# Test hole dug on my First privy/trash pit?



## woods_walker (Jun 13, 2020)

Found a nice depression in the ground at an old house site. I used my 16” homemade probe to test it for glass. Found the bottom to a small crock maybe 12” deep so decided to come back with a shovel to dig a test hole. Got about 2 feet down and this is what I’ve found so far. Few other bits of metal to that I left behind. Looks like I saw some ash down there and bits of charcoal. Not sure if it’s a privy or just a trash pit they dug. Right next to a bunch of lilac trees so I’m guessing outhouse. I’m thinking 1880’s - 1890’s but not sure what do you all think? This is all I found at about 2 feet down with a 2 foot wide hole.

















Not sure what this pile of rocks is maybe an old well? (This isn’t where I dug my test hole)


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jun 13, 2020)

woods_walker said:


> Found a nice depression in the ground at an old house site. I used my 16” homemade probe to test it for glass. Found the bottom to a small crock maybe 12” deep so decided to come back with a shovel to dig a test hole. Got about 2 feet down and this is what I’ve found so far. Few other bits of metal to that I left behind. Looks like I saw some ash down there and bits of charcoal. Not sure if it’s a privy or just a trash pit they dug. Right next to a bunch of lilac trees so I’m guessing outhouse. I’m thinking 1880’s - 1890’s but not sure what do you all think? This is all I found at about 2 feet down with a 2 foot wide hole.
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Interesting. You have a longer probe? The well I found was covered in stones similar to the picture you took.  Pull the stones away and see what they are hiding. I would did deeper in the spot you found the shards of glass. Maybe widen the hole if it wasn't deeper maybe it is wider.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## PlaneDiggerCam (Jun 13, 2020)

Those shards of glass are definitely 1880s or older. I.d Keep looking around that area.I also agree with ROBBYBOBBY64 the hole may be wider or deeper. The embossed shard you have there is a  F.W. Kingsman strapside oval Druggist bottle that clearly says New York City formally Augusta, Maine (He moved).


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## hemihampton (Jun 13, 2020)

If you had a longer Probe, like 5 feet you could probe deeper & even probe the size of it, how wide it is or big around it is. Some experience with a probe would help you out a lot, it would let you know to move on or keep digging. LEON.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jun 14, 2020)

hemihampton said:


> If you had a longer Probe, like 5 feet you could probe deeper & even probe the size of it, how wide it is or big around it is. Some experience with a probe would help you out a lot, it would let you know to move on or keep digging. LEON.


Experience is the key to using a probe with any measure of  success. I used to not be able to tell a bottle from a rock. Some small stone back then sounded like shards. I now have a better more professional probe. My first probe was a snap-on screw driver. It was 25 inches long which I still have. It kind of worked for me being a newbie. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## woods_walker (Jun 14, 2020)

PlaneDiggerCam said:


> Those shards of glass are definitely 1880s or older. I.d Keep looking around that area.I also agree with ROBBYBOBBY64 the hole may be wider or deeper. The embossed shard you have there is a F.W. Kingsman strapside oval Druggist bottle that clearly says New York City formally Augusta, Maine (He moved).



Wow I’m surprised you could identify that bottle I could barley read the embossing myself! I’m not sure if someone back in the 70s beat me here or not. I’m way out in the woods and the only dump I found was way to small to looking. Only a few broken crock shards and a couple rusty pals on the surface. I probed around the shards but 6in down is solid rock and on top is solid cedar tree roots so not the easiest stuff to dig threw. 


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## woods_walker (Jun 14, 2020)

hemihampton said:


> If you had a longer Probe, like 5 feet you could probe deeper & even probe the size of it, how wide it is or big around it is. Some experience with a probe would help you out a lot, it would let you know to move on or keep digging. LEON.



I wish I had a longer probe I just don’t have much use for one at most of the places i dig. I think I’ll have to bring a bigger shovel in and just put in the work. 


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## woods_walker (Jun 14, 2020)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Experience is the key to using a probe with any measure of success. I used to not be able to tell a bottle from a rock. Some small stone back then sounded like shards. I now have a better more professional probe. My first probe was a snap-on screw driver. It was 25 inches long which I still have. It kind of worked for me being a newbie.
> ROBBYBOBBY64. View attachment 208706



I have that same problem the rocks I hit do sound a lot like the bottles. It doesn’t help that I have a wood handle on the end of my homemade probe lol! 


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jun 14, 2020)

woods_walker said:


> I have that same problem the rocks I hit do sound a lot like the bottles. It doesn’t help that I have a wood handle on the end of my homemade probe lol!
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> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The hollow tube handle amplifies the sound like a powered speaker amplifies music...well it's music to my ears!
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## woods_walker (Jun 14, 2020)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> The hollow tube handle amplifies the sound like a powered speaker amplifies music...well it's music to my ears!
> ROBBYBOBBY64.



I agree with you 100% ! 


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## woods_walker (Jun 14, 2020)

Here’s the only “complete” bottle that came from the site. It’s definitely newer than the stuff dug out of the hole. Found it on the surface off in the woods a ways. It almost has that ball blue color to it and a very thick base. The overall shape resembles a clicquot club bottle but it’s a slick. 















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## hemihampton (Jun 14, 2020)

I've been probing for years & still have a hard time determining if it's Glass or a Rock, especially if it's 4 or 5 feet down. Tom will always tell me it's just a rock 100% of the time, he likes to do that. But only 50% of the time he's right but the other 50% it is a bottle. My Theory is you never know till you dig it so dig it. What if you walk of thinking just a Rock when it's really a Killer 1860's Pontiled Bitters? You'd never know unless you dig it. LEON.


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## woods_walker (Jun 14, 2020)

hemihampton said:


> I've been probing for years & still have a hard time determining if it's Glass or a Rock, especially if it's 4 or 5 feet down. Tom will always tell me it's just a rock 100% of the time, he likes to do that. But only 50% of the time he's right but the other 50% it is a bottle. My Theory is you never know till you dig it so dig it. What if you walk of thinking just a Rock when it's really a Killer 1860's Pontiled Bitters? You'd never know unless you dig it. LEON.



The ticks are so bad up north I won’t be going back for a while. Prolly picked off a total of 20 last time I was out. The area is covered in tall grass so as long as I stay out of that I usually don’t get them on me.


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## woods_walker (Jun 14, 2020)

Just like usual there is tons of 70’s crap in the area.. took home this diet squirt because I haven’t seen one before, it cleaned up okay. 






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## GritsGal (Jun 17, 2020)

This such cool stuff. How in the world do y’all find this stuff? I mean locations? I’m so jealous! I’ve just bought a Garmin AT max and haven’t figured it out yet.  Maybe there just aren’t the right locations available here.


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## fstr (Jun 18, 2020)

To bad you do not have a backhoe.  If it is a well, the interior wall would be lined with rock.  If it is a privy, probably not lined with rock.  The closeness to the house, makes me think a privy.  Probably worth digging it, if you are young and strong.  Cheers


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