Southern Maine (USA) - A romantic secret has been revealed: during the renovation of a university building, love letters from the 19th century came to light that tell of secret crushes.

Back in December 2024, a remarkable discovery was made during renovation work on the Gorham campus of the University of Southern Maine: old love letters appeared between the walls and floorboards of a historic building. They were handwritten notes that had gone unnoticed for decades.

As People magazine reports, historians believe that the letters date back to the 19th century.

The discovery provides deep insights into the emotional lives of young people. There are secret notes and expressions of love with phrases such as "My darling". But the lines also describe relationships with teachers and unexpected feelings.

The love letters probably date from the time when the building was still used as a high school, long before it was taken over by the university in 1878.

The University of Southern Maine is now working to preserve this extraordinary discovery. The aim is not only to preserve it, but also to digitize it to make it accessible to both students and the public.