The Big Dig

[Doctor McMunn]

Hi Guys,
Just wondering if any of you diggers ever found any good bottles during the construction of the " Big Dig " in Boston ? I grew up outside of Philly in the 1970's , and all through my childhood, the proposed "Blue Route" was on the drawing board. When I went back to visit family 15 years later, there it was - I476 running smack through the middle of all these incredibly historic areas, I swear the interstate runs right through two of my old dumps ! Just wondering how many dumps and privies they must un-cover during these mega projects ?

 

[idigjars]

Welcome to the forum Dr McMunn. I have wondered the same thing. Paul

 

[bearswede]

Here's a frustratingly tiny taste of the project:


http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcexh/musprv/prvidx.htm


Ron

 

[bearswede]

Here's some nice stuff on it...


http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/boston/index.html

The guy I bought this bottle from was told it was from the Big Dig...




R

 

[PhilaBottles]

Welcome to the forum Dr. Mcmunn.

When the Interstate 95 project went through Philadelphia, my buddy Doug was in on the action. Him and his buds would literally walk right behind the machines and dig out the last few feet of the layer in the pits. Right before they tore down the houses, they would go inside them and find all the hidden bottles within the walls, in attics, and dig out crawlspaces. I had another friend who was a Philadelphia police officer at the time of the project too. He recently passed away in 2007, he said that he would pay the workers for the bottles. His price was 25 cents per bottle and he would take the good with the bad. He said he made out great, and didnt have to dig! Hopefully I will have the oppurtunity to reap the benefits of a big federal project, but until then im gonna keep diggin pits from the top.

Matt

 

[RedGinger]

I remember reading stories a few years ago about some things found in the Boston "Big Dig". What a mess that was! Anyway, they found a privy and a cannonball. I'm sure all kinds of things were found and not reported. There was so much construction, it was inevitable. It would be interesting to hear about them if anyone on here found anything.
Laur

 

[LC]

When they built Interstate 71 though Cincinnati back in the seventies, they dug up many of the ash dumps. A lot of good bottles were uncovered there at that time. I dug in a couple of the dumps near that project. We dug in a hillside at the end of where 71 had momentarialy stopped for about two months, there was a street that crossed right where they had stopped at the time. Most of the bottles we dug were 1880, 1890s. I was more than happy with what we were finding. Then we dicided that if there was dump on this bank, that the dump might have been on the other side of the street on its bank as well. Only problem was that while building the highway they had brought in fill to raise the highway in that particular area. The road was raised up a good twenty to five feet. We started digging a hole right next to the 25 foot bank. We got down about six feet, and started hitting seltzers and mineral water bottles plus other misc. bottles. We were getting into some pretty good stuff. About another four feet it was still producing some good stuff. I had just dug up three green Congress Waters and a nice quart Gambrinus Beer bottle with the embossed King. I was starting to get a bit excited being I had never been into anything that old. I remember scratching the ash at one point, and approx. a two inch hole appeared in the ash, and water began leaching into the hole. I hit a vein of water. Has that ever happened to any of you ? Anyway, we had nothing to bail the water out of the hole. I remember digging stooped down with a short handled digger, in water up to my neck, reaching away from the center of the hole. I was scraping against what felt like a cavity exposing an assortment of various kinds of bottles, but could not get in any position to get them out. Needless to say, I was about to lose it, knowing I was not going to be able to retreive any of them. Then I stood up and looked up at my friend above outside the hole, and realized that we had dug a hole about ten feet deep next to a bank of dirt 20 to 25 feet above the hole. After realizing the situation in whole, I sort of panicked and got out of the hole as quick as I could, the whole time just knowing the bank was about to collapse on top of me. Well, I managed to get out, and no , the hole did not cave in, but there was no way I was able to get back into that hole without it being shored, which I thought was quite impossible to do and then be able to get in it and be able to do any digging. I told my friend I was done with it, and he was pretty much having the same thoughts, so we filled it in and left. I still think of that hole, and scraping against all those good bottles and not being able to get to them. Its still there I am sure !
I knew a fellow that worked on the River Front Stadium project, (fantastic bottle came from there) as well as Interstate 71, he had one of the finest collection of Cincinnati bottles I have seen to date. His beer and soda collection were fantastic, as well as everything else he had. How lucky can you be ?? !!

 

[Doctor McMunn]

Thanks for sharing your stories guys. Makes you wonder what it must have been like back in the 50's and 60's when all the big interstates were put in !

 

[bigghouse]

my uncle told me that most of the old stuff they found were bottles. he said there was a musam somewhere where alot of historical stuff they found is in. i'm not the best of listeners so i forget where he said it was[X(].

annna

 

[idigjars]

Great stories!! Ron nice link. Thanks everybody. Paul