Strange Sinks Spots Open Up Into an Unbelievable Discovery Buried 120 Years Ago

Excavating 3 privies at the former site of the Grand Pacific Hotel, in Sheldon, North Dakota.
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#antiques #mudlarking #archeology #bottledigging #antiquebottles #bottles #dumpdigging #privydigging #southdakota #treasurehunting #oldbottles #metaldetecting #ghosttown #northdakota #vintage #vintagebottles #abandoned #old #stagecoach #adventure #mudlarker #mudlark #wildwestgold #wildwest #buried #buriedtreasure

[@mayflowers1041]

Now I'm addicted to watching a fella dig up old bottles. Thank you! Happy digging!

[@_spider_jeff]

In 1969 i was 8 and my first blown embossed dig was a rubifoam and 2 almost black johann hoffs. I still have them and love them.

[@smspiwak1956]

Another great Saturday night spent watching you two.

[@DiggingTimesPast]

Your videos are so much better than other bottle digs. I appreciate your professional description of the use layer. Other diggers are much more vulgar.

[@BelowthePlains]

haha yeah... ive seen some of their channels.. i guess why just try to appeal to all ages.. plus, i cant imagine showing my mom my channel and then not being professional lol.. but thank you! i appreciate that very much, glad you liked the show

[@philipcallicoat3147]

Good to see you wearing gloves 💖🕊️

[@terrancemiller8350]

Very relaxing video, Tom your voice is so smooth you could read books for a living, unfortunately not huge halls but it was a great opportunity to see the alustous Jake, it was a pleasure to catch a few glimpses of you, I do appreciate it, it's nice to see the partner every now and then, you know, just to make sure your still alive. I hope your next hole is as deep and dark and moist and lots of fun. See you both on the next video. Lots of love to ya'll. Afriend.

[@oldwoodentrunkadventures]

Great dig, lots of cool stuff. The porcelain lid with the book is a Victorian fairing (China fairing) trinket box. They made hundreds of varieties. The most popular ones are made by German Manufacturer Conta Boehme. I have a few in my collection. Recognized the lid right way. Cool find

[@gloriamanning6787]

Just a cool hobby. I love watching all the neat stuff you find.

[@jorahmormont1154]

I really like all the pop ups you put in the videos, glad you are putting new, fresh material into some of the same old bottles you find

[@melissas.117]

I really like your videos. The begining is well done and the end where you show some of the cleaned up items is really nicely done. I also love this history of the items during the video. Very fun to watch you digging those bottles out, and for some reason it is calming. Sure would have loved to do that when I was younger. Thanks fellas for making this so interesting.

[@denisem.1042]

I have been watching your videos for several months now. I really enjoy your digs! I have asked this question before with no response, so I don't expect one now. I would really like to look into purchasing maybe a couple of items you dig for decoration pieces, but I have never seen you market your finds. I am assuming you must be employed by an auction house or someone who buys your finds from you. It would be great if I could find a link somewhere where I can look into purchasing some items.

[@willong1000]

@Tom.Askjem Tom and Jake, please consider documenting any intact bottles you retrieve as to the specific dig location found and the associated video. I've been watching from the first episode and see your fan base expanding. I also see repeated inquiries asking "Do you ever sell?" Obviously, you've noticed those too. I think most of those requests come from people looking for one or a few decorative bottles associated with the show, and are not necessarily looking to build an extensive or even representative bottle collection. For purchasers to be able to tell their friends something like: "Ya, these two different shoo-fly flasks were excavated by the 'Below The Plains' guys from a privy pit at the former site of the Grand Pacific Hotel, in Sheldon, North Dakota" would probably add immensely to the bottles' desirability and value. Such documentation would also help preserve historical information, albeit in an ancillary fashion. Get well soon Tom.

[@susanaskjem9623]

😮❤It's so cool you dig up relics for the world to see! Congrats Tom! You were always inquisitive! Aunt Sue☮️❤️☯️

[@kathydishner7691]

So interesting and informative, you amaze me with your knowledge 👏

[@enaidyeltneb369]

I was watching a channel named WildKyle and the gentleman was exploring a creek bed. He was looking for bottles and talking about them as he went. It was cool that I recognized most of them and could say an extract bottle, an applied top etc.. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, you never know when or how it comes up in daily life.

