Missing Mural Mystery First, Diana and Gene Smith knew about the large, handpainted murals on the walls and ceilings when they bought their 19th-century, 6,000-square-foot Victorian in Gonzales, Texas, but they had no idea of the uncanny connection of the previous homeowners to their own lives. Next, the 1790s Louisiana plantation home of Anne Butler has been in the family for seven generations, but new secrets are revealed when a ceiling caves in and exposes mysterious 18th-century clothing and medical equipment. Then, in the 1915 Southern California home of Christie Romero, almost everything was original, including a secret cubby with small compartments and a suspicious outdoor entrance. Finally, the 1903 Saratoga Springs, N.Y., home of Michele and Dieter Funiciello came complete with a built-in bench that had been locked for decades.