1860s Hotel privy !! paving the lot

[KentOhio]

I dug in Ravenna, Ohio over the summer, hoping to find some Ravenna Glass Company flasks. The best item I found was a beer bottle, worth about $25. Somehow, the newspaper got wind of the story, but they didn't hear it from me. Imagine my surprise reading the article about how I found a bottle worth $400! I have no idea where they got this figure, but it must mean the public is itching for a good treasure hunting story.

This fall I went to a torn-up parking lot behind an 1830's brick tavern. It's a shame, but I think the privy was scraped down so it could first be paved. The asphalt and gravel layer was about a foot and a half thick, and then there was only clay. Don't they always remove the topsoil before paving a lot?

 

[cerberus314]

Hey Heavy,

Id advise against digging unless you have determined what utilities are under the lot if there are any. Here in PA its a state law that you must call...and they will come out and mark out known utilities.

I work in construction, mainly excavation, but we also do plenty of paving. Most new parking lots have 3 parts...a fill or subgrade...usually 2B stone as we call it...a base layer of asphalt (larger stones...coarse) and a top or finished grade. Parking lots tend to be difficult as they get larger...the main concern is drainage though.

Do you know the exact locations of these privys? If so you can rent (or borrow) an air compressor and a jackhammer (60 pounds will do) with an aspahlt spade...looks like a big flat head screwdriver. You can then cut out the area you want to dig in without digging up the whole lot. I suggest also renting a backhoe or a small excavator (Cat has nice rubber tracked ones) to avoid removing the cut asphalt by hand.

If you have any questions or comments let me know.