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All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> Digging and Finding >> Getting Started?

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Getting Started? - 9/16/2003 3:08:49 PM    Jules   Posts: 191 Joined: 9/16/2003 From: NE Pennsylvania Status: offline Hi there all, I've just spent a pleasant hour getting acquainted with this site and learning lots, what a great resource! Question for you all: I've always been interested in "old things" and rather recently purchased my grandmothers farmhouse from estate. The house dates to the early 1860's (that I've found proof of so far. still researching) And likely has at least 4 privvies. It also has a bottle dump that I used to love to dig in even as a child. As an early teen I was pulling bottles starting from the 1940's and older from the top of the dump without digging with anything more than a stick. I realise it's not safe to dig old privvies alone (lord knows how deep this might be) My question is, how did you all meet up with digging partners that aren't out to scam you but have a genuine interest in the hobby? All my friends think I'm abseloutely crazy for wanting to "Play in the dirt at your age, aren't you ever going to grow up"? *grins* I've looked but not found any "Bottle diggers club" references for around here. I live in Pennsylvania. Thanks for any advice! ~Julie Post #: 1

Getting Started... - 9/16/2003 3:46:59 PM    Flaschenjager Posts: 1141 Joined: 12/21/2002 From: Central Virginia - USA Status: offline Hi Jules and welcome, The best thing to do is educate yourself. Buy some bottle books, if possible. Surf the web and see how other diggers, privy diggers included, do it. This is very hard work to say the least. There are some privy digging sites out there. Check my links page to view some of the best sites and how they do it and what they find. Stay tuned here to see what others are finding also. Ebay is a good tool to see what certain bottles sell for also. Remember when digging dump sites, that the older and better bottles will be under the newer stuff that is on top. For privy digging you'll need a good long probe for locating. A general rule is there was a privy for every ten years of occupation at the house. The key is to locate the oldest of all the privies there. My links page is at: http://members.aol.com/meechuta/links.html _____________________________ 'Meech' Our websites: http://mysite.verizon.net/flaschenjager/bottles.html Member of FOHBC - RABCA - APBCA Editor of 'The Digger' in full color! Please support the forums with a donation or purchase! (in reply to Jules) Post #: 2

RE: Getting Started? - 9/16/2003 3:56:49 PM    Guest welcome julie, anyone with a strong back that likes getting dirty would make a good digging partner. here is how my partner and i play the digging game. since it is your house you should have 1st pick out of each privy. your partner should pick second and alternate picking. this splits everything down the middle and is the fairest way i have found to split the spoils. what state do you live in? finding the pits could be tough for a beginer. i would try to locate some old photos of the property the outhouses might show up in the photos. try a sanbourn fire insurance map from the local library around 1900 or earlier if the have one. sometimes these maps showed outbuildings. you will need a probe to help pinpoint them. see the buy swap and sell part of the forum, jaken a member makes and will ship you a probe.if you have more than 1 privy they will usually be fairly close to each other. in my area they are a few to 8 feet apart. http://www.privydigger.com/privy1/howtodig.htm read the above link for more info. as for the dump area dig deeper for old stuff. i would love to help you dig if you are close to illinois. take your time wear gloves and be carefull. when you get ready to start digging the outhouses get back to us for more info . if needed diggerjeff (in reply to Jules)   Post #: 3

RE: Getting Started? - 9/16/2003 4:24:05 PM    Jules   Posts: 191 Joined: 9/16/2003 From: NE Pennsylvania Status: offline Heh. You'd have a heckuva drive, I'm in Pennsylvania :) I know where the last standing outhouse was (They got septic when my mum was 6) and I'm assuming the other 4 or so were in a line to that ones left, which would put the origional straight out the back door at the beginning of the field past the yard. Makes sense to me thats where they'd put the first one and move progressively right as they filled. The "bottle dump" acutually was at one time a swamp or wetlands tho it isn't anymore, so I'm hoping that nice soft damp earth cushinoned the harsh landing I'm sure some of the bottles were subjected to. As I dig deeper into the dump I'll take pics of anything interesting for you. So far just lots of milk bottles including the creamer top ones and a few cods and cokes. I'm hopeful. -Julie (in reply to Jules) Post #: 4

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