Most people today have never had to make that trek down a path in the middle of winter to that great institution, the outhouse. Yet for many generations of Canadians, the frigid outhouse seat was as much a part of daily life as a shower is for us today. Spider webs in the corners and the old Sears-Roebuck catalogue that hung on the wall are now memories of that older generation.
Today, outhouses are rare, usually found only in remote areas. But when they were necessary bathroom facilities, they were a status symbol; those with two holes or more being owned by more prominent families.
During the 1850’s, Joshua Bates of Smith Falls, Ontario, built a house next to his grist mill on the Rideau River. This was no ordinary house. It has mirror image facades, an indoor brick oven and a two storey outhouse.
The outhouse that Joshua built so many years ago is connected to the house. The facilities were made so the upper privies were not directly over the lower. The lower portion of the outhouse had a wall between it and the chute used by the upper storey facilities. This ensured no chance of an accident if people were using the upstairs and downstairs privies at the same time.
In 1977, the town of Smith Falls bought Joshua’s house and restored it to all of its glory. It looks the same today as it did when Joshua built it and turned it into a museum. The buildings are located on Old Slys Road in the southeast area of Smith Falls. While in the area be sure to visit the restored Canadian Northern railway station located on the west side of the town and enjoy a short railway excursion that will take you back to bygone days.