{"id":478,"date":"2023-02-21T01:26:24","date_gmt":"2023-02-21T01:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/?page_id=478"},"modified":"2023-02-28T00:16:50","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T00:16:50","slug":"the-outhouse","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/?page_id=478","title":{"rendered":"The Outhouse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-columns stk-block-columns stk-block stk-d5db3a3\" data-block-id=\"d5db3a3\"><div class=\"stk-row stk-inner-blocks stk-block-content stk-content-align stk-d5db3a3-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-column stk-block-column stk-block-column--v3 stk-column stk-block-column--v2 stk-block stk-51b6e4d\" data-block-id=\"51b6e4d\"><div class=\"stk-column-wrapper stk-block-column__content stk-container stk-51b6e4d-container stk--no-background stk--no-padding\"><div class=\"stk-block-content stk-inner-blocks stk-51b6e4d-inner-blocks\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-columns stk-block-columns stk-block stk-b075ebd\" data-block-id=\"b075ebd\"><div class=\"stk-row stk-inner-blocks stk-block-content stk-content-align stk-b075ebd-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-column stk-block-column stk-block-column--v3 stk-column stk-block-column--v2 stk-block stk-347c83a\" data-block-id=\"347c83a\"><style>.stk-347c83a-container{background-image:url(https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/TheIm96.jpg) !important;background-attachment:fixed !important;background-position:center center !important;background-repeat:no-repeat !important;background-size:cover !important}.stk-347c83a-container:before{background-color:#000000 !important;opacity:0.5 !important}<\/style><div class=\"stk-column-wrapper stk-block-column__content stk-container stk-347c83a-container stk-hover-parent stk--has-background-overlay\"><div class=\"stk-block-content stk-inner-blocks stk-347c83a-inner-blocks\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-x-large-font-size\"><strong>The Vault and its Excavation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-columns stk-block-columns stk-block stk-fe1bbe6\" data-block-id=\"fe1bbe6\"><div class=\"stk-row stk-inner-blocks stk-block-content stk-content-align stk-fe1bbe6-column\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-column stk-block-column stk-block-column--v3 stk-column stk-block-column--v2 stk-block stk-09cb4b7\" data-block-id=\"09cb4b7\"><style>@media screen and (min-width:690px){.stk-09cb4b7{flex:1 1 33.3% !important}}<\/style><div class=\"stk-column-wrapper stk-block-column__content stk-container stk-09cb4b7-container stk--no-background stk--no-padding\"><div class=\"stk-block-content stk-inner-blocks stk-09cb4b7-inner-blocks\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-921\" width=\"309\" height=\"339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou1-1.jpg 281w, https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou1-1-274x300.jpg 274w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 309px) 100vw, 309px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-8, #ffffff);\" class=\"stk-highlight\"><strong>Sanborn insurance map showing the school building, dining hall, convent chapel, and red arrow pointing to outhouse.<\/strong><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-922\" width=\"251\" height=\"338\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-8, #ffffff);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">Dark soil stain is outhouse foot-print.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou3-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-923\" width=\"259\" height=\"391\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou3-1.jpg 238w, https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou3-1-199x300.jpg 199w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 259px) 100vw, 259px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-8, #ffffff);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">Wayne Mills working on Unit A.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"304\" height=\"203\" src=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou7-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-925\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou7-1.jpg 304w, https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou7-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-8, #ffffff);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">Western-most Unit &#8220;C&#8221; excavation complete.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-column stk-block-column stk-block-column--v3 stk-column stk-block-column--v2 stk-block stk-36ec0c8\" data-block-id=\"36ec0c8\"><style>@media screen and (min-width:690px){.stk-36ec0c8{flex:1 1 66.7% !important}}<\/style><div class=\"stk-column-wrapper stk-block-column__content stk-container stk-36ec0c8-container stk--no-background stk--no-padding\"><div class=\"stk-block-content stk-inner-blocks stk-36ec0c8-inner-blocks\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-palette-color-2-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size\"><strong>To learn about what was found in the vault, use the drop-down menu under the &#8220;The Outhouse&#8221; button above.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-palette-color-8-color has-text-color\"><strong>The Immaculate Heart Academy outhouse was a wood walled rectangular shaped vault measuring 6 feet by 13\u00bd and was 2\u00bd feet deep. &nbsp;The vault was filled with historic refuse representing the 1880\u2019s Immaculate Heart Academy period. &nbsp; The vault was depicted on the 1888 Sanborn Insurance map and labeled as \u201cW. C.\u201d (a typical designation for \u201cwater closet\u201d or outhouse).<br><br>Having been buried since the 1920&#8217;s, the outhouse vault was completely intact when exposed by the construction excavator. &nbsp;In an effort to enable new school construction to continue on schedule, a group of professional archaeologists and 15 volunteers spent a very long weekend excavating the outhouse feature.<br><br>Three contiguous 5-foot units (A, B, and C) were excavated. &nbsp;These were excavated in bulk sections. &nbsp;Soils from the easternmost unit (A) and westernmost unit (C) were screened through \u00bc\u201d mesh to recover as much cultural material as possible. &nbsp;Material recovered from each section was bagged separately in hopes that further analysis may provide some hint at the overall use of the feature (e.g. boy\u2019s side vs. girl\u2019s side or nuns vs. students).