Small Metal Door in Kitchen of Old House

So, I moved into the new place today. In the kitchen, is a small metal door with a handle that swings down. It has a handle and raised letters "KM". It is about 12" high and 6" wide. I have seen these in houses before, but normally painted shut. It reminds me of something from my childhood, but I don't think we used it.

I thought it might be a coal door, bit everything on google shows coal doors to be outside and bigger.

It is at counter level and my phone camera seems to show it may go to the basement. The basement is massive, with many rooms. That part of the basement is behind a door and when you open that door, the area is blocked off by thick wood about 4ft high and seems to be ground and debris about that high.

Anyone know?

a reply to: reldra

Here in MI the older homes have them as well. I'm pretty sure they are used for wood/coal for the furnaces. Any idea how old the house your in is?

ETA: What does the writing on the inside of the door say?

a reply to: JinMI

You might be right, though the door seems too small for what I have found on the net. I can see, now, from my picture, the bottom word on the inside is Buffalo, where I live. One word is probably Kensington, a street in the city and associated with early industry here. I will have to clean it off to see more.

TY
The house is probably early 1900s like the house I moved from.

a reply to: reldra

We used to have one in our house but we got rid years ago I was told it was a cold box.
Or it is the door to the fairy kingdom of Italk#alot.

a reply to: TheKnightofDoom

Hmmm armor storage?

originally posted by: TheKnightofDoom
a reply to: reldra

We used to have one in our house but we got rid years ago I was told it was a cold box.
Or it is the door to the fairy kingdom of Italk#alot.

Lol, this leads to a chute, unless the wall behind has just fallen apart. I have never come across one that opened. This one opens easily, the hinge doesn't grate or anything.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: TheKnightofDoom

Hmmm armor storage?

lol

could be an old style safe place for sjw's :p

a reply to: reldra

All the coal chute doors I am seeing are also outdoor. If you can find out what is stamped into the inside of the door, I'm sure we can narrow it down. Hell, it could be a laundry chute but that big iron door seems kind of needless.

originally posted by: robbeh
could be an old style safe place for sjw's :p

Haha..teeny tiny ones lol. gnome SJWs.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: reldra

All the coal chute doors I am seeing are also outdoor. If you can find out what is stamped into the inside of the door, I'm sure we can narrow it down. Hell, it could be a laundry chute but that big iron door seems kind of needless.

It does and there is a pretty old laundry chute door in the bathroom and it's almost twice as big.

a reply to: reldra

ah so that's where they hide at nite !

a reply to: reldra

Could also be a dumbwaiter door then.

a reply to: JinMI

I got it! I scraped at it with a cloth inside. It says the KM Incinerator. It once led to an incinerator.

Solved it!

a reply to: reldra

Awesome. Household incinerators sound like a great idea! Carbon monoxide must not have been discovered yet.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: reldra

Awesome. Household incinerators sound like a great idea! Carbon monoxide must not have been discovered yet.

I had heard of them in large apartment buildings in bigger cities. I believe they still have them. But even in current movies you see people going down to the basement to use it.

a reply to: reldra

What does the writing say?

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: reldra

What does the writing say?

I didn't get all of it. But the top part is KM incinerator. On the bottom it has Buffalo, the city I live just outside of and the word Kensington, matching the embossed KM on the outside of the door. Probably Kensington Manufacturing.
Kensington was a large manufacturer here in the early 1900s, they made cars and other things. It looks like they made incinerators too.

The inside is so full of grease and rust, I doubt it has been used in 50 years. The part of the basement it would lead to is blocked off.

Creeeepy......

I am sure I will find more odd things here. The home I am selling was built in 1918. Has some old fashioned features. but this building, my first apartment in about 15 years, has to be older. And lots of the older parts are intact. I have 4 entrances to my apartment. Every skeleton key door works. I will be finding things for awhile.



For such a large building, only 4 apartments. Too late at night...starting to remind me of the movie 'Rosemary's Baby'.

And only 2 are occupied. Mine and the one across the hall. The upper floor is vacant.

Looks like you got a good project in the basement and who knows what you'll find.