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jcoll98

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Has anyone ever found a privy only a few feet away from the back of a house? I'm just curious. I probed around the back of a house and it went in fairly easy in two spots, one right next to the other. I started digging and am down about 4 feet. I found some possible signs of a privy, nothing in abundance, but am wondering if I am wasting my time.
 

soda bottle

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Alot of privies were right behind the house . Who wanted to walk 20 to 50 yards in the snow to take a dump?
 

jcoll98

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Yes your right but what about the smell? Wouldn't you think that it would have been in the middle of the yard at least alittle further away?
ORIGINAL: soda bottle

Alot of privies were right behind the house . Who wanted to walk 20 to 50 yards in the snow to take a dump?
 

California Dream N

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Was the house added on to? The back was probably the best place to do that and the house ended up closer to the old Privy spot? Just a thought...Norene
 

Iowadigger64

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There where privies not to far from the back of the house but from my experiance you also find that they put cisterns and wells closer to the house. I usually find most of the privies 20 - 30 ft out the back door on the right or left hand side of the walk and or on the back alley way or back side property lines.
 

kwalker

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Check to see the direction of the winds that typically blow too. Privies would be located downwind of the home to avoid that oh so delightful smell.
 

Alaska

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heck, i would PAY you, if you could tell me where some dumps are.. RICHMOND, NEWPORT NEWS, WILLIAMSBURG, PORTSMOUTH..
 

lexdigger

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I have found them fairly close to the back door of the house. It seemed to me that each time the house had an addition. I have seen cisterns Under the floor of an addition as well. If it's not a privy, it could be a cistern which may be worth digging. I've pulled a lot of good bottles and stoneware out of them! The thing about Privy digging is that you never know Why they put em where they did at times. It may not make sense to us now, but it was right for them at the time. I wonder if very Elderly people or people with handicaps didn't have them put closer on purpose?
 

jcoll98

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I'm looking into it to see if there was an addition put onto the house. Thanks for your thoughts.
Very true Lexdigger and thanks for the comments. I guess I'll just keep digging, what do I have to lose?
 

creeper71

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ORIGINAL: jcoll98

I'm looking into it to see if there was an addition put onto the house. Thanks for your thoughts.
Very true Lexdigger and thanks for the comments. I guess I'll just keep digging, what do I have to lose?
with this summer's heat I'd say you probly lose a few pounds...lol
 

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