too.
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Now playing: John Williams - Anakin's Betrayal
via FoxyTunes

FinalVestige79 · May 23, 2009

Oddly Enough...

The Emmons building, which is part of the Granada has its own bona-fide speakeasy! I haven't been down there myself but will very soon. Apperently back during the dry days, the entrance was a barber shop, they would say some type of secret password and a trap door in the floor would be opened and down they went! In my room I have lots of secret compartments, false bottoms in things, hollowed out dictionary.

Diamondback · May 23, 2009

GranadaGuy617 said:
The Emmons building, which is part of the Granada has its own bona-fide speakeasy! I haven't been down there myself but will very soon. Apperently back during the dry days, the entrance was a barber shop, they would say some type of secret password and a trap door in the floor would be opened and down they went!

I would expect, unless the area of the old barbershop is restricted-access, that if it hasn't already been sealed off it probably will be at some point as a "safety hazard"--so check it out as soon as you get a chance!

I know at least one gunwriter who's turned some books into concealment for home-defense pistols...

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Now playing: John Williams - Shuttle Tydirium Approaches Endor
via FoxyTunes

Ethan Bentley · May 23, 2009

DiamondBack your comments got me thinking. When you have a nice secret compartment etc. it is tempting to show them off, you do get some good reactions. But it probably comes at a cost, like any secret I expect.

I seem to recall seeing on TV a bar, possibly in New York, that is only accessible, via the basement, behind a wine rack. I think they had to open it with a coat-hanger or something. Some speak easy of some sort I think.

Secret and hiding things in a speak easy, a thread in itself I'd imagine.

FinalVestige79 · May 23, 2009

Actually no, the barbershop, now turned into a income tax business is still open and the access into the speakeasy is still very much accessible. That is what I hear from the people who I work with and have been there for awhile. We are waiting till the tax season goes dark until we go exploring, we have been crawlspace diving under the balcony recently and came up with old candy boxes, wrappers...but we need to do more digging. We found an intact box of Milk Duds that went for 15 cents!!!

One of the dreams for the Granada is to entirely refurbish that speak easy if it can be done, and bring it back to the prohibition days, re-open it and have it serve its primary purpose

Great music, better drinks.

EB - The speakeasy you are talking about is the 21 Club in NY. Its really cool how they did it, its the proverbial speakeasy with automatic shelves and such. And loose lips sink ships.

http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/059/59120.php

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