[@sos13sunshine]

Thanks for making these wonderful bottle digging videos. It's very interesting and entertaining. Been watching you for awhile now I hope you never run out of spots to dig.

[@tarrasams7423]

Hello 👋 from New York you Guy's Found Some Amazing Finds my Favorite Definitely Was the chalice glass cup that was a beautiful find and the little perfume sample bottle Thank you for bringing me along with you Guy's. I can't wait to see what you find next😊

[@BelowthePlains]

i really appreciate that! thanks for watching and leaving us a comment.. and yeah, something about those tiny bottles.. im obsessed with them

[@lisacates4185]

You guys are great 😊ty I think the whiskey bottles are from sneaking a nip in the outhouse 😂

[@willong1000]

That's a fairly common, and likely accurate, assumption.

[@joshperronne765]

Liked seeing the probing and what a good pit would sound like

[@shainazion4073]

It was great seeing the process.

[@offroadjunkie303]

Much respect on what you do love the history. Keep up the good work

[@jujuk66]

Your channel has become one e of my favorites to watch. ❤

[@asabovesobelow7981]

Love watchin you dig up these relics lololllll helps me chill out.. sweet finds!! Thanks for sharin!! 💛✌️

[@leslietremblay3498]

I've learned so much from you Tom! Even found the original 1930's dumpsite on my property. Not that old but still fun digging it out and finding a few gems. Now, I'm thinking there is a privy here, just not sure where? Next to the lilac tree perhaps??? Any thought's?

[@andygulick6085]

you guys rock as usual.............

[@IamRemoWilliams]

You are a pro Sir.Nice job.

[@BelowthePlains]

thank you! hope you are doing alright!!! and thanks for watching!! oh, idk if i told you this before, but i dont always get a chance to read thru all the comments on my videos. if you wanna DM us, you can add us on facebook,. its just "below the plains" over there as well. take care, and keep your head up!

[@IamRemoWilliams]

@@BelowthePlains thank you!

[@twindiggersminnesotapamandpat]

Tom and Jake another amazing location you found through your research. You both work so hard to find great relics that tell the story of time. 👏👍😀

[@rebeccasciutto2722]

Im from Freeport, IL. Lived there until i moved south 6 years ago. I have a collection of old McNess containers. That company just closed its doors last year. WT Rawleigh was a bigger manufacturer than McNess. I have more of their old bottles and product containets. Before prohibition we also had 12 to 13 beweries.

[@michaelschuenemann3505]

3 Pits and some Good Rare Bottles and a Horseshoe - Great Dig and History Preserved ! Well Done and many Cheers from Australia !!!!

[@donaldrobbins1131]

Enjoy your videos very much, why do they call them shoefly bottles?

[@andrewowens9382]

Hi Tom and jake it's great to see the photo of the hotel and maps also it's also surprising what you can find in those pits really enjoy watching your videos have a good weekend Andrew south wales uk 👍 👌 😀 🇬🇧

[@darlacox301]

❤❤❤ I thank you hit a honey hole bottles I have not seen before 😊😊😊😊

[@johnnyboy262]

I Love the beginning of this video. I finally see, and hear, how you find the location of the bottle pits. 🙂💖

[@willong1000]

Likewise! I've been bugging Jake and Tom in the comment section, asking them to include more of the discovery process in their videos.

