Category
Oral - Textual or Investigative
Description
The American outhouse is an odd history, but it certainly is an interesting one. It may not seem very important, but it played an important role in the every day lives of Americans since at least the 19th century. Understanding the use of outhouses helps historians understand the past. Outhouses serve as a reminder of simpler times, when Americans were imaginative and creative. Much of that can be seen in the outhouse. Outhouses are a thing of the past, but they are also cherished as part of the public memory that serve as a reminder of a rustic era in American history. Mothers attached clotheslines to outhouses, the night soil from the outhouses was used as a fertilizer, and children regularly played pranks with outhouses. Fathers kept their clothes and tools in the walls, and, lastly, outhouses were a place of privacy and to depart from the world for some time. All of this bring to mind images of when families were happy and when life was simple and uncomplicated. Sanitation, too, played an important role in American history. It was in many ways primitive in the 19th and 20th centuries, but with a rising concern of the spread of diseases, inroads were made in sanitation practices and affected every part of America. Some have attempted to preserve the memory of the American outhouse and published books with photographs of the structures. Furthermore, the outhouse in the modern world has served as a memento of the past meant to evince a nostalgia for a different time while also sparking a small smile. Government regulations, sanitation, and stories played a role in the development, disappearance, and remembrance of outhouses in American history in the 19th and 20th centuries. The outhouse and sanitation paved the way for the development and improvement of modern amenities like indoor plumbing.
Sanitation and Outhouses: An Odd History
Oral - Textual or Investigative
The American outhouse is an odd history, but it certainly is an interesting one. It may not seem very important, but it played an important role in the every day lives of Americans since at least the 19th century. Understanding the use of outhouses helps historians understand the past. Outhouses serve as a reminder of simpler times, when Americans were imaginative and creative. Much of that can be seen in the outhouse. Outhouses are a thing of the past, but they are also cherished as part of the public memory that serve as a reminder of a rustic era in American history. Mothers attached clotheslines to outhouses, the night soil from the outhouses was used as a fertilizer, and children regularly played pranks with outhouses. Fathers kept their clothes and tools in the walls, and, lastly, outhouses were a place of privacy and to depart from the world for some time. All of this bring to mind images of when families were happy and when life was simple and uncomplicated. Sanitation, too, played an important role in American history. It was in many ways primitive in the 19th and 20th centuries, but with a rising concern of the spread of diseases, inroads were made in sanitation practices and affected every part of America. Some have attempted to preserve the memory of the American outhouse and published books with photographs of the structures. Furthermore, the outhouse in the modern world has served as a memento of the past meant to evince a nostalgia for a different time while also sparking a small smile. Government regulations, sanitation, and stories played a role in the development, disappearance, and remembrance of outhouses in American history in the 19th and 20th centuries. The outhouse and sanitation paved the way for the development and improvement of modern amenities like indoor plumbing.
Comments
Graduate