Trying to line up some privies.

[oaks6810]

So I met up with Minnesota Digger from this site over the weekend. We went around stopped buy a few 1880s houses to see if we could get some permission's. That was a new experience seeing as the privies I have dug in the past were at friends houses or people that I know. We got three possibles and two no's. On the positive side I am almost certain no on has ever dug in any of these towns. I will follow up this week and keep my fingers crossed! It would be nice to dig a pit again it's been a few years. A person only has so many friends with 1800's homes!!! I'm "jonesing" to dig pretty bad! [8D] At this point I really don't even care if I get to keep anything, the home owner can have what ever they want.

 

[David Fertig]

Hi.

I'm so-in-so.

Can I dig a hole in your back yard where people used to crap?

Why?

I collect their trash.

No. Really. I enjoy it.

 

[oaks6810]

Ha, not quite but close. Yeah tonight I got a call back from a possible. He told me soon he is having major renovations done on the house and at that time I can dig. I also metal detect so I told him I can do that for him if he wants. He can keep all those finds for letting me dig. Its a nice 1870s 80s house. In this case it sounds like it's all going to be lost to history anyway!!! Not bad for my first cold call thanks Minnesota Digger for your help! Hopefully you will have time to get in on these.[]

 

[MINNESOTA DIGGER]

hopefully it will work out for us . I am hoping , we can get a few privies dug . I have several pits located in wis next weekend I will be digging , all permissions that me or my digging partner have lined up

 

[MINNESOTA DIGGER]

Had a great time in Elburn ill . hope to get back and dig ! it would be great thanksgiving

 

[barberman]

Got permission from a landlord who owns several 1860-80's houses. My daughter and I have been working one over the past few days.

We dowsed 3 nice rectangles 30' apart from each other, probed them today. One seemed promising as I hit broken glass, dug a test hole about 2'. A few shards of pottery, plates, jar and stoneware. Probe said nothing below 2' except hard dirt.

The other 2 sure dowsed nice and tight, but nothing probed. Today's holes were all 100' or so from the house. We will keep trying, got to be a privy closer to the house.

Hopefully, pictures and video soon.
Rick

 

[oaks6810]

I have a permission for a property that goes back to the 1860s. I was only able to find the early 1900's pits witch were on the south side of the house. So some time later I was talking with the owner (who is in his 70's) telling him I was only able to find 1900's and nothing older. So then he tells me there was a exterior door that was on the east side of the house that was covered up. He said they always wondered why it was there because it basically went out to nowhere. Hmmm??!!! So now I'm thinking some time the early 1900's they moved the location of the privy to the back side of the house. They no longer needed that door so they sealed it up. Still have not had a chance to investigate it but me and Minnesota Digger were planing this one for Thanksgiving. Maybe this story will help someone out there with finding a pit or two.

 

[Sand_pontil]

Ive always been too nervous to knock on doors and ask people if I can dig so I generally stick to diving in rivers or walking the woods. Well today I got a flat on my mountain bike up in the hills so I hiked down to the road and decided I would try hitchhiking back into town. Ive never hitchhiked before and was pretty nervous about looking stupid out there but remembered this post and that you said you got two possibles out of five, so I did a little experiment and stuck out my thumb. The first three cars shot past me but the fourth one stopped! It saved me from having to walk two miles. I did have my helmet on and a tire in hand which may have helped but it got me thinking that it is possible to get permission and I cant be afraid to get shot down. Still curious if the fifth car would have stopped.

 

[David Fertig]

ORIGINAL: Sand_pontil

and I cant be afraid to get shot...

Well in some parts of town....

 

[oaks6810]

Yeah the knocking on doors thing takes a lot of guts. Unlike the past were it was common for someone to actually ring or knock on someone else's door. Sometimes I wonder why people still have door bells on there house!!!! I have only done it a few times in the past. Just to be on the safe side I actually stopped in at the police department , explained what I would like to do, what it's all about, showed them my maps and some past finds. Showed them I am a normal person that is just very passionate about digging and finding. The permissions I have gotten in the past have been from friends or friends of friends and so on, just sort of exhausted that angle at this point. I guess it's just like anything in life you have to take chances if ya want to achieve your goal.. []