[@jerrysadventures8952]

i had fun thanks

[@jamesonheche2899]

good going guys

[@johnsnow6586]

Good job guys

[@willong1000]

Jake and Tom, thank you for including a little probing scene in the video. I do believe that I could hear a bit of "thunk" there once or twice. Please include more, along with commentary explaining what you are feeling and hearing, in future videos. Would really like to see your process from start to finish on a lot where you do not see any surface indicators like the sunken spots mentioned for this site. Also, since I see that you get so many questions along the line of: "What is dipping?" I thought I would post an explanation for people new to the notion. I'm doing it separately so you can remove the comment if you don't think it helps. WL

[@jdjd962]

Ya what's dipping a pit

[@willong1000]

@@jdjd962 A "Honey Dipper" was a professional who removed contents from pit toilets in the days of outdoor privies, though it was a service probably more common in densely-populated, long-established cities that had little yard space to spare for digging a fresh pit when a privy in use filled to the brim than it would have been in rural villages. Put bluntly, the dipper removed a privy pit's contents with a bucket, transferred the slop to a "honey wagon" and carted it away to dump in some other location. Today, the terminology and technology has changed, but the profession remains where on-site septic systems have to be maintained. For more information you can Google: "Honey +Dipper +privy +outhouse"

[@jdjd962]

@@willong1000 I appreciate this explanation

[@willong1000]

@@jdjd962 Happy to provide it; glad it helped.

[@dirtclodmetaldetecting]

Interesting finds!

[@dawnhaynes7784]

Love your videos thanks for sharing

[@lauriehallam5704]

Another amazing video and knowledge is wonderful

[@mikewinings4120]

That worm wast too happy with you,I really loved the presed penny

[@debbiecantrell7577]

Thank you for sharing ❣️

[@dski8097]

Ya, you can leave that Anheuser-Busch bottle right where it is, LOL.

[@danielknepper6884]

Go woke , go broke😂😂😂😂

[@soonzach4017]

Always enjoy your your videos a lot.

[@jamieheim8009]

I own a probe and tried finding a privy pit on an old colonial property i metal detected over a dozen times. My finds range from the 1700's through the late 1800's My questions is, how do i know if i may infact have found the bit? Will the whole 4x6 or whatever dimension be easy to push the probe into the soil? I had spots wherr i fould pish it all the way down but 5 inches away it would go down maybe a foot or two. Btw, most of thr field there is a clay layer a foot or two below. No home or property left. Was last on top maps around 1920. I did find the well on the property but it was filled with rocks from i think the original foundation.

[@IamRemoWilliams]

Nice to watch you pull things into the light of day exciting for certain Sir

[@lindamccolley]

Thanks guys! Your hard work is much appreciated!

[@garbagearchive]

Now I understand why some people call pooping your pants soiling your drawers.

[@perryreal7420]

This was a honey hole for sure great job finding them gems you are awesome Tom !! Keep it up love watching you work..

[@warrenmink2429]

Killer man , awesome digs thanks for sharing

[@larisarogers2649]

Another day of adventure in history, Thank you guys!

[@scarmyguy01]

my wife would like to know... "has he ever tried to plant the undigested seeds?"

[@allenlange3181]

Lol i wondered if by bringing them up they would grow from where the hole was

[@dannmccord1923]

Awesome bunch of bottles. Just love them cant wait till you dig the next one. I bet you get really hot down there. Love your videos Tom. Keep digging

[@RailCityRelics802]

That freemason penny was ballar for sure!!

[@marycoleman3711]

Nice black dirt lol

[@nevillewilson1406]

Hi Tom,great exploring downtown the old pits, can you do a segment on your bottles finds and discoveries , neville New Zealand

[@alisonmary1443]

My favourites, sample perfume bottle, Rubyfoam, and the amber bitters bottle, sadly I'll never own any but I am incredibly grateful to have seen them. Thank you so much. PS I hope you rehoused the worm 😄

[@willong1000]

"PS I hope you rehoused the worm 😄" I noticed that too! It made me think of the scene in "Seven Years in Tibet" where the monks were so concerned for earthworm safety.

[@billiehydrick6417]

I really like your videos my friend thanks for sharing this with us ..howdy from Grovetown Georgia

[@bouncerslabrealnature9143]

Don't forget to share this channel with your bottle digging buddies....Check everyone out ❤.

[@clayton6499]

I’m sure the night crawler in the first pit was happy when you filled it back in 😊

[@robbybobby6466]

I never get any whole stemmed glassware. Like you said they are always busted. Great bottles too.

[@vieuxrawls923]

DAMN DIPPERS!!

[@jackacuff5851]

I mentioned a while back that I would do some METAL DETECTING in your pits for coins!

