I believe South Dakota is one of the few U.S. States without indoor plumbing, so what a surprise to learn it is home to an Outhouse Museum. An outhouse is literally outside, which explains why the museum is…you guessed it…outside. Founder, curator, benefactor and local outhouse expert Richard Papousek established a block-long exhibit of various models. The collection includes a “Presidential Suite”. In 1933 President Roosevelt ordered the WPA to build a million outhouses, which cost $5 to buy at the time. Unfortunately, Papousek is no longer involved with acquiring new outhouses to add to his collection, so now a row of outhouses sit abandoned in the middle of Gregory, South Dakota. But that’s okay. I did learn something. Did you know a half-moon sign meant an outhouse was for women, while a star symbol was for men? I didn’t know a hole in the ground was so gender-specific.
Outhouse Museum, Gregory, South Dakota
