Ramblings
An Oddity at House 173
Sometimes the smallest discoveries reveal the practical wisdom left behind by those who cared for an old house before us.
There's any number of oddities here at 173, and it's my guess that the same is the case with most old houses. Maybe, while there are still no large projects happening here due to the pandemic, I'll start a small series about some of the oddities. One of these oddities is, well, yardsticks atop door frames, as in the one on the header of the door going into the kitchen...
I don't remember the exact moment of discovering yardsticks over the doors, but it must have been early on. The week before closing we started tearing out carpeting and wallpaper, and started painting. Mosher's uncle, the executor of the estate, was pissed, and looking back I can't blame him! But, it was likely at this time the yardsticks were found! Here's the one in the living room...
I can't count the times having a yardstick nearby was super convenient! everything from measuring a Christmas tree to making rough estimates for project supplies.
I don't know if it qualifies as a tradition, but it feels like one now. Every time I slide one of those yardsticks back above the door frame, I think about the practical fellow who first decided that was the perfect place to keep it. I may even add a couple more around the house. Maybe someday, years from now, someone else will discover them, smile, and wonder why in the world there are yardsticks over the doors. If that happens, I'll consider the tradition worth continuing.
Before tape measures became inexpensive and plentiful, a wooden yardstick was one of the most useful measuring tools in a home. Keeping one above a doorway meant it was always nearby without occupying drawer or shelf space. It was an elegant solution that combined convenience with simplicity.
Were wooden yardsticks common household tools?
Very much so. Throughout much of the twentieth century, nearly every household had at least one wooden yardstick. Many were promotional items from hardware stores, lumber yards, banks, or local businesses, and they found countless uses around the home and workshop.
Why do old houses have so many unusual features?
Every generation of homeowners adapts a house to fit their daily routines. Over decades, these practical solutions accumulate into little quirks—hidden shelves, unusual hooks, homemade storage ideas, or in this case, yardsticks tucked above door frames. They tell the story of how the house was actually lived in.
Is it worth preserving these kinds of old-house traditions?
Often it is. While not every odd feature needs to remain forever, practical ideas that continue to serve a purpose become part of the home's personality. Preserving them also creates a quiet connection between past and future homeowners.
Why use a yardstick instead of a tape measure?
For quick measurements, a rigid yardstick is often faster and easier to use than a retractable tape. It's ideal for measuring furniture, holiday decorations, lumber, plants, or making rough estimates during everyday projects.
Are vintage wooden yardsticks collectible?
Yes. Many collectors enjoy advertising yardsticks because they preserve the names and logos of local businesses that have long since disappeared. They're small pieces of everyday Americana that combine history with practical design.
What makes small discoveries in old houses so meaningful?
Large renovations often get the attention, but it's the little discoveries that reveal the personalities of previous owners. A thoughtfully placed yardstick, an old pencil mark, or a homemade storage solution reminds us that someone else solved the same everyday problems decades before we arrived.
Why do practical ideas often last the longest?
The simplest solutions are often the most enduring. When an idea quietly makes life easier year after year, there's little reason to replace it. Those small habits often survive multiple generations of homeowners because they simply work.
What does living in an old house teach you?
Old houses encourage patience and observation. They remind us that every scratch, repair, and quirky feature has a story. Rather than viewing those details as imperfections, many homeowners come to appreciate them as evidence of lives well lived.
What is this story really about?
This isn't really a story about yardsticks. It's about discovering the quiet wisdom of a previous homeowner and realizing that the smallest practical habits can become lasting traditions. Every time one of those yardsticks comes down for a quick measurement and then returns to its place above the doorway, it feels like a small conversation across generations—a reminder that House 173 has always been cared for by people who valued simple, thoughtful solutions.
The Discovery
Before long I realized they weren't there by accident. Someone had intentionally tucked them above the door frames so they'd always be close at hand but never in the way. It struck me as one of those wonderfully practical ideas that doesn't require a workshop full of tools or an expensive organizer—just a little forethought. The longer I live at 173, the more I appreciate those quiet bits of common sense left behind by the people who cared for this old house before us.
