Florida Outhouses:: An Ode to the Shack in the Back

by Kevin M. McCarthy

The advent of indoor plumbing spelled the end of outhouses in Florida, and through the decades these unique structures have become more and more rare. Now grandparents have to explain to their puzzled grandchildren how the odd-shaped outbuildings with the crescent moon carved in the door used to stand in backyards across the country.

Featuring a collection of photographs that highlight outhouses across the state of Florida, this book preserves the memory of these disappearing structures. Also included are the amusing answers to common outhouse questions, including

*Why were crescent moons carved into outhouse doors?

*What determined the size and shape of an outhouse?

*Should outhouse doors open inward or outward?

*What was used in outhouses in the years before toilet paper?

Part photographic journey, part trivia, this delightful look at Florida's outhouses will make readers truly privy to a beloved structure that's quickly vanishing from the landscape.

96 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

About the author

Professor of Linguistics at the University of Florida (1969-2005).

Reviews

[Theodore Parounagian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep this on my shelf to remind myself that there is history to everything. As niche as a topic might be it has a value in being preserved.