House built in 1900 Privy Questions

[PlaneDiggerCam]

I'm trying to locate a privy at my friend's house that was built in 1900. There was also a house built in 1907 next door. I drew a rough sketch of the area I'm working with. The gradient of land goes down across the property from the left to the right. Should I be looking for the privy near the bricks in the back right corner? Could that odd brick formation be a privy? Also is it even worth digging a privy from a house built in 1900? I'll probably probe the area today and can post results later.

Thanks,
PlaneDiggerCam

 

[ROBBYBOBBY64]

Is it round? Could be a well covered up? What's left of a fire place? Can you access Sanborn maps of his area? They could help.
ROBBYBOBBY64.

 

[PlaneDiggerCam]

Is it round? Could be a well covered up? What's left of a fire place? Can you access Sanborn maps of his area? They could help.
ROBBYBOBBY64.

Unfortunately the sanborns from this area cut off before this property. It is round and the bricks looked to be old and handmade. It is completely filled to the top. It may be the privy, but id have to probe it. Would it be worth digging an early 1900s privy?

 

[nhpharm]

Depends on what other digging opportunities you have, but for sure down in Texas we'd be digging that.

 

[embe]

Nice sketch. Depending on the gradient it could be simply closer to the water table for a number reasons, wells sometimes fill up with stuff too.

 

[PlaneDiggerCam]

Depends on what other digging opportunities you have, but for sure down in Texas we'd be digging that.

I still have to dig the 1870s grocers house privy, so I'll probably do that one first

 

[CanadianBottles]

I'd start digging the brick circle if there are more bricks underneath the first layer. But if it's just one layer deep then it's not a privy, might be what was used to encircle a shrub or something like that. I'd think that the privy would be worth digging at a 1900 house, you've still got a good 20 years of interesting bottles after that.

 

[yacorie]

Yes digging the 1900 privy is still worth it IMO. They may have dumped older stuff in the privy and in 1900, older bottles were still being used.

I’d be digging the 1870s privy before the ground freezes

 

[PlaneDiggerCam]

Yes digging the 1900 privy is still worth it IMO. They may have dumped older stuff in the privy and in 1900, older bottles were still being used.

I’d be digging the 1870s privy before the ground freezes

My plan is to start that in a few weeks.

 

[ROBBYBOBBY64]

Unfortunately the sanborns from this area cut off before this property. It is round and the bricks looked to be old and handmade. It is completely filled to the top. It may be the privy, but id have to probe it. Would it be worth digging an early 1900s privy?

I think so. I really wonder what could be down there. How deep? You know any hole could hold some kind of treasure. Good luck.
ROBBYBOBBY64.