If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. (Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:

If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. (Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. ;-)

On Aug 16, 12:58*pm, "
wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. *At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. *;-)

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:58:51 -0400, "
wrote:

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. ;-)

.....and she had to prime the hand pump :-\
--

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

In the 50's my GF was told he had to have an indoor bathroom. He was
rather hard-headed, so he told them to take a hike so to speak.
Finally he complied and built the bathroom with all fixtures.

Then he told the city: (paraphrased) "Now make me hook it up sum
bitch."

Eventually he did it for family, but hated being told what he had to
do. This all happened when the city boundary moved out into the
county jurisdiction. Then city rules applied.
--

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Aug 16, 12:58*pm, "
wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. *At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. *;-)

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

But what about city water, but no sewers, so that's running water with
no pumping but no way to have an indoor toilet. Does that seem
likely?

On Aug 16, 4:08*pm, micky wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "





wrote:
On Aug 16, 12:58*pm, "
wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. *At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. *;-)

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. * Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

But what about city water, but no sewers, so that's running water with
no pumping but no way to have an indoor toilet. * Does that seem
likely?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I don't see why not. I know of relatively recent
situations where they have municipal water but
folks still have their own septic systems.

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:36:24 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Aug 16, 4:08*pm, micky wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "





wrote:
On Aug 16, 12:58*pm, "
wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. *At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. *;-)

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. * Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

But what about city water, but no sewers, so that's running water with
no pumping but no way to have an indoor toilet. * Does that seem
likely?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I don't see why not. I know of relatively recent
situations where they have municipal water but
folks still have their own septic systems.

Oh, yeah. We had that! In the 60's. I forgot. So you've all
helped complete my image of my mother's home, until she was 10 or ~13.

Her friends were moving to the north side, and she wanted to move
too, but her mother didn't want the headache of moving. Then finally
the family moved, and more than once after that. My mother just
wished they had started earlier.

" wrote:


-snip-
I don't see why not. I know of relatively recent
situations where they have municipal water but
folks still have their own septic systems.

Current system in this house-- Got city water in the 80's. No sign
of city sewer. [though they've been talking about widening the state
road in front of the house, for 25 years. When they get around to it,
they'll probably do sewer, too]

Our 'summer camp' when we were growing up was an 18th century
farmhouse. When it was built there was a well dug under the
kitchen, so there was probably a pitcher pump at a sink of some sort.

A 3 hole 'back'-house was built right into the building- beyond the
woodshed. That was one spoiled lady.g

Jim

Oren wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

In the 50's my GF was told he had to have an indoor bathroom. He was
rather hard-headed, so he told them to take a hike so to speak.
Finally he complied and built the bathroom with all fixtures.

Then he told the city: (paraphrased) "Now make me hook it up sum
bitch."

Eventually he did it for family, but hated being told what he had to
do. This all happened when the city boundary moved out into the
county jurisdiction. Then city rules applied.
--

My GP had running water but had outhouses. Tub in kitchen for baths, hot
water from coal stove. Grandfather would come home coal black.

Oddity around Pittsburgh in later years. Toilet in basement with no walls.
The Pittsburgh toilet. I don't understand why they didn't have shower, but
did have sink for clothes.

Greg

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:59:59 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

" wrote:


-snip-
I don't see why not. I know of relatively recent
situations where they have municipal water but
folks still have their own septic systems.

Current system in this house-- Got city water in the 80's. No sign
of city sewer. [though they've been talking about widening the state
road in front of the house, for 25 years

When my mother bought our home in Indianapolis in 1957, she noticed
that some of the neighbors had bushes planted up close to the road,
and others stayed 15 or 20 feet away. She asked and learned that the
county owned the land to the farther bushes, and they might be
widening the road. 55 years later and the road hasn't budged. .

. When they get around to it,
they'll probably do sewer, too]

Yeah we had a septic tank and a finger system. The tank is under a
pink colored cement patio. There was an empty circle above where
they had to dig to clean the tank. My mother planted flowers. That
was good, because when they dug it up to clean, they didnt' dig in the
middle of the yard, but iIf they ever have to dig it up to replace the
tank,, they'll not be able to match the cement. I was there 4 years
ago, but the patio was covered with snow. If I'd remembered, I would
have dug down through the snow, to see if it ever had to be replaced.

