‘Out House Archaeology’: New Waterford man gets down, dirty for Columbiana County history

By D.a. Wilkinson

A speaker will discuss artifacts he has found in old outhouses.

SALEM — Jeff Mihalik has a unique avocation.

Mihalik, of New Waterford, along with a friend, Rick Ronczka of Monaca, Pa., spend their spare time excavating outhouses at old homes for artifacts.

The two men have dug through more than 100 privies in the area, especially in Lisbon and in Hanoverton.

Mihalik has two master’s degrees — one in computer applications and one in biology. He’s the computer manager for Wallace & Pancher, Inc. of Hermitage, Pa.

Mihalik credits his time in the Boy Scouts of America for increasing his awareness in history and artifacts.

Now, he sees his work as “giving back” something to the community. He calls it “artifact restoration.”

He’ll be speaking on “Out House Archaeology” at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Salem Historical Society’s meeting room located off East Alley.

He’ll give a PowerPoint presentation on his digs as well as a discussion of his methods and procedures.

Mihalik said he uses records that help show where homes were located.

In many communities, the housing lots are the same as they were in the 1800s.

He focuses on homes dating from about 1860 to 1910, when sanitation systems began to appear.

Over time, the contents of the outhouse have turned to dirt. “There’s no smell,” he said.

Problems in finding the sites range from privies’ being boarded over, hidden or cleaned out.

He uses a steel rod to probe the site to determine if there are any items. “It’s definitely hit or miss,” Mihalik said.

Mihalik said he can dig down about 7 feet in four to five hours.

He removes the grass and rolls it up for replanting and puts the dirt in garbage cans for sifting.

Some of the landowners are interested in the digs; some are not.

Mihalik has found bottles stamped “New Lisbon,” the first name of the village. He gave them to Kim and Stevie Halverstadt of Lisbon, who have been involved in the restoration of the oldest brick building in Ohio just off the village square in Lisbon.

Other recovered objects help tell a home’s story, he said.

Doll heads made of bisque ware may indicate a young girl lived in the home.

One artifact was a full pair of men’s dentures dating to the 1860s.

Mihalik said, “He was probably explosively throwing up and lost them together.”

David Stratton, Salem Historical Society Museum director, said the society doesn’t plan any excavations at this time but didn’t know what might be sparked by Mihalik’s presentation.

wilkinson@vindy.com