In search of outhouse....

[7up2000]

I want to search an outhouse for any bottles, etc. Also, I want to metal detect around the outhouse for coins and relics....willing to travel up to 150 miles from Tucson, AZ. I don't care if there's a smell or even if it's still full of s*** and there's a TP holder on the side of the wall--- it has been a dream of mine to search an old outhouse as I hear there can be some valuable finds in these. Prefer that you be the private owner or affilated with the owner in some way so I can receive permission. I want to keep all proceeds from the search. However if something really valuable is uncovered(i.e. cache) it will be split 50/50 between myself and the owner. Members of this site, please do not try and talk me out of this, as this has been a dream of mine. As you can see, I am serious because I'm willing to travel far for my dream to come true. Thankyou ahead of time for your consideration.

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

Things to consider: How deep is the original pit? In NY a 10 ft deep hole is not uncommon - in AZ they may be shallower (I don't know). If it is not in use they typically get filled in - so it may be six feet of digging until you reach the poo layers.

If it is in use consider that a byproduct of human waste is hydrogen sulfide and it will kill you quietly and with an odor you won't notice among the others. Also consider that if they have been tossing quicklime (calcium hydroxide) in periodically it is very caustic and will take your exposed skin off.

Personally - I'd want a site that hadn't been used in 25 or 30 years minimum. But that's just me.

 

[DonDigger]

You should not need to travel far. Virtually every residence, business, farm, ranch, or mining camp built before municipal water and sewer services were available had an outhouse. Find the old building site and you should be able to locate the pit. I borrowed the following from another site but it does work.

"In the book Urban Treasure Hunter by Micheal Chapman there is a whole section about outhouses . Mainly for bottle digging. This is a very good book and has lots of other good advice. Things to look for outhouses"
-positioned about 50 to 100 ft from house
-positioned in a corner of the yard so that it would be down wind of house
- look for ash ,glass , shards, bricks
- the pit would be lined with bricks , stone , wood
- the pit would be used for a trash dump after no longer being used for potty issues
- use a probe to check a place that you think is a pit. Probe is about 12ft long and is used to feel the consistency of the soil.
- maybe more than one pit on site

I have an 8' electrical ground rod from the hardware store with a point on one end that I use as a probe. Google "how to find old outhouse locations" and you will get a lot of hits.

 

[mrwilburino]

Good luck on your quest & ...................smell you later.

 

[Normsel]

Mine is just across the hall from my bedroom

 

[Gaspipe]

Is this is a redo of an old thread?

 

[wvmountaindigger]

I have hunted old out houses and have had good success.