Please help read a Sanborn style map

[Goldenplug]

Hello everybody. My question for the informed privy digger is: How do you read the outhouse locations on a map like this? It’s an 1876 insurance map. The key indicates the [X] is an outhouse. Is that telling me the general location is (for example) in the back? According to this all the properties have a very long “outhouse” in the back which can’t possibly be right. It is like that street after street. Anybody ever run into this? Is it maybe that it’s not indicating a privy but a stable? I would assume most if not all residences should have a privy in 1876. Correct? Thanks

 

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[1320]

This should help

 

[Mackaydon]

By any chance is this a map of a section of Albany?
Don....

 

[Goldenplug]

Yes it is.

 

[Goldenplug]

By any chance is this a map of a section of Albany?
Don....

It is Albany but it’s not the area I’m concerned with. I only wanted to show an example of the map in an effort to understand why I don’t see clear privy locations. If I’m to believe the key, it says [X] is an “outhouse”. Could outhouse also be a stable? If so is it possible the city had indoor plumbing already? Thanks

 

[digging440yrs]

Remember that the outhouse would be picked up or it would be slide a few feet when the hole was full of waste. not everyone could afford to have them dipped or cleaned. Everyone wanted it in the rear of the property so they couldn't smell it, kinda screw your neighbor. So , older property's often would have more then 1 privy. Good luck ---

 

[Mackaydon]

The lines on this map (in the shaded areas) seem to vary which might suggest the original map was color coded. Is yours?
Don.......
PS. My natural desire to do research also yielded this bit of interesting but totally unimportant information relative to your quest.
"1873 catalog of 12 pages, entitled, "New York State Agricultural Works, (Established 1830.) Wheelers and Melick Co., proprietors and manufacturers of railway and lever horse powers, threshers and cleaners, threshers and shakers, horse hay forks, saw mills, &c. &c.

 

[Goldenplug]

No. My oversized map is black and white.

 

[Goldenplug]

When I get home I will take a picture of the key for you.

 

[Bass]

The maps were all drawn up differently by the various map drawers who were paid to go out into the field. I’ve read where outhouse simply meant an outside building not attached to the main building. Meaning it could represent anything from a smokehouse to a stable to a privy, etc.

 

[Goldenplug]

 

[sandchip]

Don't know and I'm just guessing here, but back then, the term outhouse might've included any building out behind a residence, latrine, tool shed, coop, etc.

 

[villagenut]

I would say it indicates where outhouses stood and was an area designated for them as the area needed for relocation as new privies were dug adjacent to...as diggin440 said. But to be sure, I would definitely be digging those x marks.

 

[Mackaydon]

As has been mentioned above, an outhouse is an outbuilding; any building on the property other than the main building.
I doubt if the mapmaker personally checked the purpose of each outbuilding, he simply marked it as an outhouse.
Don......

 

[jgas]

Well fella’s here is my take. I’ve used these maps extensively over several years of digging privies. The X boxes are surely stable buildings for horses and carts. If you have later dated maps say up to the 1915 era or so you may see those buildings change from an X to something entirely different. Since no inner city stables were really needed by then. I’ve dug numerous pits right where those X boxes were on the map and found that either the glass was later than the box suggesting the box was a stable and not a privy and was moved, burned or torn down. Certainly the different map companies did things different. Take some measurements on the size of those X boxes and you will note these are way too big for a privy. Furthermore these maps were made for Fire Insurance and if there was no permanent source of flame within them that “box” would not be put on the map to be insured. I will attach a map that purportedly shows actual privy boxes. Check out the size and locations of these pits. Some I’ve actually measured right to where the X marks the spot and dug a pit. Some others did not pan out so well. In either case I’m pretty sure you are looking at the stables. Now with that said, I’m from the Midwest area and I’ve seen where possibly a privy was within a stable. Not sure if that’s true with east coast pits but I’m pretty sure it happened. Trust me tho when you start probing around the stable X boxes you will find a privy close by. Maybe several circumnavigating the entire box. It’s where homeowners worked and hopefully drank their elixirs and beers and easily tossed them into the nearby privy right outside the door. Hope this helps ya. Jgas.

 

[Goldenplug]

Thanks everybody. I think I can walk away from this conversation informed and somewhat encouraged. We can mark this one solved and if I ever find a privy I will let you guys/gals know.

 

[Mackaydon]

Goldenplug,
Happy Hunting !
Don....

 

[villagenut]

I will go with jgas for 500 Alex