The seriously fascinating history of outhouses

KENT — Georg Papp of Colchester, Conn., is a historian of an unusual kind. The object of his fascination is the humble outhouse. In a talk called “Ye Old Tyme Outhouse” at the Eric Sloane Museum on Saturday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m., Papp will discuss the history of this often overlooked structure.

“It all started quite by accident,” Papp explained. “When I retired, I wanted to get involved in woodworking to build fine furniture. Then, my daughter bought an old home in New Hampshire and asked me to build an authentic, working outhouse for the backyard.”

As he was constructing the outhouse in his driveway, he was surprised by the number of people who stopped by to ask him about the project. 

“I never knew people loved outhouses so much,” he said.

“After that, I began to do a lot of research,” Papp said. As he gained knowledge, he began to build working outhouses as a business. 

“People want outhouses for all sorts of reasons,” he explained. “Some want outhouses because they have large properties and don’t want to have to run all the way back to the house to use the bathroom. Others want them for their cottages or cabins, or because they host a lot of outdoor parties”

He also restores historic outhouses.

In the days before indoor plumbing and municipal sewer systems, people built outhouses out of scrap materials. 

“They were located a comfortable distance from the main house, and not too close to the water supply,” he said. “A lot of old outhouses had lilac bushes planted around to conceal them.”

An outhouse can be dated based on the opening in the seat. 

“In the 1700s, the opening for the seat would be cut by drilling several pilot holes around what would be the perimeter of the opening. Then, a small saw would be inserted in one of the holes to cut out the opening, moving from pilot hole to pilot hole,” Papp explained. “Those pilot holes will still be visible.”

Some outhouses also had several seats of varying sizes and shapes for different members of the family to use. “There would be a seat for Papa Bear, a seat for Mama Bear and a seat for junior so he wouldn’t fall in,” Papp said.  

Probably the most recognizable feature of an outhouse is the crescent moon on the door. While there is some debate over the significance of the symbol, Papp offered a likely and practical explanation.

“Outhouses were going to have to be replaced eventually. People did not want to spend a lot of money on them,” Papp said. “Instead of metal hardware, like hinges and a door knob that were crafted by a blacksmith and quite expensive, people used leather straps for hinges. The crescent moon shape was the handle with which to pull the door open.”

Former pits of old outhouses can also be a treasure trove of items people from the past discarded. 

“Medicine and whiskey bottles are commonly found in outhouse pits,” Papp said. “More unexpected items, like fine menswear, have also been discovered.

“I love old outhouses because they are a window into the past of how everyday people lived way back when,” Papp explained. “Everyone, rich or poor, needed an outhouse. It was one of the most basic things. They were disrespected structures, but there they sat, silently doing their job.”

For more information about purchasing an outhouse, go to Papp’s website at www.bullhillworkshop.com. Papp donates a portion of all profits to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.