Some newbie questions

[natepen]

Due to the frozen ground up here in Minnesota I'm left watching metal-detecting videos on YouTube and doing that I've been seeing more of these bottle digs. I'm getting more and more interested in this hobby too. I kind of confused though. I'm seeing videos of people going to bottle dumps and either seeing hundreds of bottles along the stream or digging up a bunch of buried ones. Is a bottle dump just that? A place where they dumped just bottles or all their trash and just the glass is now left over? Is there a site that would show locations of old dumps? Also, I swore I saw somewhere that on some old plat maps they even showed the privies. Is this true? I'd love to get some more information on this hobby.
Thanks
Nate

[sodetraveler]

Is a bottle dump just that? A place where they dumped just bottles or all their trash and just the glass is now left over?

Most old dumps were just like dumps these days. Everything was dumped there!

The reason you only see bottles is because they survive the elements better than the other stuff.

If you actaully get the pleasure of digging in an old dump you'll notice different colored layers that represent things that decomposed over time.

The most common colors are red, brown and black. Red is the rust left behind by old cans and other metal. Black is evidence of burning (they often burned trash in old dumps). Brown is usually decomposed yard waste items like grass and leaves.

You find brown dirt just about everywhere, but if you see black or red layers it could mean that you are looking at an old dump site!

[natepen]

Ahhh, so the "rust layer" that I keep hearing is from the materials that were in the dump. Do old maps actually have dumps labeled or is it mostly from the mouth of old-timers or hard research?

[fistfulladirt]

I've searched several dumps on private property, mostly old farms. I look for a ravine or low area. These are the spots that people dumped on over a hundred years ago.

[gleaner1]

I have never seen old dumps shown on maps. Old dumps and privies are everywhere. We find bottle dumps with metal detectors in the swamps and woods along old abandoned roads and foundations. Almost any old house has a dump out back somewhere. Look for raised areas, and low-lying depressions in the ground. A lot of the old dumps were used to dump field stones, which usually means tons of broken glass. Finding and digging an old forgotten bottle dump is not an easy task. The notorious town and village dumps were all dug out during the late sixties and early seventies "bottle craze". But plenty are left for the dedicated bottle hound.

[PikesPeakCharlie]

Find the "Sanborne fire insurance maps" for your town,,,,They show privys. HDing

[natepen]

Thanks PikesPeakCharlie, I went to their site but not really sure where I search for my town or do I have to call and request a map?

Find the "Sanborne fire insurance maps" for your town,,,,They show privys. HDing

[PikesPeakCharlie]

Thanks PikesPeakCharlie, I went to their site but not really sure where I search for my town or do I have to call and request a map?

Find the "Sanborne fire insurance maps" for your town,,,,They show privys. HDing

I bought the towns we dig in Colorado on CD from "lewismapman" on ebay.He has his own website - www.oldusmaps.com - try there ,also try your library ,they might have them in the book form or on film. Hope you can find them. HH PPC

[jgas]

Go to your public library and they can show you the Sanborn Maps. Most privies are not shown on these maps. At least not the ones I see and use all the time. The fire maps are just that, after the great Chicago fire these came about. Any building or structure that could possibly burn or catch fire would be listed on these. The Outhouses of the day generally did not have a source of fire unless there was a permanent lantern inside. Smokehouses are listed for obvious reasons. I have seen a few on the maps that actually turned out to be a privy, most turn out to be a smokehouse or firepits for kilns and such. If they were to place outhouses on these maps they would be loaded with them. I have dug up to 9 pits at one small inner city home. Every 5 to 10 years they moved them.

Goodluck out there, and believe me, research does wonders!!! jgas

[gleaner1]

Go to your public library and they can show you the Sanborn Maps. Most privies are not shown on these maps. At least not the ones I see and use all the time. The fire maps are just that, after the great Chicago fire these came about. Any building or structure that could possibly burn or catch fire would be listed on these. The Outhouses of the day generally did not have a source of fire unless there was a permanent lantern inside. Smokehouses are listed for obvious reasons. I have seen a few on the maps that actually turned out to be a privy, most turn out to be a smokehouse or firepits for kilns and such. If they were to place outhouses on these maps they would be loaded with them. I have dug up to 9 pits at one small inner city home. Every 5 to 10 years they moved them.

Goodluck out there, and believe me, research does wonders!!! jgas

Totally awesome info jgas....

[tmodel]

Nat!! welcome on line. you got some of the very best to give some really good ?'s that i did not even know i needed the answer's to but did. thank you all. Terry