Why Do Old Minnesota Homes Often Have Upside Down Spindles?

There's something about an old home. Maybe it's a window or feature that catches your eye, it might be the real hardwood floors, or maybe it's the staircase that is the main feature when you walk in. But when you look closer at those gorgeous old stairs, spindles, and banister you notice something that you didn't before, one of those old spindles is upside down! It wasn't an unforced error, that upside spindle is most likely there for one of two reasons.

Old homes, no matter where they were built, they exude charm. There's just something about the old-world craftsmanship that gives you pause. I often have to think about how long something like building a home would have taken 100+ years ago, surely more than the 3-4 months it takes now. With all the care that went into building these old homes, one had to wonder how a spindle got flipped upside down on the stairs. Was it a shoddy repair from a previous homeowner? Was it a mistake by the builder? Generally in old homes the answer to both those often asked questions is no.

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There are two common explanations for upside-down spindles in old homes, one is that the upside-down spindle will ward off evil spirits, like death, from creeping up the stairs at night.

The other common reason why an old staircase spindle was installed upside down is more religious. In many cases, the people building these older homes tended to be more religious than we are today, and in their eyes, the only perfect builder is God, so by putting the spindle upside down they are admitting their imperfection as being human. 

Do you live in an old home that has an upside-down spindle?