AIA Lecture Series: The Back Side of History - May 7
AIA Lecture Series
The Back Side of History: An Archaeological Excavation of a Lafayette Outhouse
Rebecca Schwendler, PaleoWest Archaeology
In the spring of 2010, Dr. Rebecca Schwendler, a professional archaeologist, excavated the outhouse belonging to her 1892 Victorian House in Lafayette, Colorado. She recovered more than 100 artifacts which tell the stories about the life, health, and character of the previous residents of her house. These past inhabitants include a young furniture maker, a preacher, a coal miner, and their families. Outhouses were commonly used to hide illicit activities from neighbors, and this example will show how an outhouse excavation can provide information about the gritty reality of a seemingly genteel era of the past.