Winnipegger finds 87-year-old newspaper in wall while renovating

WINNIPEG -

A renovation at a Winnipeg home unearthed an unexpected piece of local history on a serendipitous date.

Jamal Tarifi was renovating a home when he found a very old copy of the Winnipeg Free Press behind a wall.

"We had an interest in flipping this house and we took about a month ago," said Tarifi. "The house was built in 1918 and the walls were all good, but there was an addition that didn't interest us so we had to take it down."

Much to his shock, the paper was dated 87 years to the exact date he found it.

"When I found it, it was November 17, 2021. The same day was November 17, 1934 when this was printed."

Tarifi's brother-in-law, Munther Zeid, said he considers it a valuable piece of Winnipeg history.

"This is some history right here," he said while holding the comic section. "To hold it in your hands, you kind of go 'wow.'"

The newspaper is a little bit faded - but a few lines can be made out - like a story about a local wedding that was called off and details on a local puzzle contest.

"It is readable if you get some time and really get a magnifying glass," said Zeid. "One of my sons was reading and saw St Mary's Academy on here, so I have to find where that is because all my daughters went there."

Zeid said he wants advice on what to do with the vintage paper.

"We're hoping that the story gets out and the person who knows what to do with it steps up or contacts us so we can do the right thing with it. To me, the right thing is to give it back to the city so everyone can see it if it's of value."