An arts organization in Pennsylvania discovered a long-hidden room in the Yuengling Mansion, the original master bathroom that had been walled off and forgotten since the 1980s. The discovery occurred during the restoration of the 1913 building, which was once the home of the Yuengling family, founders of America’s oldest brewery. Marley Mikovich, executive director of the Historic Yuengling Mansion and Arts Council of Schuylkill County, explained that the discovery happened shortly after Christmas, and while they knew the bathroom’s location, nobody had seen what remained behind the wall for decades.
The bathroom was sealed when the house transitioned from a private residence to a commercial building, as a fire exit passageway went through the room and blocked off the larger portion of the bathroom, which remained untouched since the 1980s. Mikovich shared that “we knew a bathroom, the master bathroom of Mr. and Mrs. Yuengling, was located in that spot, but we had no idea what was hidden behind the wall.” The team anticipated finding nothing particularly special, but when they opened the wall, they were left astonished by what they uncovered. “We were left in complete shock,” Mikovich stated, adding that there had always been speculation about what else might be hidden in the villa, but they never dreamed they would find elements like a shower cabin that resembles a ribbed cage or beautiful tiles with floral motifs.
The organization had historical floor plans showing only a shower, sink, and toilet, so the fact that the original, richly decorated details survived all these years was a major surprise. Today, nobody lives in the villa. Instead, it functions as a nonprofit arts center where local artists rent studios and instructors teach piano, singing, and photography. “The villa was originally the home of Frank Yuengling, the third generation owner of Yuengling Brewery,” Mikovich explained, noting that the family lived there until 1978 when they donated it to the city for community use, which led to the creation of the Arts Council of Schuylkill County, which now manages the estate. You can see post here.
For now, the rediscovered bathroom will remain in the condition it was found. Since the fire exit must still remain passable, the staff framed the opening so visitors can safely view the original elements during tours. Full restoration is possible in the future but depends on funding availability. “We hope that one day we will be able to fully open and restore that space, but as we are a nonprofit organization, it will depend on available resources,” Mikovich concluded.
The Yuengling Mansion is located in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, a city in Schuylkill County approximately 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The mansion was built during the American Craftsman period, a design movement that emphasized quality craftsmanship and natural materials. The Yuengling Brewery, founded in 1829 by German immigrant David G. Yuengling, remains the oldest operating brewing company in the United States. The brewery has been continuously operated by the Yuengling family for six generations, making it one of the longest-running family-owned businesses in America. The company produces various lagers and ales that have become staples in American beer culture, particularly along the East Coast where the brand maintains strong regional popularity.
Historic home renovations often uncover surprising architectural features, hidden spaces, or forgotten artifacts that provide insight into how people lived in earlier eras. Victorian and early twentieth-century homes frequently contained servants’ quarters, dumbwaiters, speaking tubes, and other features that reflected the social structures and technological limitations of their time. Many homes from this period also included elaborate tilework and fixtures in bathrooms, which were relatively new additions to residential architecture and therefore represented status symbols for wealthy families. The rediscovery of intact period bathrooms is particularly rare because these spaces were often the first to be modernized during later renovations due to changing plumbing standards and design preferences.
What hidden treasures do you think might be waiting behind the walls of century-old homes in your area, and would you want to uncover them in the comments?