[@riverc3171]

Few decent bottles bro!

[@IamRemoWilliams]

Incredible pit

[@vieuxrawls923]

That challis, truly the holy grail of bottle diggers

[@ozfromkansas8939]

nice

[@ronr9423]

What do you do with the things you dig up? Clean it up and sell or clean them up and collect?

[@SnowPink90]

Hi I was wondering, @22:10 you found a small sample perfume bottle and I love “Vintage “ purses, hats, gloves, compacts, perfume bottles, etc, do you sell what you find because I’d love this bottle? 😍😍

[@karendavis7988]

Love your videos!

[@andrewchase7684]

is that an old train depot station in the background on the intro shot? im pretty sure thats what that is. thats cool, there aren't a lot of those things still standing

[@gretchen8027]

You should start leaving modern bottles in all of the privys

[@calvinc5961]

Hey Tom, thanks for sharing your awesome videos. I like history and old artifacts. I thought only pirates had buried treasure, but I guess I am wrong. I am not sure if I can find buried treasure like you as I live in Nevada.

[@kristijensen7457]

While watching these videos, my father and I have come to the conclusion that a lot of the products sold in glass bottles back then are the same products sold in bottles today. The unbroken lightbulbs are bizarre considering how thin and fragile they are today.

[@robertfoedisch]

what do you do with the glassware you dig up?

[@williamfoster7165]

THE MAP!!!

[@kellyburrissuggs4568]

0:46 I'm a new sub. I was wondering what you do with the bottle neck you collect? Because on a trailer going to the dump I found a couple of lines of bottle necks strung up they all have turned purple or aqua.

[@lorienray6216]

So interesting, I started collecting pop bottles and old milk bottles, now I want to get rid of them as getting older. Is there a market to sell these bottles, even have the cardboard caps to milk botttle

[@tomscotland]

I couldn’t take my eyes off that worm at 3:00

[@terryblanchard3633]

You should take more care when yur digging up items. I noticed the old water pitchure u dug up was in tact UNTIL u started pulling on it. Then it broke. It could have been worth thousands.

[@lynnscott8286]

I would love to buy some for personal use

[@jimcoontz5848]

How do you guys know where to dig?

[@BelowthePlains]

we use the maps to find the lots where the old buildings were, and then we use probe rods and push them into the ground until we feel trash left in the ground.. it has a very unique crunch noise from the stove ashes that they threw down the hole.. hope that answered your question! thanks for watching

[@jimcoontz5848]

@Below the Plains It definitely did. Like your channel. I'm going to have to find some old maps in my area. Very small town that had a little oil boom in the late 1800s. Thanks for the reply.

[@rpfree]

Do you ever find gold rings and such? Some diggers mainly do that, using metal detectors ...

[@IntensitaliansDick]

Just found your channel and spent the past 2 evenings watching you dig up treasures- wish I was 20 years younger with my own knees still so I could give it a try! Do you sell your finds? My wife would flip if I surprised her with one of your small bottles for Mothers Day holy shit, man. Take it easy and thanks for your hard work ✌🏻 22:03

[@BelowthePlains]

haha wow, thats amazing! there have been times when ive found new channels, and i immediately binge watch their entire library.. i never thought i would have somebody say that about my channel, i appreciate that very much.. and we do sell occasionally, but its tom who takes care of all that. If you have any direct questions about anything specific, you should add us on facebook, and you can direct message him there.. its just "below the plains" on facebook, and you can just ask him directly about anything.. some of these videos were filmed a while ago, when we werent really taking the bulk of the stuff, but we're gonna start taking more in the future, because we get a lot of requests for items. well thanks for watching! glad you found us

[@IntensitaliansDick]

Thanks for the informative response, I look forward to watching your channel grow and will definitely look you up on Fb ✌🏻

[@comic_book_emporium]

Idk if you guys make it down to Oklahoma or not, and I'm sure y'all have more than enough permissions/places to dig as is.. Theres a turn of the century railroad jail built right up on the bank of a the river on this guys property, while asking permission to metal detect somehow the privy from the jail was discussed, he said he believes he knows where it is and that its never been dug, least to his knowledge..