In the 2nd half of the summer you could t ell where the fingers were
because that's where the grass was green. "It don't rain in
Indianapolis in the summer time."

Our 'summer camp' when we were growing up was an 18th century
farmhouse. When it was built there was a well dug under the
kitchen, so there was probably a pitcher pump at a sink of some sort.

A 3 hole 'back'-house was built right into the building- beyond the
woodshed. That was one spoiled lady.g

I don't get it. Built into the building but past the woodshed?
How are both possible?

You could get there without going outside?

Jim

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:59:59 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

Got city water in the 80's.

Another interesting thing about Indianapolis is that it has two
reservoirs, one where sailboats are permitted and one where people use
motorboats. They even have a boat for tours or rides, about 75 feet
long.

Somewhere I said that there was motorboating in the reservoir and
people didn't believe me. Maybe that was AHR. But I checked 4 years
ago and I was right.

Morse Reservoir. Geiss is for sailboats.

On 8/16/12 11:42 AM, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. (Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

It depends on the age of the house, I guess. My parents (Mom is 91)
had windmills for livestock and hand pumps for the house. They had an
outhouse. I think REA first brought electricity to that farm sometime
around 1947 if I remember the stories correctly.
The first farmhouse I grew up in had running water supplied by a
private well. The only odd thing was lack of a toilet. The outhouse
was maybe 50 yards away or so.
There was also a separate wash house on that farm.
That farm had artisan wells way back when. Livestock watering was
easy. The artisan wells are history. Irrigation has dropped the water
levels too far.

I have a friend in the city of pittsburgh that has city water for many years, but is still on a septic tank, because of elevations, last i heard it would cost 85 grand for a new line, o lift pump for the sewer line

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 23:56:57 +0000 (UTC), gregz
wrote:

Oren wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

In the 50's my GF was told he had to have an indoor bathroom. He was
rather hard-headed, so he told them to take a hike so to speak.
Finally he complied and built the bathroom with all fixtures.

Then he told the city: (paraphrased) "Now make me hook it up sum
bitch."

Eventually he did it for family, but hated being told what he had to
do. This all happened when the city boundary moved out into the
county jurisdiction. Then city rules applied.
--

My GP had running water but had outhouses.

Perfect. An actual example.

Tub in kitchen for baths, hot
water from coal stove. Grandfather would come home coal black.

Oddity around Pittsburgh in later years. Toilet in basement with no walls.
The Pittsburgh toilet. I don't understand why they didn't have shower, but
did have sink for clothes.

In NYC, it was illegal, for decades I think, to take a bath. Because
heaing the water was so much effort, and maybe the water and heat cost
money, that more than one person would have to bath in the same water.
So people were supposed to go to the public baths, which might have
been showers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asser_Levy_Public_Baths built in 1904.

It seems public baths were legistlated in NY when many people in
tenements had no place to bathe at all. I don't know where the
galvanized tub that hang outsdie the kitchen window between buildings
came in, before then or afterwards.

I guess the law was written so it excluded people with some money.

Greg

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:08:46 -0400, micky
wrote:


But what about city water, but no sewers, so that's running water with
no pumping but no way to have an indoor toilet. Does that seem
likely?

Yes, very likely. Many places had pumps for water, then eventually
city water, but no sewer. Some houses had septic tanks. In fact, I
know of a few houses like that today.

On 8/16/2012 4:36 PM, wrote:


I don't see why not. I know of relatively recent
situations where they have municipal water but
folks still have their own septic systems.



My wife's grandfather's house on lake huron had township supplied water
but septic tank. My wife's family sold that house in 2010 no problems...

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Aug 16, 12:58*pm, "
wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. *At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. *;-)

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

Exactly. I just remember the odd fixtures in the kitchen. ;-)

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:36:24 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Aug 16, 4:08*pm, micky wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "





wrote:
On Aug 16, 12:58*pm, "
wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. *At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. *;-)

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. * Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

But what about city water, but no sewers, so that's running water with
no pumping but no way to have an indoor toilet. * Does that seem
likely?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I don't see why not. I know of relatively recent
situations where they have municipal water but
folks still have their own septic systems.

