Privy question?

[kccj76]

Total newbie question here. Last season my pard' and I got lucky (first time luck) and located several privies on an 1843 farm in Indep Mo. Other than trial/error and experience, are there any plat maps known that would show privy locations at the time of the map-making?

 

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[jeff of pa]

I don't think Sanborn maps go back that far so

 

[Bass]

If this area is rural, it wouldn't matter whether or not sanborn was established at that time. Sanborn only mapped the larger towns. My only advice is to invest in a 5ft probe and a pair of leather gloves and get after it.

 

[Bass]

And to mention, Independence,MO is in fact an older city but you did say this was on a farm.

 

[yakker]

No not really. Privies moved as they filled up. But always downwind of the house! (often within 20 paces opr so) Yakker

 

[jgas]

Sanborn arrived on scene after the Great Chicago Fire of the 1870's...I believe I'm right on that.. As far as the probing goes, yep a 5 foot spring steel probe and a nice semicircle up to 50 feet away from the back door would get ya a start. Look for some obvious dips in the grass or whatever. They continually settle even over that amount of time. Even metal detect it and see if ya hit alot of iron and debris in a certain area. Ferrous items such as lids from fruit jars and things of that nature may be clustered around the privy area and trash dumps. Hope that helps. jgas

 

[sunrunner]

and if there is vacant land or a woods lot in the back , I'd look for dumps there.