SCOUTING
FIELD NOTES

Holy Crap! There’s An Outhouse In New York City!

Last week, I was out scouting a semi-abandoned farmhouse in the outer boroughs dating to the early 1900s. After touring the main house, we came to this barn/shed in the back…

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…and my guide asked if I wanted to see something neat. With that, he opened the door on the right…

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…revealing quite possibly the last remaining authentic outhouse in New York City!

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And it’s a three-seater!

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At the time, I assumed the seats had been nailed down, but looking at my photograph, it appears they’re on hinges. Could the last outhouse in NYC still be functioning? Looks like I’m going to have to make another trip to find out…

-SCOUT

PS – The Tenement Museum has an outhouse, but it’s a re-creation.

PPS – Yes, yes, I know, ALL of New York City is an outhouse. Cute.

Many more posts in the archives!

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  1. David Avatar
    David

    Most Boy Scout reservations have outhouses as well. I’m pretty sure there’s one on Staten Island.

    Reply
  2. Ben Reynolds Avatar
    Ben Reynolds

    Serious question. Is it really an outhouse if it has a window that can be seen through both ways?

    Reply
  3. Janice Avatar
    Janice

    In which outer borough is this outhouse?

    Reply
  4. Tom Avatar
    Tom

    I haven’t checked in the past, and I’ll look around next time I’m there, but I would think there’s one at the Queens County Farm Museum.

    Reply
  5. Jeremy In Kansas Avatar
    Jeremy In Kansas

    An indoor outhouse! They must have been rich!

    Reply
  6. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    Scout, this is pretty epic. Please tell us what borough this is in, so we can judge said borough accordingly!

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    @ Ben Reynolds: it’s a 3-seater…I don’t think modesty was forefront in the design! LOL

    Reply
  8. Erik Avatar
    Erik

    What no Sears & Roebuck or Monkey Wards catalog? Y’all must be livin in some tall cotton up there to afford a 3 holer!

    Reply
    1. Old Skool Avatar
      Old Skool

      Dude! Monkey Ward’s is long gone and Sears probably isn’t far behind. Pun intended.

      Reply
    2. Peter Avatar
      Peter

      The outhouse cleansing devices of choice, prior to the development of toilet paper, were dried corn cobs.

      Reply
  9. Margie Avatar
    Margie

    I’m new to your site and I’m LOVING it!! Thanks for all the great stories, info and photos! I’ve been in NYC for 10 years and after going through some of your site I really feel like I’ve wasted some of that time! I’m planning to come out on Monday night (in Soho) so I hope there’s room 🙂

    Reply
  10. Margie Avatar
    Margie

    I realize it may sound like I was saying I wasted time going through your site, haha! I mean that I’ve seen all these interesting spots/stories/photos I feel like I haven’t taken advantage of all the city has to offer. It’s truly inspirational, thank you for that.

    Reply
  11. randall Avatar
    randall

    I love a good outhouse. When I was living in San Diego, around 2001 or 2, before they completely redid the area east of 5th Ave. for Petco park, the city used to have all these old warehouse-y type buildings. One of the greatest Army/Navy surplus stores used to be in one of them. I’m sure it’s long gone now, but I digress. I was at a party in one of the old warehouse/lofts and went out back to smoke a cigarette and there right in front of me and right in the middle of downtown San Diego, was an old outhouse. Naturally I had to piss down the hole to see if it worked. It did.

    Reply
    1. Chicken Underwear Avatar
      Chicken Underwear

      How do you know if an outhouse does not work?

      Reply
  12. subliculous Avatar
    subliculous

    a pee grows in brooklyn.

    Reply
  13. randall Avatar
    randall

    Perhaps an emoticon at the end of my comment would have made it clearer.

    It’s a hole that you piss or shit into. How could it not work.

    Reply
  14. AC Avatar
    AC

    I am so happy I found this. Thank you.

    Reply

Many more posts in the archives…

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