In the spring of 2005, during excavation of a city water main in southwest Portland, city workers encountered a dense cluster of historic material on an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) property. When ODOT archaeologists arrived on the scene they found a pocket of loose, artifact-filled dirt spilling from the cut made by the utility workers. A few days later, archaeologists returned to the area to excavate the rest of what was found to be the bottom of a rectangular wood-lined privy pit. Privys, also known as outhouses, were the predecessor to the modern bathroom and common until the advent of indoor plumbing around the turn of the 20th century. Privies were also commonly used for trash disposal, and often preserve representive period artifacts, and food remains such as fruit pits, seeds, and animal bone. Privys can typically be associated with a single residence, and can provide insights into dietary habits, health, economic position, and other information about the household. Diagnostic artifacts such as local medicine and soda bottles, along with ceramic maker's  marks date the Naito Parkway privy to the mid to late 1880s, and archival research indicated the privy once stood in the center of a bustling working class neighborhood. While researchers were unable to attribute the privy to a specific household, the diverse array of artifacts in the assemblage provide an interesting glimpse into the lives of Portland's early working class. An assortment of plain and inexpensive table and serving ware indicates that the household associated with the privy was of modest financial means. However, decorative glassware along with personal items in the assemblage suggest that the household was nevertheless able to indulge in unnecessary, albeit inexpensive, consumer goods. In addition to the information provided by the hundreds of artifacts collected from the privy, faunal and macrobotanical analysis shows that the household occupants enjoyed a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables, along with a healthy assortment of meat (mostly inexpensive cuts suitable for soups and stews) and fish. Although research on the Naito Parkway privy investigates just one feature from a busy urban block, it nonetheless provides valuable insight into the daily lives of the nineteenth century urban working class in the Pacific Northwest.
A large assortment of sturdy undecorated plates, cups, and saucers were found in the privy. A mold relief pitcher with a fuscia design, along with a plate and saucer decorated with a mulberry transferprint design were also recovered.
Perfume bottles, a complexion cream bottle, and a toothpaste pot.
Personal items, such as this delicate sandalwood fan suggest a fashion-conscious female in the household. There are few "male" signature items in the assemblage, but a female presence is strong.
Two clay pipes were recovered from the privy. One was embossed with shamrocks, a Celtic harp, and the political slogan of "Home Rule." This pipe suggests a member of associate of the privy's household was of Irish decent.
Marbles, a porcelain doll, and the remnants of a tiny tea set signify a child's presence in the household.
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