Recently purchased a 1916 brick home. Dicovered an secondary cement room surrounded by underground room. Was this for sea?
Answers: it's entirely possible that it is the original cistern for storing plumbing hose down!
Back then, as indoor plumbing be coning into its own, people would hold cisterns built to collect rain and ground wet. A pump would then be installed surrounded by the bathroom and kitchen, to draw the water into the sinks. Most bathrooms, at that time, have a small pump. A dry sink would be placed in the bathroom beside a pitcher and bowl. Water, for washing would after be pumped into the pitcher and then poured into the bowl for wash and shaving, etc. Bath water be still heated on the wood stove.
As time went on, this room would return with a door, and shelving placed around the wall, and it would be used for a "Cold" cellar for storing preserves and vegetables. Because the room be usually below ground, and dug below the frost line, it would protract relatively cool temps. all year round!!
Some of the plumbing innovations from this era be actually moderately ingenious!!
It could be a coal cellar. In the elder homes like that the heat systems used to be coal burners. The coal would be delivered through the 'window' and afterwards shoveled to the furnace by the owner.
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