Sometimes, low-interest government loans were available for individuals. Schools and other public sites benefited from New Deal construction of outhouses, among other improvements. In addition, doctors and engineers worked together to build better-ventilated outhouses and use safer disposal techniques during this period.
In total, 2,, sanitary units were built nationally and 40, pre-existing structures were repaired. In Arkansas, 53, new privies were constructed during this period. While the New Deal programs brought outhouses to rural populations, they also brought new city sewage systems and improvements to pre-existing systems.
Eventually, indoor plumbing, septic systems, and municipal sewage systems would replace the outhouse, but not completely. In the American Community Survey, U.
Census workers asked citizens whether their homes had flushable toilets and discovered that approximately a half of a percent of the U. Composting toilets are part of a growing trend in eco-friendly toilets. Like low-flush toilets, they have a lower ecological impact compared with traditional toilets. Still, there remains some concern that if not properly ventilated or housed, the same risks associated with a poorly ventilated and maintained outhouse remain.
While the Works Progress Administration built around 53, outhouses in the state of Arkansas, it built more than that in fifteen other states between and Still, the stigma would remain associated with the Arkansas hillbilly more than with these other impoverished states; for example, in Mountain View Stone County , an annual outhouse race is held.
But the outhouse is not just a symbol of poverty and the hillbilly caricature; it is also a symbol of improved living conditions, improved health, and a stepping stone to the future. For additional information: Barlow, Ronald S. The Vanishing American Outhouse. Blevins, Brooks. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, Taggart, Sam. Little Rock: Arkansas Times, Tisdale, E. Weber, Walter J. The Unflushables: Outhouses—History and Humor. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life.
There were no windows, heat, or electricity. Some had a door on the lower level to allow the pit contents to be removed, but most were built of light lumber, so they could be moved easily. Wealthy families, however, often built brick outhouses with a cupola or gingerbread trim.
Cut-outs were frequently included on outhouse doors for light and ventilation. In addition, the symbols indicated users for public outhouses — a star indicated that the outhouse was for men, while a crescent moon meant it was to be used only by women. According to historical records, this symbolism originated in early times, when the circle represented the sun, which symbolized masculinity, and the moon, which was more subdued and submissive, represented femininity.
Also, since widespread illiteracy prevailed in the early days, these symbols helped folks choose the correct outhouse. The holes were sometimes of different sizes — larger for adults and smaller for children — and outhouses oftentimes had more than one hole. Many outhouses were kept simple, while others were either built to be unique or were decorated to be fancy. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, had two eight-sided, well-constructed outhouses. Other folks, typically women, wallpapered the interior of the outhouse, upholstered the bench seats, and even carpeted the floor.
Double-decker outhouses were built near better homes, hotels, and rooming houses. In , the owner finally installed a flush toilet on the lowest level. In Dover, Arkansas, the Booger Hollow Trading Post, which was a popular tourist attraction before it closed in , features a double-decker outhouse. During the s, under the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the guidance of the Works Progress Administration WPA , thousands of unemployed people worked on a variety of projects.
A moon meant that it was a female-only outhouse as the moon was a symbol of the Roman goddess Luna. Modern outhouses might adopt this practice, although it is usually more for decorative effect than to designate gender for the outhouse. However, due to large numbers of people using the outhouses in the cities, officials were led to decrease their use as it posed a greater public health risk.
In contrast, the outhouses in the countryside remained and they are the typical outhouses that most people think of today. Constructed of wood, they were easy to relocate if need be and they were typically well built and painted for added durability. The interior hole in an outhouse was between three and six feet and there might be more than one hole if the outhouse was catering to a family. The presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt brought improvements to American outhouses and the effort was adamantly supported by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
The initiative was called the Work Projects Administration and part of their mission was to replace dilapidated outhouses in the rural United States. These new and improved outhouses included proper ventilation, privacy, and flooring too. The Work Projects Administration successfully completed two million outhouses during its run.
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