Many years ago, there was a large neighborhood of African-American families and homes north of where Arrowhead Mall is located.

On Girard Street, there is only one house left standing from that era.

Ryan Dorsel began remodeling that home and found a treasure trove of history on the walls.

He began tearing the walls down only to find that someone in the past lined all of them with printing plates from 1922.

So far, all from July of that year, came from the Muskogee Daily Phoenix or Muskogee Times-Democrat.

These embossed plates are actually thick layers of paper that were placed over the tin-type and engravings used to print in those days.

The printer would put strips of adhesive on the reverse side and adhere each page to a “barrel” for printing.

Dorsel's plates are in relatively good condition, especially since it appears there may have been a fire in the home at one time.

One plate, dated July 25, 1922, has a large cut-out photo of a popular local boxer in that day. The story advertises that he will defend himself against “six husky Negroes” at one time at the next big event in Muskogee.

Kellogg's Cereal, Hooker Hardware, and many other advertisements adorn every page.

One page is titled the “Kiddie Corral” and says it was printed weekly for the “kiddies.”

Children could write letters or short stories and send them to “Auntie Eleanor” for printing.

Marriage announcements, local news, and crime reports are also part of several pages.

Dorsel is excited by the history the plates represent.

“My 9-year-old daughter loves history and said I should save these,” he said. “I've been meticulously taking them off.”