THE LITTLE HOUSE OUT BACK

 

By Pam North

 

The outhouse – also known as the privy, nessie (or necessity), biffy,
library, throne room, chapel of ease, white house, eleanor (WPA
sanitary privy), loo (British), dunny (Australia) – is an integral
part of the American culture of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries.  It has evolved from the simple wood-frame structure over
an unlined pit to the environmentally-harmonious modern composting
comfort station.  Traditionally it was placed out of view behind the
residence where it could be visited discreetly.  The vast majority of
privies, even those belonging to residences reflecting the higher
economic and social status of the owners, were modestly constructed of
wood (often scrap lumber), made to be movable periodically when the
pit beneath filled up with waste, and typically measured no more than
four feet wide per side, and seven to eight feet high at the roof
peak.  Slanted shed roofs were favored, both for ease of construction,
and for offering fewer niches for wasp nest construction.  Windows,
ventilators, seat lids, decorative exterior trim and crescent moon
cut-outs were uncommon, and white was the most common color of choice,
as a symbol of cleanliness and also as a navigational aid at night.
Most privies were single-seaters, as the prevailing etiquette and
modesty inherent in the era did not encourage joint occupancy, and
those with two or more seats sometimes had graduated seat sizes (none
very comfortable), and perhaps a wooden step, to accommodate
youngsters in the family.  The structures were subject to vigorous
weekly scrubbings of soapy water left over from the wash.  Any
interior décor usually was accomplished with wall calendars, magazine
illustrations, box tops and advertisements, all of which helped to
insulate the drafty enclosures.  A Sears & Roebuck catalog often was
standard equipment, and perhaps some toilet paper, although the latter
was a luxury enjoyed more frequently by well-off folks.  A supply of
lime and a scoop usually occupied a bucket in a corner; its purpose
was to be tossed in doses in the hole to reduce flies and odor.
Security during a visit to the privy was obtained by using the
hook-and-eye latch on the door, and woe be to those who failed to
secure the latch – a common prank was to run by and yank on the door
to see if the occupant had failed to lock it, whereupon the door would
fly open, exposing the victim.  Other ploys were to set off
firecrackers by the outhouse as the occupant sat innocently inside,
usually frightening him enough to exit with his pants around his
ankles, or even to tip the privy over.  A trip to the outhouse could
get unexpectedly exciting.

Nighttime trips were illuminated by kerosene lanterns, and small
children generally were not allowed privy pilgrimages after dark.
Chamber pots (slop jars) took care of nightly needs, creating the
distasteful chore of emptying and cleaning those receptacles the
following morning.

In the period between 1933 and 1945, over two million “sanitary
privies” were funded and constructed by the WPA, and this is the most
common type of outhouse remaining in Colorado.  Characteristics of
this type include a wide fascia board, slanted roof, a door offset to
one side, a wooden box vent behind the seat, and a concrete slab and
riser board supporting the toilet, which sits at a 45-degree angle in
the corner.

Outhouses are a disappearing facet of culture, falling victim to
plumbing modernization, building codes and Halloween pranks.  These
remnants of the “good old days” fortunately are regarded by some as
historic relics worthy of preservation, so many have survived and are
being maintained.

 

 

Next week:  Unusual Colorado outhouses.