Outhouses were the primary toilet accommodation, well into the 1960’s. Hunting and fishing camps still have outhouses for the morning rituals of many. Surprisingly, most outhouses were made for women, since men would just use a pee pot or finds a secluded tree. They may have visited the Outhouse for a morning sit down.
The classic Half Moon outhouse symbol signified “Women.” If it wasn’t a half-moon, it was also a heart. Men’s outhouses were labeled with a Star.
My Dad was in the Army Air Corps in WW2. He was stationed in North Africa and enjoyed a group outhouse. A 40 holer was built so 20 guys could sit back-to-back. There were no walls, roof, or door. This open aired facility was just a long wooden box, overtop a hole in the sand. The open aired outhouse would build up methane gas. Most soldiers were also smoking cigarettes, as part of their morning ritual, and to reduce odors. When they threw a lit cig into their hole, the gas would ignite and lift the other 39 fannies off the holes. This helped reduce the smell and encourage others to make room for the next guy.
I remember my Grand Dad had several outhouses scattered around his SW Pennsylvania farm. Each had an old Sears Roebuck catalog with torn out paper pages. There was also a bucket of shelled corn cobs and a sealed can, with a paper roll in it. Each item was used to clean up after using the outhouse.
Another Outhouse that I experienced as a kid was along a trout stream called Basin Run. A walkway was built up to an elevated outhouse, that was over the water. This automatic flush system encouraged me to fish upstream.
Normally, outhouses are single holed. At hunting camps and ranches, group holers are common. There is also a can of lime, to toss into the hole to keep the smell under control.
The Half Moon, star, or heart door cutouts were also made big enough so there would be some ventilation, the opening could serve as a handle to open the door, and so the user could see out, just in case someone might interrupt their sit down.
Timing is important if the outhouse only has a single hole. There may be several fellow campers that may need to use the facility. Once a morning cup of coffee kicks in, the line needs to move quickly. Don’t dally and take too long.
Modern outhouses may have some magazines and other reading material in them. Some may have air fresheners inside. Lime is still a good idea to help with foul smells. It is also a good idea to include some baby wipes in the outhouse rather than corn cobs for a hygienic cleaning. It is also important to knock or call out before entering in case it is occupied.
Also check in the hole to make sure that there are no rattlesnakes, bee nests, or critters down the hole. You might get a sit-down surprise that could scare the S—T out of you!
Montana Grant