This house was built in 2007 and has county water and its own septic system.
Is 2007 "relatively recently"? ;-)

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:49:57 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:58:51 -0400, "
wrote:

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. ;-)

....and she had to prime the hand pump :-\

The hand pump in the back yard was left operational and it was self-priming.
The one in the kitchen may have been too.

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 20:27:45 -0500, Dean Hoffman
" wrote:

On 8/16/12 11:42 AM, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. (Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

It depends on the age of the house, I guess. My parents (Mom is 91)
had windmills for livestock and hand pumps for the house. They had an
outhouse. I think REA first brought electricity to that farm sometime
around 1947 if I remember the stories correctly.
The first farmhouse I grew up in had running water supplied by a
private well. The only odd thing was lack of a toilet. The outhouse
was maybe 50 yards away or so.
There was also a separate wash house on that farm.
That farm had artisan wells way back when. Livestock watering was
easy. The artisan wells are history. Irrigation has dropped the water
levels too far.
My grandfather's farm had running water in the barn, courtesy of a
"ram pump" down in the springhouse about 200 feet or more from the
barn. The "dairy cooler" was cooled by that spring water, The house,
however, had a pump at the kitchen sink, and a pump on the cistern out
back. The "backhouse" was in the orchard.

micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. (Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

It's possible for a house to have running water and no kind of sewage
ability.

micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. (Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

The house I grew up in was built in 1880. It had running water in the
kitchen long before a bathroom was added (which was before my time). It
also still had (capped) gas jets in the walls for lighting.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Maybe just ready for a change? Check it out...
http://www.floridaloghouse.net

micky wrote:

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:59:59 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

-snip-

A 3 hole 'back'-house was built right into the building- beyond the
woodshed. That was one spoiled lady.g

I don't get it. Built into the building but past the woodshed?
How are both possible?

You could get there without going outside?

Yes. And it built with a neat little 'jog, so there was always
cross-ventilation through the 2 little windows. Underneath the 3
holes there was a door on one end and the crap fell into a box that
was on a sled that a horse pulled somewhere when necessary.

I guess it wasn't really a wood *shed* -- It was the room off the
dining room.

There were 7 fireplace in that house-- 4 downstairs and 3 upstairs.
The wood 'shed' was the size of a 2 car garage.

Jim

wrote in message
...

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then.
;-)

Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,

Running water requires a municipal water pipe to the
property. Flush toilets require a municipal sewage
pipe away from the property. These are separate
pipes. Modern practice for "serviced" land builds
both pipes at the same time, but these services were
added in the 19th century to properties that had already
been built, thus not necessarily at the same time.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:44:37 -0400, "
wrote:

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:36:24 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Aug 16, 4:08*pm, micky wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "





wrote:
On Aug 16, 12:58*pm, "
wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. *At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. *;-)

Being such a big country and given that all this
evolved over decades I would expect that there
were a variety of combinations. * Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,
etc.

But what about city water, but no sewers, so that's running water with
no pumping but no way to have an indoor toilet. * Does that seem
likely?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I don't see why not. I know of relatively recent
situations where they have municipal water but
folks still have their own septic systems.

This house was built in 2007 and has county water and its own septic system.
Is 2007 "relatively recently"? ;-)

Relatively.

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 07:29:37 -0400, "dadiOH"
wrote:

micky wrote:
If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. (Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

The house I grew up in was built in 1880. It had running water in the
kitchen long before a bathroom was added (which was before my time). It
also still had (capped) gas jets in the walls for lighting.

That's the image I had for their house. Thanks.

For other readers, there were almost no apartment buildings in
Indianapolis, and even poor people had houses or rented them.. There
still aren't many apartments. The city wasn't built out that far
in 1920, but when it was gettting near, the law prohibited apartment
buildings north of 38th St. (and there weren't many south of that
street either. ). I think maybe in the 1970's they allowed an
aparatment building between 38th and 40th street. Of course this is
the north side and my question was about the south side. There must
have been some new housing on the south side but I don't remember any.
I only had my own car for two summers while my mother lived there.

micky wrote:

For other readers, there were almost no apartment buildings in
Indianapolis, and even poor people had houses or rented them..

