I had a client contact me to go over the electrical system in a building he had recently purchased. The structure was built in approximately 1910 and was the home of a local newspaper.
There were many alterations made to the building over the years and at some point, the attic area became completely closed off with no accessibility. This was a really big attic area.
The owner gave me permission to open the ceiling to gain access to the attic area which had not been occupied for probably a few decades. The first find was a truly immaculate Knob and Tube wiring job. At the time, I did not have a good digital camera and regret not getting good pictures of the work.
In general, the space was empty and surprisingly clean. There were two antique handmade tools boxes with advertisements on the side for old tobacco companies and hardware supplies. Inside were some knob and tube supplies, a bunch of thread, and old nails.
In the far corner of the attic area was a large structure that looked like an old cabinet. As it turns out, it was a vintage telephone operator’s switch board. It was quite fantastic.
I was able to do some research and discovered it had once been in use at an old hotel across the river in Charlotte Harbor. When someone called in to the hotel, the operator could patch in the caller to the desired room. Apparently in the 30's, the hotel upgraded the phone system and sold the switch and cabinet to the newspaper. It was moved to the building but never used. At some point, they moved it to the attic and forgot about it.
It sat there for nearly two years from the day I first re-discovered it. I tried really hard to get it placed in the possession of the local historical society, but it never worked out.
Unfortunately, Hurricane Charley destroyed the nearly 100 year old structure and the contents within it. The old hotel where the switchboard originated was also completely destroyed. I never got a single picture.
I'm glad I taped it shut. 
