privy

[Tony14]

What exactly would a privy look like from above ground?
I think there is one at my cousins house, but am not sure. His house was built in 1905.

 

[Bottleman]

The one thing that you should look for is a small depression or sunken in area in the yard. Most of the time though you will see no sign of a privy ever being there and the yard is flat. This is where the probe comes in. That is the easiest and fastest way of finding them. If your cousin’s house was built in 1905 I would assume there would be an outhouse but by the 1920s they would have got indoor plumbing so they would have filled the outhouse in with trash (bottles) from the 1920s through the years till it was full.

Hope this helps, Tom

 

[diginit]

Here's a wood liner. brick was used also. Some were buried barrels or just holes. I look for a depression where the dirt has settled. Just stand at the backdoor and guess where you would go when you had to. Preferably downwind of everyone. I'm no expert, but get a long probe. and don't dig privys alone. Some are 20' deep.

 

[Tony14]

Thanks for the replies all. There is a depression that always seems to be wet/muddy in the corner of his yard. All around it the ground is somewhat higher.

 

[madman]

hey make a probe, ive dug alot of later prives and cisterns around the 1900s era check in the far back yard away from the house, the cistern may also contain bottles, this will be right behind the house near the back door, ive got lucky with these,digg that baby up youll never no what youll find mike

 

[Andy4707]

I am Tony14's cousin and were i think the privy is, in the back coner of my backyard and there is a old metal pole burried and it goes up hill a little bit. About 20 feet away from that spot is an old burn barrel. Here is a picture of the spot. I am going to probe that area sometime this week. I think that if there was an outhouse or a privy it will be about 5 or 6 feet underground. (not sure though) I found a couple shards near that spot and one shard by the old burning barrel. If you could tell me about how far to dig underground that would be helpful, cuz i dont no how far to dig down. Did you dig to find a privy? If you did how far down did you dig? I think the out house was near that spot. (The first picture is a picture of the old burning barrel, it isnt a good picture sorry bout that) The second one is the picture were i think the privy is or the out house was)
I try digging there, i kept digging til i say some new born mice or rats they were still alive to which is really scary, but o well)

 

[Andy4707]

Burn Barrel

 

[Andy4707]

Privy spot/out house spot

 

[Tony14]

Hey madman, what do yu usually find in these turn of the century privies?

 

[madman]

hey tony heres some basics for privy digging, first you must locate the walls,using a probe would be best, try to determine the middle of the privy and probe on an angle once you have found walls on all sides the dig is on, it may be shallow or deep you could find alot or nothing, should be 1900s and teens stuff in there, maybee newer on top just dig it to the bottom, thats where the bottles generally are good luck ps if you dont have a probe just start digging with the shovel to locate out line of walls probably brick lined mike