help locating out houses ?

[Cheeko]

Hey guys and gals, I'm new to detecting and I have several old houses that I want to check out and I didn't know if there was a secret to locating out houses close by , thanks for any help you can give

 

[jgowans]

Follow your nose.
I would guess within 20 or 30 feet of the building and off to the left or right depending on the site.
The I am not sure if they would have preferred a downhill or uphill location but downhill make more sense.
They would not want to go too far in the winter.

All pure speculation though. See if the site has any depressions or really green grass.
Good luck.
JG

 

[Monty]

You might lool for a slightly sunken in spot that stays green most of the year. The waste generates fertilizer and heat as it decomposes. Monty

 

[Cheeko]

Thanks for the help, I will try your advice, there are 5 houses located on the property hopefully I can find something, thanks again

 

[kool361]

Maybe I am being ignorant but why in the --- would you be looking for the outhouse. Even if you did find something do you understand that it could be a very toxic location.

 

[tertiaryjim]

Try a 3/8 inch rod about 8ft long. round the end and probe gently. I understand that with a little practice one can tell if a bottle is touched without breaking it. The hole should be softer than the natural earth and if the top of the hole was filled in with rubble,well this is an indicator as well. you could then try to probe from the side at a 45 deg angle. Head the warning of KOOL and use all caution. Have fun!

 

[Montana Jim]

Maybe I am being --deleted-- but why in the --- would you be looking for the outhouse. Even if you did find something do you understand that it could be a very toxic location.

Outhouses are a HUGE treasuretrove of bottles, disgarded household stuff, and sometimes they secured treasures. Outhouse diggins are splendorific if you're careful and take your time.

Google it sometime!

 

[makton]

No expert here but look for a spot that would be downwind from the house.

Makton

 

[savant365]

If there are still foundations there you might look for stepping stones or a walkway leading away from the house towards the back. Follow the direction of the stones or path 'til you find a shallow depression that's probably about 3 feet or so in diameter. That shoud be the spot. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

HH Charlie

 

[eathabs]

Cheeko, what town are you looking for?

Hal

 

[trish76642]

I think it was Gypsy that told me once to look at the property in the morning when there is still dew on the ground, you can better tell where the ground is sunk in when the sun shines on the dew. Fabulous Tip!

 

[mlayers]

How can you say down wind from the house. The outhouse is out back normaly about 50 feet from the back. Plus look for green grass. Good luck hunting.....Matt

 

[Nu2Poo]

Here's your answer.

Hi Cheeko,
I am also a privydigger. My partner keeps a well documented web site of our digging adventures. He recently finished his book on privy digging. If you go to www.privydigger.com you can read all of our dig stories in the Journals section for the last 8 years. On the home page, look for the link to purchase his new book. It is available for immediate download in PDF format. This book is chock full of everything you will need to know to locate and excavate those awesome treasure troves.
Best of luck and happy reading.

 

[dumpdigger]

The Sanborn Fire Maps are a good source of information for showing outhouse locations. That will get you close. I make my probes from car trunk springs. They are torsion springs and are tempered. The old Caddys had nice ones. I then melt the end to make a ball for less friction when probing and put a handle on the other end. Usually here in Kansas the first several inches of soil are firm like the surrounding area. Then the probe goes down easier. Sometimes you will pull a little lime back up which they used for odor control. If in a nice yard you can put a tarp with a hole in it down. Then you can take the top plug out and set it to the side. Then dig on down and get the goodies. Replace what you took with rocks and refill with the soil and then the original plug. When you pick up your tarps they will hardly know you’ve been there. If you take pictures of this and put in a book to show people that you won’t be destroying there yard it makes it easier to get in the next yard.

 

[RelicHunterSantise]

I heart privy diggin...

A lot of treasures and a workout all in one!!

Privies can be a tad bit further then you think from the house. Think about what the house used to look like - as opposed to what it looks like now. Was the backdoor in the same place? Was there a barn or another house on the property? Think about the road in the front of the house - you wouldn't want your neighbors checkin out you headin to the privy, would ya?

My PIC and I once attempted to dig a privy in N IN. It was our first I think. Needless to say- we never found it. We were lookin at the house in its current condition. After diggin for a few hours the owner finally told us he had moved the privy (still standing but not in "working" order) several times after storms. It was just there as decor. He then told us there was a U shaped drive that went around the back and side of the house. So the privy would have been on the opposite side then.

I heart privies....

 

[dimeaday]

Outhouses in our area were located as far from the house as property would allow, in town located close to the alley.. rural, much the same way , not close to the house. Wells and cisterns were usually located close to or even under the structure. pitchure pumps, 19th century indoor plumbing, would not pull water very far. Septic sytems and city water made these obsolete. A lot of these were then used for trash. dl il