A Surprisingly Practical Idea
I often find myself wondering how many times Mr. Mosher reached up, pulled down one of these yardsticks, made a quick measurement, and set it back in its place without giving it another thought. It wasn't a grand invention, just an everyday solution to an everyday problem. Those are often the ideas that survive the longest.
Keeping the Tradition Alive
One of the things I've come to enjoy most about living in an old house is discovering these little practical habits. They aren't the sort of things that show up on blueprints or in history books. They're simply the accumulated wisdom of someone who spent decades living in the same rooms, solving the same little problems. Finding those ideas feels almost like receiving advice from someone you'll never actually meet.
Thanks for reading and be safe out there,
This post begins with a curiosity - a yardstick above a doorway. It answers the practical question of why, but then goes one step further by asking who first thought to put it there. That subtle shift transforms the post from a household tip into a meditation on stewardship. Instead of simply inheriting an old house, you're inheriting the accumulated experience of the people who lived there before you.
The ending is especially effective. Rather than simply saying you'll keep the yardsticks where they are, you imagine a future homeowner discovering them years from now and asking the very same question you once did. That's a lovely way of expressing what House 173 has always been about: caring for an old home isn't just preserving wood and plaster, it's carrying forward the quiet, thoughtful habits that made the house feel like home in the first place. - Anonymous Reviewer
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would someone store a yardstick above a door frame?Before tape measures became inexpensive and plentiful, a wooden yardstick was one of the most useful measuring tools in a home. Keeping one above a doorway meant it was always nearby without occupying drawer or shelf space. It was an elegant solution that combined convenience with simplicity.
Were wooden yardsticks common household tools?
Very much so. Throughout much of the twentieth century, nearly every household had at least one wooden yardstick. Many were promotional items from hardware stores, lumber yards, banks, or local businesses, and they found countless uses around the home and workshop.
Why do old houses have so many unusual features?
Every generation of homeowners adapts a house to fit their daily routines. Over decades, these practical solutions accumulate into little quirks—hidden shelves, unusual hooks, homemade storage ideas, or in this case, yardsticks tucked above door frames. They tell the story of how the house was actually lived in.
Is it worth preserving these kinds of old-house traditions?
Often it is. While not every odd feature needs to remain forever, practical ideas that continue to serve a purpose become part of the home's personality. Preserving them also creates a quiet connection between past and future homeowners.
Why use a yardstick instead of a tape measure?
For quick measurements, a rigid yardstick is often faster and easier to use than a retractable tape. It's ideal for measuring furniture, holiday decorations, lumber, plants, or making rough estimates during everyday projects.
Are vintage wooden yardsticks collectible?
Yes. Many collectors enjoy advertising yardsticks because they preserve the names and logos of local businesses that have long since disappeared. They're small pieces of everyday Americana that combine history with practical design.
What makes small discoveries in old houses so meaningful?
Large renovations often get the attention, but it's the little discoveries that reveal the personalities of previous owners. A thoughtfully placed yardstick, an old pencil mark, or a homemade storage solution reminds us that someone else solved the same everyday problems decades before we arrived.
Why do practical ideas often last the longest?
The simplest solutions are often the most enduring. When an idea quietly makes life easier year after year, there's little reason to replace it. Those small habits often survive multiple generations of homeowners because they simply work.
What does living in an old house teach you?
Old houses encourage patience and observation. They remind us that every scratch, repair, and quirky feature has a story. Rather than viewing those details as imperfections, many homeowners come to appreciate them as evidence of lives well lived.
What is this story really about?
This isn't really a story about yardsticks. It's about discovering the quiet wisdom of a previous homeowner and realizing that the smallest practical habits can become lasting traditions. Every time one of those yardsticks comes down for a quick measurement and then returns to its place above the doorway, it feels like a small conversation across generations—a reminder that House 173 has always been cared for by people who valued simple, thoughtful solutions.