<br><br>Once the outside sections were completed, the central unit (B) was hand dug and shovel-broadcast enabling the recovery of easily observed cultural material. &nbsp;Soil profiles were drawn and soil samples taken from each of the main soil layers that were uncovered. &nbsp;Construction crews worked around this feature while the crew recovered and screened its contents.<br><br>Eight soil samples and 57 five gal. buckets of artifacts were recovered and returned to the lab for analysis. &nbsp;Following cleaning and sorting there were 1,647 catalog entries representing several<br>thousand individual artifacts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-palette-color-8-color has-text-color\"><strong><span style=\"color: #222222;background-color: var(--theme-palette-color-2, #55a630)\" class=\"stk-highlight\">Physical Characteristics of the Deposit<\/span><br><br>Soil layers throughout the privy sloped from high in the south to low in the north. &nbsp;This suggests that the openings for sitting were located over the southern portion of the pit. &nbsp;At least 4 distinct soil layers were observed and are pictured in this profile drawing along with the boundaries of the three excavation units (A, B, C).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-palette-color-8-color has-text-color\"><strong><span style=\"color: #222222;background-color: #f34957\" class=\"stk-highlight\">Soil Layers:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color wp-block-list\">\n<li>A  <strong><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-5, #E6F0EE);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">The surface of the entire privy area and extending into the vault was covered by broken brick and other structural debris in a dark organic soil matrix. &nbsp;It is likely that this top layer was pushed into the upper portion of the privy vault during the demolition of the privy and surrounding structures.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>B  <strong><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-5, #E6F0EE);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">Clay and gravel soils mixed with domestic trash.<\/span><\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>C  <strong><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-5, #E6F0EE);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">Clay and gravel soils mixed with domestic trash.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>D  <strong><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-5, #E6F0EE);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">A layer of rusty metal both within the soil column as well as along the floor.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou4-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-913\" width=\"613\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou4-1.jpg 517w, https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou4-1-300x151.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 613px) 100vw, 613px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-palette-color-8-color has-text-color\"><strong>The plan view of the privy vault shows its construction. &nbsp;The vault appears to have been lined with 1\u201d or \u00bd\u201d x 12\u201d redwood boards. &nbsp;These boards were supported by 4 x 4\u201d posts in each corner of the vault and along the long walls at 2 or 2\u00bd-foot intervals. &nbsp;The floor of the vault was bare ground, however, in at least four places, 4 x 4\u201d beams were used as spacers to hold the support posts apart against the weight of the earth.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou5-1.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-914\" width=\"615\" height=\"310\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong><span style=\"color: var(--theme-palette-color-8, #ffffff);\" class=\"stk-highlight\">Plan view<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou6-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-919\" width=\"612\" height=\"322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou6-1.jpg 481w, https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Outhou6-1-300x158.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-palette-color-8-color has-text-color\"><strong>Redwood boards separated the western 5 feet of the vault from the eastern portion. &nbsp; It is possible that this western 5 x 5 foot square area was originally an intact\/ standalone outhouse vault and that an expansion of the outhouse was needed prompting the addition of the 8 feet of wood lined vault to the east. &nbsp; Alternatively, it is possible that the entire vault was constructed at once with a separating wall between the western and eastern areas for privacy purposes. &nbsp;The addition of 1\u201d thick, 5&#8243; x 10\u201d pier boards under the wall supports in the western area, supports the \u201cexpand an existing privy\u201d  hypothesis. &nbsp;If the entire vault were constructed at one time, these pier boards would be expected throughout the structure.<br><br>Although this discussion of vault construction may seem esoteric, knowing its history will make understanding its contents easier. &nbsp;This description will enable comparison with similar facilities that have been discovered and excavated at other historic sites nearby (see Chinatown project).<br><br>Unit A and C excavation took place simultaneously. &nbsp;Once complete, the center unit (Unit B) was removed. &nbsp;During excavation, slight differences were noted in the content of the units.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Vault and its Excavation To learn about what was found in the vault, use the drop-down menu under the &#8220;The Outhouse&#8221; button above. The Immaculate Heart Academy outhouse was a wood walled rectangular shaped vault measuring 6 feet by 13\u00bd and was 2\u00bd feet deep. &nbsp;The vault was filled with historic refuse representing the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-478","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":6}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=478"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/478\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":927,"href":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/478\/revisions\/927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wolfcreekarcheology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}