Treasure Chest!

My in-laws gave me this old trunk that they have had and weren't using. It had been in storage for years. It was locked and no one had the key or combination but I figured I could take it to a locksmith and get it opened, not really caring if it ever locked back again. Well, I finally called the locksmith today. On top of being extremely rude, he told me that it couldn't be opened without drilling the lock and he couldn't guarantee that my chest wouldn't be damaged. It's an old chest and it's pretty scuffed up but I didn't want a hole in the front of it!
Discouraged, I got online to see if I could learn how to pick the locks. I looked up how to find a combination and how to pick a lock since it had both locks. Would you believe I got it open? No damage to trunk, popped right open!!
Here's the lock I picked:
The trunk, opened in all its glory!

No one knew what was inside since it has never been opened since Mike's parents had it. Here's a few of the interesting things I found inside:

This is a tax bill from 1944 in Appling County (which is Baxley).

These are a couple of old patterns for ladies dresses and tops.

This is one of my favorite finds. It's a book for infant care. It has a stamp on it that reads: SINCERELY YOURS JOHN S. GIBSON M.C.

I think it must have been given to a new mother by her doctor maybe. It is quite interesting! It has a schedule to follow when you bring your baby home from the hospital. Pretty rigid!

It tells how to prevent tuberculosis and scurvy. It says to start teaching 'bladder control' at age 10 months, by giving the baby the chamber regularly!! It also tells you what to do to get ready for the visit from the doctor and how to travel with baby. It's fun to see just how much things have changed! If only doctors still made house calls instead of us having to sit in their offices for hours!

This is an old girl scout uniform.

This is fun, it's an old cheerleader uniform. The bloomers were also with it. Rah Rah!!

This is a tiny little book for children with scripture in it and an uncashed $50 check that someone had written to donate to a charity from the Methodist church. These were in one of the church's envelopes. The check is dated 1944.

There was also lots of cards and cutout newspaper articles as well as a good bit of fabric that I plan to wash and someday use for a quilt or something. The uniforms I'll keep in tact. There was also a bloomer bottom thing that looked like it might have went with a majorette outfit, I'm not sure.

What fun it was going through all these treasures! Now, what to do with everything? I need the trunk for storage!!

Disclaimer: I in no way advocate the picking of locks that do not belong to you!! :)