Events Calendar

< Back

What can trash tell you about the earliest residents of Watertown? Were they wealthy or poor? Did they have children, or animals, or possibly run a business from their home? Did they break a lot of dishes? Come find out answers to these questions and more during a special presentation hosted by the Watertown Historical Society on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 12:30 p.m. at the Watertown Public Library.
The presentation will be led by amateur historians Dave Labno and Jeff Springer, who share stories about local history based on trash they excavate from the sites of former privies (outhouses or outdoor toilets). Although any organic matter in historic privies has long since turned to dust, privies were also used to dispose of trash, which still exists in the form of broken dishes, discarded glass bottles, pottery, children’s toys, and metal household and farm objects – some dating back to the 1860s.
Labno and Springer will talk about their experiences excavating privies and their many unique finds. Among the items that will be on display are dish fragments Labno and Springer excavated from a privy on S. Washington Street in Watertown many years ago.
Labno and Springer have been excavating old privy pits, wells, and other dump sites for over 35 years. They have been the subject of many articles and online videos, created museum displays, and published their own original research.
The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, call (920) 261-2796.

Event Details

2026-09-13 12:30:00 2026-09-13 13:30:00 America/Chicago Beneath the Outhouse: trash is Historical Treasure What can trash tell you about the earliest residents of Watertown? Were they wealthy or poor? Did they have children, or animals, or possibly run a business from their home? Did they break a lot of dishes? Come find out answers to these questions and more during a special presentation hosted by the Watertown Historical Society on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 12:30 p.m. at the Watertown Public Library.The presentation will be led by amateur historians Dave Labno and Jeff Springer, who share stories about local history based on trash they excavate from the sites of former privies (outhouses or outdoor toilets). Although any organic matter in historic privies has long since turned to dust, privies were also used to dispose of trash, which still exists in the form of broken dishes, discarded glass bottles, pottery, children’s toys, and metal household and farm objects – some dating back to the 1860s.Labno and Springer will talk about their experiences excavating privies and their many unique finds. Among the items that will be on display are dish fragments Labno and Springer excavated from a privy on S. Washington Street in Watertown many years ago.Labno and Springer have been excavating old privy pits, wells, and other dump sites for over 35 years. They have been the subject of many articles and online videos, created museum displays, and published their own original research.The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, call (920) 261-2796. Event Details Watertown Public Library Watertown Historical Society

---