Is there a privy in my backyard?

[Relicboy2257]

I just moved to a house that was built in the early 1900’s, I found a Sanborn fire insurance map from 1909, here are some photos Any thoughts?

 

[Relicboy2257]

My house is on the left

 

[Jason in Enid]

The map doesnt show anything, but most maps didnt show outhouses because they were temporary structures. Does your yard have privy holes? Impossible to say. Depends on when your house was actually built and when city water and sewage lines were installed. If you think your house is pre-sewer, then you need a probe (about 5 foot) to check for them. Many times you can still see small shallow dips in the ground where the outhouse was located. If your yard did have one, its always possible there are multiple as the outhouses were moved to fresh holes after they got full.

 

[Relicboy2257]

There probably was one because sewage in my town was not introduced until the early 1920’s

 

[Toecutter]

look for dips around 4'x2' rectangle maybe bigger, dirt will be soft when stick a shovel in it, if u cant see the dips get a probe...

 

[A2coins]

Shouldnt be hard to spot if there is one or was one

 

[smokeythecat]

I'd try a probe.

 

[sandchip]

The first area that I would start probing is at lower left, along the property line with your neighbor towards the back of the lot, and work my way out from there. Hey, I know there's one on my 1850s lot, too, but haven't found it yet. Found a well and a couple of pontils, but no privy. Yet.

Around here, they tend to be very shallow, 3 or 4 feet deep, unlined, and more than likely dipped. Hopefully, yours will be lined and full of goodies. Best of luck, my friend.

 

[epackage]

I would go to the town hall and find out when the sewers were put in, you might be wasting your time

 

[fmerg]

do you have any lilac bushes in the back of the house
They’d plant them next to outhouses and when it came time to move the outhouse.
They’d move the outhouse down and plant another lilac bush over the filled hole.
Decades later, same thing.
Eventually, on old, old properties, you’d see a line of these lilac bushes, usually on the edge of the property. Far away from delicate eyes. And noses.”