I bought an older home 1890 that previously had installed new plumbing pipes in the basement crawl space. The floor was dug up and now there is just dirt around the pipes in a space approx. 6x8. Also, there is another section (no pipes) of dirt across from the pipes approx.
6 x5. It was recommended to put down a vapor barrier and I was wondering if this is the best option or is there something else? Thanks!

bluecat,
A vapor barrier is always recommended under the floor of a basement or even in a crawl space. This helps to prolong the life of your main floor framing and subfloor and aids in detering termites and carpenter ants, it doesn't stop them but it does provide an obstacle. However, the best option would be to install flooring where the dirt currently is after installing the vapor barrier. Which leads me to my next question, what type of flooring was dug up to install the pipes? In an 1890 home, I would expect brick pavers set into the soil or a mortar bed. Just curious. Hope this helps.

The very least would be to place 6-mil polyethylene film over the exposed areas, BUT the film MUST be sealed to all adjacent surfaces (floors or walls) and also sealed around any piping penetrations, to be completely effective. If the rest of the floor has no vapor retarder, then you should place film over the entire floor. All this is provided that THE CRAWL SPACE IS PROPERLY VENTED!