[@emailusgenericus4890]

Dude: I hope you’re wearing sunscreen!!

[@edchair3559]

What is a "dipped pit"

[@BelowthePlains]

back in the day, they would build the privys out of wood and sometimes out of bricks.. they would just sit in the ground. and sometimes there wasnt enough space to move the outhouse to a different spot on the property, so they would just "dip" the pit, which meant they just cleaned it out once it got full, so it could be re-used... and yes it was pretty gross, but it was also fairly common.. but it was much more common to just dig a new hole and move the outhouse over a few feet, then backfill the top of the used pit until the ground was level.. hope that answered your question! thanks for watching

[@shepherd4406]

👏🏼💗

[@ABeautfulMess]

In the 70s my sisters,brothers and myself would flatten pennies on the railroad tracks...i actually got chased by a train..my brother has a picture..man i was stupid..

[@kellyschroeder7437]

May I ask what a dipped pit is ???

[@claytonsimplot9554]

Did the old timers dig to the water table or stay above it? If it was me I would stay way above the watertable. I would have my well close to the house.

[@lynnerodgers4461]

What is a dipped pit?

[@manderson3231]

What does it mean when you say Dipped Pit? Do you mean they took the poop and stuff out of it somehow??

[@MR-kd9md]

Yes, I am also wondering. Did a search but couldn’t find anything on Google. I am fascinated by this channel.

[@willong1000]

"Honey Dipper" was a profession in the days of outdoor pit toilets, though it was probably more common in densely-populated, long-established cities that had little yard space to spare for digging fresh pits when prior one filled than it would have been in rural villages. Today, the terminology and technology has changed, but the profession remains where on-site septic systems have to be maintained. A rude term for the profession today would be "Sewage Sucker." (I think the "Red Green" program featured that for one of its regular characters IIRC.) Google: Honey +Dipper +privy +outhouse

[@manderson3231]

@@willong1000 Thank you for all of that information.

[@billbrowning50]

My curiosity is getting the better of me.. you’re digging up outhouses and finding a large population of unbroken bottles.. why are there so many items in the outhouse?

[@billbrowning50]

It would be nice to get a reply

[@lisastankiewicz1926]

That’s where people threw trash. Bottles weren’t recycled like they are today

[@thecatsmeowfromny]

They didn't have garbage services/pick up like we do now. They would throw the bottles down out house pits or trash pits.

[@jjw95sc]

I noticed several of the bottles still contained liquid. Is this common?

[@thecatsmeowfromny]

It's usually just ground water.

[@ViKee010]

I still use Watkins Vanilla extract. I wonder if that’s the same company. The bottle looks exactly like that one you found, with a paper label. I love these videos. 🤟🏼🤍

[@willong1000]

It is the same company. I got into bottle digging in 1970. Elaborate claims of curative properties embossed on quack "medicine" bottles was part of the appeal; but I also found it interesting to discover products that I already used had been in production, and some quite popular judging by the frequency with which they would turn up in digs, for decades before I'd been around.

[@Mr45acpShooter]

what's a dipped pit mean?

[@cferguson3368]

Wondered the same thing. Looked it up... means cleaned out by someone previously.

[@karendavis7988]

What is a dipped pit? Thanks.

[@danielknepper6884]

Cleaned out

[@karendavis7988]

Thanks

[@kennethstickney8819]

Elongated cents I have a small collection of them

[@asabovesobelow7981]

Same here!! Have 3 lil penny books to keep them in.. fun souvenirs for the kids.. and us adults lololll)

[@craigmartin1104]

Would you be willing to sell the pressed penny you found?

[@BelowthePlains]

we actually brought a friend with us to help us dig, and fill in the pits, and im pretty sure he ended up with it.. but if theres anything you want to ask for in future videos, you can add us on facebook and DM us over there.. thanks for watching, sorry we didnt have that for ya

[@craigmartin1104]

Love the videos. Thanks for the reply and I will check you out on Facebook.

[@bobkirk942]

They killed an Indian head penny geeze😂