Outhouses


As I was writing When Winter Is Past, I needed to know how common outhouses were in 1739. First I consulted English Through the Ages by William Brohaugh. I turn to this book time and time again  as I write my historical novels. I want to make sure the words I'm using was in use by this time period. "Outhouse" as a toilet was much older than I expected. It was in use by 1350.

Outhouses were an important part of American history, too. Many people today don't realize how long the little buildings were used. They were still being used by some families during my childhood in the Appalachian region. They were also used past the mid-20th century in other remote areas, especially in the West. Getting to them in bad weather could prove to be difficult, if not impossible, however.You might still find a few today along hiking trails, in rustic parks, etc. 

After my research, I determined that outhouses would have been used in my 1739 novel. Here is a brief excerpt from that novel:

Stanton got his horse and led him down the street. He tied him at a hitching post not directly in sight of the widow’s house and got his rifle. He eased around to the back of the house next door and looked around.

The widow had some high bushes planted in the back of her small lot, and Stanton made his way to those, being careful not to be seen. They would give him a good place to hide until the sheriff arrived.

He hadn’t been hidden long, when he heard the back door open. He peered through the bushes just enough to see Horace heading for the outhouse.

Wishing he had the materials to lock him in, Stanton stood to the side, where he would be largely hidden by the opening door. He held his rifle ready.

When Horace exited the tiny structure, Stanton raised his rifle and used the end of the stock to come down on Horace’s head. He crumbled to the ground.

Feeling for the fallen man’s pulse, Stanton determined it remained strong. He wanted to go check on Ida, but he knew he needed to make sure Horace didn’t get away. He wondered if he should try to find something to tie the man up with, when he heard the back door open and saw the sheriff walk out.

(As with all my novels, all my profits go to a scholarship fund.)

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