# Privy,cistern or well....ideas please??



## woodswalker (May 27, 2010)

Any ideas on whether this is a cistern, well, or privy??


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## woodswalker (May 27, 2010)

Another closer shot with a pipe that must have drained in to this pit?


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## woodswalker (May 27, 2010)

Also found this...just a few stairs leading into the ground...haven't been in there to check it out yet tho....


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## woodswalker (May 27, 2010)

Pic of the foundation...wish me luck I'll be heading out there this weekend....
    No idea where to start like most I don't know much about searching wells or pits or whatever that hole in the ground is...but maybe I'll just get lucky!!!  Usually I seem to have the knack to be able to hit the nail right on the head and find a good spot....so who knows []


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## hunter2000 (May 27, 2010)

Good luck I wish I had a cella looking thing like that to probe. Will be looking for how it went.

 Luck is when opportunity meets prepardness
 Hunter


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## donalddarneille (May 27, 2010)

May be a cistern, the pipe would have carried rain water from the roof. It looks like to early of a sight for that to have been a cesspool, and most cisterns in my area are dome shaped underground structure with a round shaped tube for access, like what you see in the ground there. Have you obtained a probe yet to help determine the underground structure? If it just has straight sides and continues down to some depth it may have possibly been a well  and cistern combonation. Any signs of trash and/or fill at the surface layer, or are we looking at a native earth bottom there? Looks like you are in for quite a dig there, and may want to consider enlisting the help of a fellow bottle digger or two in your area for excavating further after you finish with the foundation and root cellar.


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## toddrandolph (May 27, 2010)

Looks more like some sort of cesspool or early septic tank. In the old days before regulations, people rigged up all sorts of weird things for sewage. The walls also look like concrete which isn't a good sign for age.


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## GuntherHess (May 27, 2010)

cisterns typically have two pipes , an inlet from roof or windmill  or however thye fill it , and an oulet to house or whereever water is being used.
 The insides are often parged with morter to make them waterproof.


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## JOETHECROW (May 28, 2010)

I would recommend at the very least, get a friend or helper that could keep a potentially dangerous situation in hand. Be advised if it IS a well, it could have a "false bottom" and be verrrrrry deep! Sometimes the old covering would rot,...fall in a short distance and get a covering of dirt and leaves! A safety rope would be a good idea if you feel compelled to investigate.[&:]                                                      Joe


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## woodswalker (May 28, 2010)

I won't be going to this one alone thats for sure...and I don't really know of any other bottle diggers in the area....and where can I get a probe?
     I'm pretty excited with this whole area...I grew up a mile down the road and theres probably at least 3-5 old foundation all within a few miles of this and the woods go on for a few miles...I remember once when I was younger finding a old tractor and a huge dump area in a field in the middle of these woods once....I'm hoping to find that this weekend again. I know its still there because we came across it while riding our horses thru the woods a few years ago....but just finding where it is is the problem. If the foundation and well/cesspit thing turn out to be nothing I'll be hunting for this spot!! And hey we get a whole 3 day weekend for hunting with great weather!!![]


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## KBbottles (May 28, 2010)

That looks like a mighty old foundation you stumbled upon.  Should be some great stuff to find.  I'd also suggest looking into getting a reliable metal detector and scouting for coins, etc.  You could always put a post in the digging partner forum on here and see if anything turns up.  If not, perhaps you can find a friend or relative that you can convince to help... Not everybody finds this hobby addictive like we all do though.  I've had many friends/family over my place and no one has ever been overly fascinated with my collection and I've accumulated some real nice pieces over the years, and to the non-collector, they're just decoration.  Oh well.  More for us to enjoy!


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## mr.fred (May 28, 2010)

Just my 2cents[8D]-------i would stay away from that Well or whatever it is---if your unsure of what your doing[]----by the look of things those foundations  are hiding a lot of things--have fun and be careful.               Fred


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## woodswalker (May 30, 2010)

wish us luck!!! were getting gear and Mosquito spray ready and the car packed up now and heading to the site...Then off to the folks for a evening horseback ride and a cookout[]
     Oh and I need to remember a flashlight...theres no way I'm going down those steps with out one!!!


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