Cleaning House

Actually I am cleaning my computer and backing up my files.  In the process of doing so I have found some pictures taken in September that I haven’t shared.  One of the places that mom and I drove to was Gays Illinois.  Even though it is about 30 miles out of our way, we had to see a two story outhouse.  There are other two story outhouses out there but Gays is “flushed” with pride of their outhouse.   We were not disappointed either.  The opportunity to see this marvel of engineering also provided us with the opportunity to drive the back roads of Illinois.

The following I “borrowed” from their bulletin board located by the outhouse and it explains why but not how.

The outhouse story starts when Civil War veteran Samuel Gammill built his general store in 1869 right across from the train depot on Front Street in Gays.  Apartments were located above the store.  Stairs and a short ramp connected the apartment dwellers to the outhouse's second level.  The setup prevented them from having to walk all the way down to the ground and gave them a private place away from the general store customers, who used the first floor.  Each level had two holes, one designed for a man and for a woman - a common practice.

If you are ever in Gays stopped by and see their outhouse.  It is well worth the visit.

On a long journey's highway you are to be prone.
To take a diversion to the two headed throne.
The place is now marked with a sign of bright blue,
The leads to the building with not one hole but two.
The catalog is being quietly read,
When I heard quite a racket right overhead.
Afraid of this building made out of wood,
I scrambled and shook it as fast as I could.
Oh Please! Oh Please! Don't let me get wet,
I only came here on a whim and a bet.
In England they have urinals, In Paris bidets,
But nowhere on earth has an OUTHOUSE like Gays.
By Rob Harvey