William Penn Annex East in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
History Where You Least Expect It
Independence National Historical Park
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 14, 2020
1. History Where You Least Expect It Marker
Restrooms with indoor plumbing replaced outhouses (also known as privies) many years ago. Privies of the 18th century were small buildings with wooden seats over pits dug into the ground—just like the househouses you might use while camping in other National Parks.
Most privies were dug in backyards and some were lined with brick to stop the hole from collapsing. Many deep privy shafts survived after the neighboring house was demolished. A convenient way to get rid of household trash, privies contain all kinds of objects, like broken bottles and poverty, that provide archaeologists with clues to daily life in the past. Traces of human waste teach us about the health and diet of Philadelphians at the time of the American Revolution.
The next time you take out the trash, think about what it might reveal about your daily life!
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Anthropology & Archaeology.
Location. 39° 56.959′ N, 75° 8.97′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in William Penn Annex East. It is on Chestnut Street (County Road 3008) just west of South 5th
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Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Old City Hall / Independence Hall / Congress Hall (a few steps from this marker); Old City Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); In This Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Library of the American Philosophical Society (within shouting distance of this marker); John F. Kennedy (within shouting distance of this marker); Abraham Lincoln (within shouting distance of this marker); Preserving America's Treasures (within shouting distance of this marker); Independence Hall (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 14, 2020
2. History Where You Least Expect It Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 15, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 211 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 15, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
