In an old house in Yellow Springs this privy or outhouse (toilet) from the 1800’s is really unusual. It’s a three seater! Two adults and a child’s spot. The older homeowner told me all about it, when it was built the house was at the edge of the village so when travelers came in by road this was the first place they could stop. It became a well known place where people could relieve themselves. She explained that years ago it was a courtesy to allow others into their back yard to use their privy. Her grandfather always enjoyed talking with the folks that stopped bye. The old privy’s had a large hole under the structure that was regularly doused with a heavy sprinkle of lime (not green limes, a white powered used in agriculture) that helped the decomposition and kept the odor down. This was the standard before septic tanks and later sewage systems were invented. Toilet paper was very different to todays roll of soft white tissue. Most commonly used was the Sears catalogue, printed on a newspaper type paper, it was hung on a nail in the privy and users would help themselves to a page or two.
INFO: Sears Roebuck & Co later known as Sears was founded in Minnesota by a station master who started selling $14 watches by mail order as a side gig In 1886. Business boomed and Sears Roebuck did what no one else did until Amazon came along. Their catalogue sold literally everything from a needle and thread to a complete house (you built it) all by mail order. Their houses are still standing all across the country. The distinctive style of the porch with squared tapered pillars is referred to as a “Craftsman house” after the name used for all Sears Roebuck own brand products.
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