WashijaChecking The Ruins
Among the fallen debris, the plumber spotted an old molded wallet. He was confused about how it managed to find its way to the vents. But it didn’t end there, because when he bent down and examined the vent with a flashlight, he saw a whole collection of wallets tucked away inside it!
Exciting News
The plumber decided to call Baltzell and let him know about his little discovery. And to say that the pastor was thrilled, would be an understatement. Turns out when he bought this old abandoned school building, he was hoping to come across some 70 years old findings that haven’t been discovered yet. The plumber may have just granted his wish!
Examining The Discovery
The plumber showed the discovery to the pastor and they begin examining the contents together. He had managed to find not 1, not 2 but an entire collection of 15 wallets inside the vent! Baltzell realized that the wallets have remained tucked away inside that vent untouched for more than half a century.
The Owner
Baltzell began to open the wallets and check the insides. The contents consisted of identification cards and old photographs. Turns out, they belonged to the girls studying at Centralia High School in the 1940s. But what were they doing behind a vent in the restroom? Baltzell made a wild guess, assuming the worst.
Stolen Wallets
All the wallets were empty on cash which can only mean one thing; they were stolen. The thief took out the cash and stacked the wallets behind the vent, leaving behind their I.D.s and photographs. The wallets were made of leather and mostly faded and tattered after all this time but given everything, they were still in a decent state.
Identifying The Owners
Baltzell wanted to return these wallets to their owners but it was not as easy as it sounds. He decided to take out the I.D.s and photos from each wallet and go through the details. Turns out most of these photos were from 1945 or 1946. This means that most of the owners may not even be alive today.