Privy or Well?

Mr Mud · Mar 1, 2019

Came across this the other day in the woods where an old neighborhood sat at one time. Neighborhood started in the late 1860s and tore down in the 1960s. My question to you people who are familiar with privy digging is, is it a privy or a well? It measures approximately 30 to 36 inch in diameter. Can you also date it by the looks of the bricks?

Azmodeus · Mar 1, 2019

Looks like a well. The stones on the right are older than the obviously cut stones on the left but probably 1900-1920. Here's a few older ones in the woods...

yacorie · Mar 1, 2019

I agree it’s probably a well but I would dig down and see if you find anything. They wouldn’t throw stuff in their water supply but people find stuff in wells from being tossed after they were ised

Big Treble · Mar 1, 2019

So I'm on the "kts a well" side, however if it was a farm after, most farmers wouldn't filled it, on the off chance there was a real dry year, and they needed a second water source.

GLASSHOPPER1955 · Mar 1, 2019

I say "well" as well. I've seen many a well that had junk dumped in them, usually much later after the well was no longer used for water.

Here's a pic of a "brickliner" privy (courtesy of "19th Centurybottlediggers" site):

metaladdict · Mar 1, 2019

I vote well.

SoOregonMd · Mar 2, 2019

I vote Well too !

reminds me of the Popeye "Oil's WELL that Ends in the WELL" :lol:

Privy or Well?

Mr Mud

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Azmodeus

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yacorie

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Big Treble

GLASSHOPPER1955

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metaladdict

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