RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. When Sommer Duran and her husband, Antonio, began renovating their family home, they expected the old house to come with a few surprises, but what they found in the cellar left them stunned.
The couple moved into the 1834 Michigan home in March 2026 while they were in the process of purchasing it from a family member. The sale was finalized in July, but the home has been in Duran's family for generations, making each discovery of furniture, clothing and photographs particularly meaningful.
One of her most meaningful finds was her great-grandmother's name written in the attic. Born in 1926, her great-grandmother lived in the house until she died in 2021, Duran told Newsweek via email.
"I don't know whether she wrote her name herself or if one of her siblings wrote it, but seeing her name up there after growing up knowing her made that discovery especially meaningful to me," Duran said.
But the discovery in the basement made them think it was the "most unhinged" part of the nearly 200-year-old home.
Duran said she knew there were jars in the basement when they moved in, but she did not pay much attention to them originally. That changed recently after Duran began learning how to can food herself.
"A couple of days ago I got curious and decided to take a closer look at what was actually down there," she said.
What she found was far more extensive than she had realized. Several cabinets contained a variety of brands and styles spanning different eras. She said she still doesn't know exactly how many jars they found.
Rather than simply throwing them away, Duran has begun researching their markings to determine when and where they may have been made. One of her favorite discoveries so far is an aqua Ball Mason jar featuring the company's old "Triple-L" logo, which she believes dates to around the late 1890s or early 1900s.
"I've also found several other brands and styles from different time periods that I had never even heard of before," she said.
The jars themselves have become a historical puzzle, while their contents have raised an even bigger question: What exactly is inside?
Duran still has not opened the old food jars. Some still contain what appears to be home-canned food , and the couple has been careful about disturbing them.
"We definitely won't be eating any of the contents!" Duran said.
That caution is important when dealing with old home-canned foods. It can be impossible to determine whether an improperly preserved or spoiled food is safe simply by looking at it, and potentially dangerous toxins can be present without obvious signs of spoilage.
One of the most serious dangers is botulism, a rare but potentially fatal form of food poisoning caused by a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum . When it comes to old home-canned foods, botulism is a concern because of the ability of C. botulinum spores to survive inadequate processing. Under the right conditions—particularly a low-oxygen, low-acid environment—the spores can grow and produce toxins. It cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns.
Research into U.S. botulism outbreaks has underscored the particular danger associated with improperly home-canned vegetables. In a study of outbreaks reported between 1999 and 2008, published in the Journal of Food Protection , researchers found that home-canned vegetables accounted for 38 percent of foodborne-botulism outbreaks linked to home-prepared foods in the contiguous United States. Three outbreaks investigated in Ohio and Washington were traced to home-canned vegetables, including green beans, a green-bean-and-carrot mixture and asparagus.
For Duran, however, the mystery is part of the appeal.
"At first I was fascinated, but also a little grossed out by some of the mystery contents!" she said. "Once I started researching the jars themselves, it quickly turned into a treasure hunt."
The discovery has also taken on personal significance, as she learns how to preserve food herself while living in the same house where previous generations of her family appear to have done the same thing.
She doesn't know who canned the food or exactly how long it has been sitting in the basement.
"I think that mystery is part of what makes it so interesting," she said.
For now, Duran is taking her time going through the collection. She wants to identify and date as many of the jars as possible and preserve those she considers historically significant. But she's also curious about the contents.
One possibility the couple has discussed is contacting a university, school or researchers to see whether anyone might be interested in studying some of the sealed jars.
"I think it would be fascinating to learn what could actually be determined about them rather than simply opening and throwing everything away," Duran said.
Duran also shared the discovery online on her TikTok account, @Our1834Home, where she documents the home renovations . Viewers have begun helping her identify the different findings, speculating about what might be inside and suggesting other markings and brands for her to look out for.
"It has basically turned into a giant community treasure hunt, which has made going through them even more fun," she said.
The jars are just the latest chapter in what has become an ongoing excavation of her family's past.
And with multiple cabinets still waiting to be explored, Duran doesn't know what the basement might reveal next.
"My husband has been right alongside me through all of the chaos that comes with renovating an old house," she said. "At this point, I think we've both learned to expect the unexpected!"
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Emma Lee-Sang
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