What's the name of the (relatively) nice apartment building near downtown?
Name begins with "E" IIRC. It dates from the 20s? How about the Marott?
20s too?

There still aren't many apartments. The city wasn't built out that far
in 1920, but when it was gettting near, the law prohibited apartment
buildings north of 38th St. (and there weren't many south of that
street either. ).

As far as I'm concerned, Indianapolis stops at 38th Street

In 1949. when I was 16, myself and a buddy hitchhiked down from Marion. The
ostensible purpose was to go to the state fair but, hey, as long as we were
there, might as well go to the Fox (old burlesque house). Unfortunately, it
was closed for the summer. Fortunately, the even older Mutual Follies
wasn't

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Maybe just ready for a change? Check it out...
http://www.floridaloghouse.net

On Thursday, August 16, 2012 4:36:24 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Aug 16, 4:08*pm, micky wrote:

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:41:24 -0700 (PDT), "











wrote:

On Aug 16, 12:58*pm, "

wrote:

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky wrote:

If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that

mean that it did't have running water inside the house?



Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half

south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor

side of town, compared to the north side.)



My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I

guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with

city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the

kitchen.



What say ye?



No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. *At one time, my

grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then. *;-)



Being such a big country and given that all this

evolved over decades I would expect that there

were a variety of combinations. * Nothing says that

one couldn't have added a well pump and tank

for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,

etc.



But what about city water, but no sewers, so that's running water with

no pumping but no way to have an indoor toilet. * Does that seem

likely?- Hide quoted text -



- Show quoted text -



I don't see why not. I know of relatively recent

situations where they have municipal water but

folks still have their own septic systems.

We're the opposite; well water and city sewer. They wanted to run a sewer line through our land so as part of the deal we got hooked up for free. The city water line stops at the development over the ridge.

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:26:01 -0400, "dadiOH"
wrote:

micky wrote:

For other readers, there were almost no apartment buildings in
Indianapolis, and even poor people had houses or rented them..

What's the name of the (relatively) nice apartment building near downtown?
Name begins with "E" IIRC. It dates from the 20s? How about the Marott?
20s too?

Nah, I don't remember therm.

Just in case, I'm not saying there were no apartments, but nothing
like Chicago or NY or even Baltimore and I think DC where loads of
people over much of the city lived in 6 apartment buildings or bigger.

There still aren't many apartments. The city wasn't built out that far
in 1920, but when it was gettting near, the law prohibited apartment
buildings north of 38th St. (and there weren't many south of that
street either. ).

As far as I'm concerned, Indianapolis stops at 38th Street

LOL. That's where the fairgrounds are. And the TeePee, right next
door. Although I think the TeePee is gone. Although2 it still gets
a lot of hits, including the TeePee menu.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimwallace/6921628671/

http://www.rogerlandry.com/teepee.html
It looks like the paraphrase menu above got incorporated into the
second url too!, but it has a real menu also.
When my brother wanted people to open a drive-in restaurant in
Brooklyn, they thought he meant a restaurant with a parking lot.

In 1949. when I was 16, myself and a buddy hitchhiked down from Marion. The
ostensible purpose was to go to the state fair but, hey, as long as we were
there, might as well go to the Fox (old burlesque house). Unfortunately, it
was closed for the summer. Fortunately, the even older Mutual Follies
wasn't

Hehe. Some time in the 60's my older brother saw a stripper AT the
State Fair. At least that's what I was told.

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:38:39 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

micky wrote:

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:59:59 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

-snip-

A 3 hole 'back'-house was built right into the building- beyond the
woodshed. That was one spoiled lady.g

I don't get it. Built into the building but past the woodshed?
How are both possible?

You could get there without going outside?

Yes. And it built with a neat little 'jog, so there was always
cross-ventilation through the 2 little windows. Underneath the 3
holes there was a door on one end and the crap fell into a box that
was on a sled that a horse pulled somewhere when necessary.

I guess it wasn't really a wood *shed* -- It was the room off the
dining room.

There were 7 fireplace in that house-- 4 downstairs and 3 upstairs.
The wood 'shed' was the size of a 2 car garage.

