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Ellinger

On our Sunday morning drive we found this outhouse behind an old vacant house in Ellinger.  (02.02.03)

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Ellinger

At first we didn't think much of this outhouse, they're pretty common here.  That was until David peeked inside and spotted the WPA mark on the floor. This is a product of the WPA Fly-Proof Privy program of the late 1930's.  (02.02.03)

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Ellinger

This unique vent construction has already helped us identify a second WPA outhouse.  The vent pipe is built of four 1-inch planks that extend up from the pit.  Today many state historical agencies, such as Nevada's, are surveying and preserving these once plentiful WPA project outhouses.  (02.02.03)

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Ellinger

The concrete floor of WPA outhouses were precast then moved over the dug pit.  The riser in the center is part of this one-holer is part of the floor casting.  The typical crew was three men who would dig the pit place the precast top and build the wooden building. It appears that everything is original, except for the metal roof, and electric light bulb and toilet paper holder (still holding a roll of paper).  (02.02.03)

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Ellinger

WPA imprint on the floor entrance to the Work Projects Administration Fly-Proof Privy.  It was this concrete floor that helped improve rural health by reducing the incidence of hook worm that attacked the bare feet of country folk.  (02.02.03)

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Missouri

Privy plant: sanitary pre-cast concrete privy bases after stripping of forms, Southeast Missouri Farms Project.  (05.38)

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