Couple’s Quest to Uncover Hidden Room in 19th-Century Church Electrifies Online Community

A couple renovating a historic church in upstate New York has captured the attention of millions online. Their intriguing discovery involves two exterior windows that seem to belong to a nonexistent room. Lauren Gunderman, 31, shared with Newsweek that she and her partner are transforming the 1872 church into a luxury venue for weddings and events.

Known as The Stately on Main, this former Presbyterian church in Waterville has become the subject of an online investigation. Viewers have been captivated by the couple’s theory that a hidden space is concealed within the building. The search for this room has sparked a flurry of theories and analyses from online followers eager to solve the mystery.

In a video posted on Instagram by @127eastmain on May 25, Gunderman and her partner can be seen attempting to access the so-called “mystery room.” The footage highlights their focus on an apparent entry point in the ceiling, where wooden boards covered the suspected location of the hidden space. They began removing these boards, hoping to discover an entrance.

“How the hell we get into this mystery room?” the poster questions during the video.

The investigation began when the couple noticed two exterior windows that did not match any known interior areas. Convinced of the room’s existence, they initiated a thorough search for a potential entrance. At one point, they found a small opening beneath where they thought the room might be located. After removing the boards and lowering a phone into the gap, their efforts unveiled only additional structural elements, with no hidden room in sight.

Despite these challenges, Gunderman remains optimistic due to viewer insights. Spoiler: after receiving a flood of comments from organ experts, I’ve since learned the windows were likely boarded up inside the organ room after it was electrified. But I don’t want to mess with the pipes, so we may never know for sure! she stated.

The video has rapidly gained popularity, amassing over 4.9 million views and more than 137,000 likes. Comments reflect both humor and caution from the audience. One user remarked, So you bought an old church with a boarded-off room… and your first thought was how do we get in there? That’s where the demon sleeps. Another user noted, Old church, boarded up room, yep I’m not opening that up! Starcatcher1966 added, So, wait you bought an old church, found a closed-off, completely sealed room or space, and your first thought is how do I get in?? Nope nope nope… have it blessed and hope whatever they boarded up stays in there.