# tips for finding dumps and privies?



## LolaInSF (Mar 14, 2018)

Hi all-
I live in a house built in 1888, and I've found a lot of great stuff (newspapers, business cards, cigarette boxes and such) in the walls during repairs and renovations over the years. I'm curious to know how I would pinpoint the location of the original dump and/or privy associated with this house, assuming those were still common in 1888. Any tips?


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## RCO (Mar 14, 2018)

it depends how built up this location is by now , some areas ,the old dumps have long been paved over or new homes built on them . if the lot is bigger and untouched is a better chance of finding something


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## hemihampton (Mar 14, 2018)

Go to the back corners of your yard/lot & start probing the ground with a metal rod called a probe. LEON.


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## Tombstone Brick (Mar 16, 2018)

Be willing to dig, property lines are a good start.  Metaldetect those area's first. Lowest border of your land to start. Altered land is how I find them here, rocks lay unnatural in shallow mounds. I dig 10 core holes to one good one.


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## LolaInSF (May 9, 2018)

Just now saw these answers...thanks for the advice!


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (May 10, 2018)

Like Hemi said, "probe". It's your best friend for locating glass underfoot.


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