I have wanted to go to Bodie State Historic Park for such a long time. It is in mid-eastern California, northeast of Yosemite National Park. It is pretty remote, and the road closes in winter, so it has been a long time coming. But, finally, I got to go!!!
Here’s a sneak peak, as a nod to my mom, who celebrated her birthday last week. She loves historic toilets!
Apparently my readers are all as strange as I am, and are clamoring for a post on the historic toilets of the United States. Or, at least the ones I have come across in my travels. So… Without further ado… Don’t try to pretend later that you didn’t ask for it… Weirdos… 🙂
Alcatraz has a few different kinds of historic toilets. The general population toilet…
One of the General Population Cells at Alcatraz – 5 Feet by 9 Feet
And a slightly more recognizable toilet – in the cell where John Anglin managed to dig out of Alcatraz in 1962. Perhaps he made sure to go potty one last time before he escaped, never to be heard from again…
The Cell that John Anglin Dug Out of in 1962. He Made it Off the Island, But Was Never Heard From Again, and Presumed Drowned.
This prison toilet at the Old Idaho Penitentiary was slightly less fancy than the toilets at Alcatraz… I wonder if pooping in a bucket helped the recidivism rates.
See that panel in the wall there? That’s where prisoners got to keep their shared bucket. Yep – you got to poop in a bucket, and you probably had to empty it out and wash it yourself. Imagine the aroma on a 90+ degree day…
I visited Fort Vancouver with my mom and my cousin and checked out this historic double outhouse (although it is a replica). Posing optional…
My cousin and I roleplaying in the double outhouse at Fort Vancouver. This one is a replica though
This privy at George Washington’s Mount Vernon is probably original, given that it looks like they are trying to restore it. That’s my story and I am sticking to it.
A historic privy at Mount Vernon. Sadly, the privy is not discussed in the guidebook, so I can’t tell you when it was built, or if it is original.
This outhouse at the Wilmer McLean House at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park is almost certainly a replica, but it sure looks the part.
Wilmer McLean’s Outhouse
This historic outhouse was discovered in the ghost town of St. Elmo, Colorado. It looks a little rickety – step on in and try it out!
An old outhouse in St. Elmo
While this toilet is not historic, it made the blog purely for its “technological advancements.” Given that it is located in the ladies room at the Dark Horse Brewery in Marshall, Michigan, it seemed worth a mention.
I have no idea what “features” this toilet offers
This toilet at the George Washington Birthplace National Monument isn’t historic either, but I felt I had to include it for the unique foot pedal flush!
George Washington Birthplace Toilet
And although this isn’t a toilet, this bathtub is truly the most historic one I have ever seen. Discovered at Pompeii.
A Pompeiian bathtub – these folks were shorter than me!
And of course, those of you who couldn’t wait for the historic toilets post will remember these recent photos from my West trip…
The Prairie Homestead’s double holed outhouse…
I met a new friend in the Prairie Homestead’s double outhouse…
And a genuine nuclear missile Launch Control Center toilet.
A genuine historic toilet! Unavailable for posing on…
That’s it for now folks. I am sure I have more historic toilets in my photo files, so when I come across some more, I will be sure to post another round. Maybe Toilets of Yesteryear will become a series!
Wine and History Visited 