Privy Digging FAQ

What are you doing in your parking lot??
We are digging under our parking lot in search of the former outhouse(s) associated with the Read house. The Lucius Read house was the first brick structure built in Byron, in the early 1840s, and is also a recognized site on the Underground Railroad.
What’s so special about an outhouse?
Privies, or outhouses, are almost like time capsules in disguise. On the surface they are almost undetectable, showing nothing but grass (in our case, an asphalt parking lot) and sometimes a slight depression. But just a couple of feet below the surface can be beautiful pieces of glass, china, and other treasures. Before our society had regular trash pickup or recycling, people would throw these things in the outhouse pit. Over time, any compostable or organic material in the pit is completely converted to new “clean” soil. Interesting finds in the past have included glass medicine bottles, dolls, toys, bones, belt buckles, chamber pots, just to name a few.
Why THIS outhouse?
Here at the Byron Museum, we’ve been digging up outhouses for over 10 years, and have an exhibit made entirely of objects we’ve uncovered from Byron area outhouses. The Lucius Read house which is part of our museum is one of the oldest homes in Byron. We recently found a map from 1893 which shows the location of the home’s outhouses at that time. Using the scale of the map, we were able to determine that the outhouses were located where we are currently digging. First we drilled some very small test holes (less than 2” diameter) and pushed a 4’ probe into the hole to test the soil. Outhouse soil is markedly different from natural soil, and there are other indicators which help us determine a likely place to dig. Within the first 6 inches of digging, we found dozens of pieces of broken china, glass, bones (leftover from someone’s supper) and other objects. We’ll keep digging and see what’s at the bottom!
Get Involved – Volunteers Needed!
This project involves the hard work of digging and the rewards of finding unique treasures at the bottom of the pit. We need plenty of helpers to set up on the day of the excavation. We need help with everything from setting up a shelter, to actual digging, or helping to organize and identify/label artifacts as they come out of the ground. Please see a staff member or call 815.234.5031 with any questions or to get involved with this exciting project!
About the Byron Museum
The Byron Museum of History is free to the public. The museum is located at 110 N. Union Street, in Byron and is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10am to 5pm and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Group tours can be scheduled outside these times by appointment.
For more information, visit www.byronmuseum.org or call 815-234-5031.

What are you doing in your parking lot??

We are digging under our parking lot in search of the former outhouse(s) associated with the Read house. The Lucius Read house was the first brick structure built in Byron, in the early 1840s, and is also a recognized site on the Underground Railroad.

What’s so special about an outhouse?

Privies, or outhouses, are almost like time capsules in disguise. On the surface they are almost undetectable, showing nothing but grass (in our case, an asphalt parking lot) and sometimes a slight depression. But just a couple of feet below the surface can be beautiful pieces of glass, china, and other treasures. Before our society had regular trash pickup or recycling, people would throw these things in the outhouse pit. Over time, any compostable or organic material in the pit is completely converted to new “clean” soil. Interesting finds in the past have included glass medicine bottles, dolls, toys, bones, belt buckles, chamber pots, just to name a few.

Why THIS outhouse?

Here at the Byron Museum, we’ve been digging up outhouses for over 10 years, and have an exhibit made entirely of objects we’ve uncovered from Byron area outhouses. The Lucius Read house which is part of our museum is one of the oldest homes in Byron. We recently found a map from 1893 which shows the location of the home’s outhouses at that time. Using the scale of the map, we were able to determine that the outhouses were located where we are currently digging. First we drilled some very small test holes (less than 2” diameter) and pushed a 4’ probe into the hole to test the soil. Outhouse soil is markedly different from natural soil, and there are other indicators which help us determine a likely place to dig. Within the first 6 inches of digging, we found dozens of pieces of broken china, glass, bones (leftover from someone’s supper) and other objects. We’ll keep digging and see what’s at the bottom!

Get Involved – Volunteers Needed!

This project involves the hard work of digging and the rewards of finding unique treasures at the bottom of the pit. We need plenty of helpers to set up on the day of the excavation. We need help with everything from setting up a shelter, to actual digging, or helping to organize and identify/label artifacts as they come out of the ground. Please see a staff member or call 815.234.5031 with any questions or to get involved with this exciting project!

About the Byron Museum

The Byron Museum of History is free to the public. The museum is located at 110 N. Union Street, in Byron and is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10am to 5pm and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Group tours can be scheduled outside these times by appointment.

For more information, visit www.byronmuseum.org or call 815-234-5031.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Leave a Comment