I got permission to hunt a 150 y/o property and have a question

[smurf-42]

I was talking to a lady today that is well known in my city. I told her that son and I like to metal detect and she told me to come down and metal detect her property. I know the house is over 150 y/o and she has restored the house to look like the early 1900's. She also told me she has old pics of the house and knows all of the places where the outhouse was moved too. I told her that I would be down before the end of the month to metal detect her yard, but would like to come before I metal detect to look around the property. She said that was fine and that she would be able to show me around the property and where everything was located.

I am hoping that this will bring on more leads to do other properties in my city.

Now my question is...How to I go about hunting where the outhouses used to be? She said she would not be surprised if there would be old bottles and other old items since that is what they did back in them days to fill in the holes. I don't want to take my shovel and start digging and end up breaking a bottle that could be a collectors item.

Also, anything I find she told me to keep. Being that our city is starting an Historical Society, if she doesn't want anything, I might donate some items to the Historical Society.

Sue

 

[Zephyr]

You could use a rod to probe in the area you want to search. Less invasive than digging search holes, and if you tap something you might be able to figure out if it is rock, glass, or metal.

 

[brokenarrow]

You could use a rod to probe in the area you want to search. Less invasive than digging search holes, and if you tap something you might be able to figure out if it is rock, glass, or metal.

great idea,as i was reading your post i was thinking the same thing.good luck

 

[Blacksheep]

I`ve never dug a privy myself but have seen it done several times and its a rather large
project. Here`s a link of what you may expect, hope it helps.

EDIT: If you do get the opportunity to dig the privy, do it. Some fantastic items have been
tossed in those holes.

http://www.19thcenturybottlediggers.com/assortedprivydigs.htm

 

[Lowbatts]

Generally the fill at an old privy may be less compact and sometimes even quite loose. Using a hay fork or cultivator helps loosen it further.

It's a major excavation, relative to MD finds so good luck and let us know!

 

[sniffer]

I know of a couple of guys that privy dig. I called one of them and he told me with the age of the property and knowing where the privy was. he would dig down beside it. that way you don't stand on a valuable bottle and break it.
he said some of the really valuable bottles are fragile and hard to find because people stand on them and break them as they're digging down

 

[Dan Hughes]

You actually have two jobs to do: metal detect the yard, and dig up the old outhouse. I assume she realizes that the second job involves shovels rather than trowels, and that your holes will be quite substantial?

If it were me, I'd detect the yard for coins but leave the outhouse alone.

 

[smurf-42]

Thanks everyone for your responses!

WOW! I did NOT realize what was all involved doing outhouses. I am not sure if I am up for the challenge of digging big holes and climbing down into the holes. I think I will wait and see where the locations of the outhouses were. I definitely want to metal detect the yard first to see what I can find. With the information she told me about the house, I think this will also be the perfect place for my son to hunt. He is 13 and just getting into MDing. Crossing my fingers that son and I find some good stuff.

Sue

 

[One mans trash...]

Old (and not so old) memory being fallible, this might help find the limits of the old privy holes, if they aren't obvious. When we search for a covert burial, we use a simple probe, about three feet of rebar or other steel rod, sharpened on one end, with a "T" handle welded across the other end. Press firmly into the ground and move forward for the next try. The difference between undisturbed ground and the old hole will be striking - it will sink easily into the disturbed soil - and you can flag the perimeter. It also lets you know when you have reached the bottom and strike undisturbed earth. The other accessory is the shaker screen, wire hardware cloth across the bottom of a frame with legs. It's about a half-inch grid. Every bucket full of earth goes through the screen, and the tarp beneath it catches the dirt to go back in the hole later. In the crime scene school, no one goes home until all the little bones are back in their box.

 

[Goodyguy]

Save the privy dig until last and don't forget to use the tarp to catch all the dirt for the re fill.
The privy will probably hold the most valuable treasures of all. But a lot more work. Just take your time and remember to dig your hole next to the actual privy hole as has been suggested.

 

[Bridge End Farm]

Save the privy dig until last and don't forget to use the tarp to catch all the dirt for the re fill.
The privy will probably hold the most valuable treasures of all. But a lot more work. Just take your time and remember to dig your hole next to the actual privy hole as has been suggested.

yes place all the dirt on a tarp and dig beside the Privy. Also put top soil (grass) off by itself so you can place it back on top. If you need someone to show you let me know I'd be glad to help lol

Good luck