On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:09:56 -0400, CompleteNewb wrote:

Home built in 1920's, plaster walls throughout. We have a fireplace in
the middle of one wall of the living room, and the chimney area is a big
narrowing pillar around the fireplace all the way up to the ceiling (of
the first floor).

It's called a chimney breast. Unfortunately, other than that, your
description of it has me baffled. Unless the whole thing is brick-built
with a drywall lining fixed to the front for reasons of insulation (ie to
protect occupants from burning a hand on the front of the chimney breast
when there's a blazing fire going).

I'd punch a hole in it and shine a light in to be sure. It's no big deal
to patch a hole of any size.

--
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