New Years 2010 Privy
January 1, 2010
I can't think of any better way to start the new year than with a mammoth-sized bricklined privy! We probed the spot out over a month ago, but waited to until we had two straight days to dig. We were going to need them too!
This particular lot has been pretty good to us. It was the site of two previous digging adventures: Wahoo Bitters & Wine Bottle Privy. This third privy was not going to disappoint. It is one of the largest privies we have ever dug. It was 5 1/2 feet in diameter and 18 feet deep. That's 428 cubic feet of dirt!
Once we got the edge of the privy defined and we dug down a couple feet, Mike kneels down to show just what we were up against.
Buddy, never camera shy, is standing with bucket in hand. "Where are all the bottles at?", we asked. "Patience", says Buddy..."bottles will come soon enough, but first, much dirt must be moved."
Mike pulls out a Miller Brewing Co. crown-top. Not bad for the first 3 feet...15 more feet to go.
Now the bottles start coming out. Pictured above, Mike is holding a Hostetters Bitters. Next, David is showing off one of the 20 or so M. H. Knox druggists that were found.
David posing with some of the bottles that just came out. See David in action below.
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This is what we were able to excavate on the first day. The list includes: 3 embossed mustard bottles, 8-10 shoofly flasks, a hand full of M. H. Knox Druggists, a D'Oliveira Parisian Sauce, & an unknown druggist from Memphis: DOWDY & CO./DISPENSING CHEMISTS. 25 degrees outside and things are just heating up!
