new digger

[squibby17]

We just bought an old farmhouse built in the late 1800's and i am having a blast researching the history and learning about our property..however, i am extreamly interested (obsessed even) with trying to figure out where i should start looking for a potential dump..does anyone have any tips that could get me started? Thank you so much!

 

[deenodean]

Welcome to the site and the world of bottles.
There should be a privy(s) there somewhere. Other members who have more experience will tell u how to find it.
For bottle dumps, look for heaps, hollows or an embankment along the property line, then look for the same on your property , look for rusted cans, metal , broken glass, bottles. Most of it will be grown over and mite be difficult to find so if your detect anything like a dump get a good hand claw rake and start scratching. If you find a dump on a hill ALWAYS start from the bottom , dig to the virgin soil and work up hill. Don't forget to post all your findings, there are people on this site who KNOW their bottles..all the best.

 

[cowseatmaize]

It's hard to say with so little info.
For instance there is a house built in the late 1700's down the street from me. I checked old maps for terrain and roads and I came to the conclusion that the most likely spot is now under Rt. 495 or somewhere near the redirection of the nearby brook (now a big swampy area). If your property is near a development or subdivide of any kind the good stuff may be gone forever.

 

[squibby17]

No developements [] our road is a very old back road with a majority of the homes being very old

 

[squibby17]

It is actually a corner lot, directly across the street is the original foundation of the school house used in the 1800's also

 

[surfaceone]

Hey squibby,

Welcome to the Blue Pages. Thanks for telling us of your opportunity. Yo've provided precious little information on the "lay of the land." so to speak. Are we talking lots of acres?? Whats the topography like?

I see walking and looking in your future. I'd start by walking the boundries and looking carefully as you go. I'd think of where someone would throw something away that was going to be out of sight, and down wind.

Good luck...

 

[RCO]

there should be a dump on the property or in the general area . i've explored a few properties like your this year and i've found each one is different and unique . there is always something done differently at each property . so there is no way for us to know where items could be without being there .

i would take a walk around the property if its not covered in snow yet and look for signs of garbage or glass sticking out of the ground . often i find the dumps just by walking around looking for things that shouldn't be there naturally like glass , metals or old tin cans .
its also possible the dump has allready been dug up by now especially if the property has had other owners but even if that happened there could still be things they missed .

 

[squibby17]

Ugh..its very frustrating because i have been finding chunks of glass basically everywhere through out the yard : / definately old thick blues and such..the land close to the house i have found to be very rocky then almost orange soil underneath in a few spots. How do you know when to stop digging and find a new spot? My husband just laughs and says we have plenty of time to find things but i cant wait!

 

[MINNESOTA DIGGER]

a lot depends on wether you have clay , or sandy soil, etc . in a clay area the stuff really does not get buried very deep , bad for an area that may freeze and break bottles , , search for old junk machinery etc . , a hill a ravine . look for spots that do not make sense , if glass is all over ,site may have been graded / bulldozed some . a lot of things change . try to find someone local who can help you . your home should have several outhouse pits , get a probe some how