Jim
"summer kitchen" by chance? or just a big "mud room". Or was it used
to store fire-wood? In which case it was a "wood shed"

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:37:37 -0400, "Don Phillipson"
wrote:

wrote in message
...

No, inside water doesn't necessarily mean no outhouse. At one time, my
grandmother had a pump at the kitchen sink, though I wasn't around then.
;-)

Nothing says that
one couldn't have added a well pump and tank
for the house without installing toilets, sewer system,

Running water requires a municipal water pipe to the
property. Flush toilets require a municipal sewage
pipe away from the property. These are separate
pipes. Modern practice for "serviced" land builds
both pipes at the same time, but these services were
added in the 19th century to properties that had already
been built, thus not necessarily at the same time.
Lots of other ways to have either "running water" or "flush toilets"
- and in MANY locations city water was easily supplied, but sanitary
sewers would be terribly expensive because the houses were several
feet to hundreds of feet lower than the sewage treatment facility.

wrote:

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:38:39 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

-snip-

I guess it wasn't really a wood *shed* -- It was the room off the
dining room.

There were 7 fireplace in that house-- 4 downstairs and 3 upstairs.
The wood 'shed' was the size of a 2 car garage.

Jim
"summer kitchen" by chance? or just a big "mud room". Or was it used
to store fire-wood? In which case it was a "wood shed"

Oops- *8* fireplaces. the summer kitchen was in the basement. it
had gotten muddy in 200 years, but had a flagstone floor under the
mud.

This room was built just for firewood. It had a sliding 4' door, and
2" split boards for the floor and walls--- There was some real
character in those boards.

We always called it the 'wood shed' -- but somehow, today, it seems
like 'shed' implies a separate building.

Jim

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 07:33:41 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

wrote:

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:38:39 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

-snip-

I guess it wasn't really a wood *shed* -- It was the room off the
dining room.

There were 7 fireplace in that house-- 4 downstairs and 3 upstairs.
The wood 'shed' was the size of a 2 car garage.

Jim
"summer kitchen" by chance? or just a big "mud room". Or was it used
to store fire-wood? In which case it was a "wood shed"

Oops- *8* fireplaces. the summer kitchen was in the basement. it
had gotten muddy in 200 years, but had a flagstone floor under the
mud.

This room was built just for firewood. It had a sliding 4' door, and
2" split boards for the floor and walls--- There was some real
character in those boards.

We always called it the 'wood shed' -- but somehow, today, it seems
like 'shed' implies a separate building.

Jim
No, the wood shed was virtually always built on to the house. What
you had is definitely a "wood shed".

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 22:30:11 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 07:33:41 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:


This room was built just for firewood. It had a sliding 4' door, and
2" split boards for the floor and walls--- There was some real
character in those boards.

We always called it the 'wood shed' -- but somehow, today, it seems
like 'shed' implies a separate building.

Jim
No, the wood shed was virtually always built on to the house. What
you had is definitely a "wood shed".

I didn't know that it was built on to the house. I think one reason
for the opposite impression is the expression , "Took me out to the
woodshed.", for a whuppin'. Even though the woodshed you describe
has a door on the outside, the expression gives the image of walking a
distance from the house. "Took me around to the woodshed" would
apply to a room built on to the house. So how come people say
"out"?

On Sun, 19 Aug 2012 15:04:06 -0400, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 22:30:11 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 07:33:41 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:


This room was built just for firewood. It had a sliding 4' door, and
2" split boards for the floor and walls--- There was some real
character in those boards.

We always called it the 'wood shed' -- but somehow, today, it seems
like 'shed' implies a separate building.

Jim
No, the wood shed was virtually always built on to the house. What
you had is definitely a "wood shed".

I didn't know that it was built on to the house. I think one reason
for the opposite impression is the expression , "Took me out to the
woodshed.", for a whuppin'. Even though the woodshed you describe
has a door on the outside, the expression gives the image of walking a
distance from the house. "Took me around to the woodshed" would
apply to a room built on to the house. So how come people say
"out"?
It is outside the "heated envelope" of the house, so in the winter in
particular, it is DEFINITELY "out". You go out the back door of the
house into the woodshed.

On Sun, 19 Aug 2012 16:04:50 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 19 Aug 2012 15:04:06 -0400, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 22:30:11 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 07:33:41 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:


This room was built just for firewood. It had a sliding 4' door, and
2" split boards for the floor and walls--- There was some real
character in those boards.

