An Unexpected Discovery in Our Garden Reveals a Fascinating Story
July 31, 2024
Source: Reddit
It was always fun to go out to the backyard in childhood as if exploring the unknown world. We’d go for a jog in the field, scramble up the trees, and sometimes, we would come across abandoned stuffs of the previous generations. Were you aware of the mounds of used roofing shingles that were accumulated in the garden? They looked like they didn’t belong there but they each had a story that was untold. We could never have imagined that these weathered shingles that were lying around were not only construction waste; they were history.
Roofing shingles has been a popular choice of roofs in America for the past one hundred years. These robust and multi-layered materials shielded numerous families from the weather to provide them with a comfortable dwelling place in the course of severe winters and rainy springs. Asphalt based, these types of roads were developed in the early part of the twentieth century, given the fact that they were very durable and relatively cheap to construct. Before that, most houses were thatched with wood shingles and even though this gave a rather rustic look to the house, it was a well known fact that wood was highly flammable.
During the mid 1900’s, roofing shingles served more than just as a structure to place on the roof of a house. They reflected the period of growth after the Second World War and the ideas of the American dream, particularly the dream of owning a house. When families moved into suburban homes, a roof that was in good condition, made of shingles was associated with stability and success. These shingles, which are usually disregarded, were to prove critical in the architectural dynamics of the period.
Come to the present day and you are hacking the land and clearing the bush at your girl’s house. Here in the bushes and near these old retaining walls you can find a pile of these very shingles. It is a moment that ties in the previous years with the present and brings back a sense of childhood and the future. Such treasures are a testimony to the efforts and the work that was put into constructing houses and forming neighborhoods.
Locating these shingles is like talking to a friend and reminiscing about the good old days; they speak of sweat equity, creativity, and people taking pride in their homes. I can only picture the first inhabitants of this house selecting such shingles to guarantee their family’s protection and coziness.
As the shingles may have been curled and faded they represent the quality of homes that can stand the test of time. They help us to recall that there are many things in life we should be thankful for and that we tend to take for granted. While you are cutting down trees and bushes to create a new pasture, you are actually contributing to the conservation of history that could be seen by generations to come.
Thus, the next time you come across something you did not plant in your garden, spare a thought for the story behind it. It often happens that those worn out shingles can turn out to be a link to the past and one can only invite to discover it. However, every item has a history behind it and it is often the seemingly mundane things that have the most interesting story to tell.