We always called it the 'wood shed' -- but somehow, today, it seems
like 'shed' implies a separate building.

Jim
No, the wood shed was virtually always built on to the house. What
you had is definitely a "wood shed".

I didn't know that it was built on to the house. I think one reason
for the opposite impression is the expression , "Took me out to the
woodshed.", for a whuppin'. Even though the woodshed you describe
has a door on the outside, the expression gives the image of walking a
distance from the house. "Took me around to the woodshed" would
apply to a room built on to the house. So how come people say
"out"?
It is outside the "heated envelope" of the house, so in the winter in
particular, it is DEFINITELY "out". You go out the back door of the
house into the woodshed.

That makes sense. I think my guess about the misimpression among
those who don't have one may be right.

wrote:
On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 07:33:41 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

wrote:

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:38:39 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

-snip-

I guess it wasn't really a wood *shed* -- It was the room off the
dining room.

There were 7 fireplace in that house-- 4 downstairs and 3 upstairs.
The wood 'shed' was the size of a 2 car garage.

Jim
"summer kitchen" by chance? or just a big "mud room". Or was it used
to store fire-wood? In which case it was a "wood shed"

Oops- *8* fireplaces. the summer kitchen was in the basement. it
had gotten muddy in 200 years, but had a flagstone floor under the
mud.

This room was built just for firewood. It had a sliding 4' door, and
2" split boards for the floor and walls--- There was some real
character in those boards.

We always called it the 'wood shed' -- but somehow, today, it seems
like 'shed' implies a separate building.

Jim
No, the wood shed was virtually always built on to the house. What
you had is definitely a "wood shed".

My friend moved into his parent's farm house when they passed away. The
wood shed was attached to the kitchen and was actually almost twice as big
as the kitchen. We dropped the chimney from the old kitchen fireplace into
the house then tore down the wall between the kitchen and the wood shed,
basically tripling the size of the kitchen.

The old chimney bricks were used to repair the 2 huge stoops on the front
and side of the house.

It was a fun project.

On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. (Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

There are still houses that have outhouses in the country. A farm house
I lived in the 1970s had a real outhouse, but the hole was filled in
with dirt. I moved it and turned it into a chicken coop.

In the early 1900s, there may have been a hand pump inside the house.
Later a windmill pump or electric one. But that dont mean they always
installed a toilet. Some Amish people still build outhouses too.
Actually I have a look-alike outhouse. It looks like one but its a shed
for garden tools. I just put a moon on the door for fun. So, those
that look like outhouses are not always real.

On Aug 21, 11:18*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:42:19 -0400, micky
wrote:

If a house in town the 1910's or 20's had only an outhouse, does that
mean that it did't have running water inside the house?

Specifically, I mean Indianapolis. * About a mile or mile and a half
south of the center of town. *(Which was or at least became the poor
side of town, compared to the north side.)

My mother told me that she used an outhouse when she was little, but I
guess I assumed my grandparents still had a sink in the kitchen with
city water, rather than going out to a well, or pumping in the
kitchen.

What say ye?

There are still houses that have outhouses in the country. *A farm house
I lived in the 1970s had a real outhouse, but the hole was filled in
with dirt. *I moved it and turned it into a chicken coop.

In the early 1900s, there may have been a hand pump inside the house.
Later a windmill pump or electric one. *But that dont mean they always
installed a toilet. *Some Amish people still build outhouses too.
Actually I have a look-alike outhouse. *It looks like one but its a shed
for garden tools. *I just put a moon on the door for fun. *So, those
that look like outhouses are not always real.

The best outhouse I ever used didn't even have a house.

A friend spent a summer camping on his land while building a cabin.
Throughout the summer, friends and family from all over the country
came and went, spending a few days or a few weeks, camping and helping
with the build.

The land overlooked a valley. My friend build an "outhouse", but
didn't build any walls, except for short wall on the back that hid
your private oarts from view. You sat on the throne and looked out
over the valley. Users approached the "facility" from behind, so you
would see the person's head from far off, know that it was being used,
and wait your turn.

It was a beautiful view.