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The Outhouse

Mautz Tavern Outhouse
Mautz Tavern Outhouse - It didn't Always Lean This Much 

The Outhouse

If you ever visited Mautz Tavern while it was open - and you had to use the facilities, you walked out the backdoor, down the little sidewalk to the restrooms, pictured above.

Yes, even when the tavern officially closed for business in 1978, there was still no indoor plumbing, so patrons had to use the outhouse.

This small building housed both a men's and a women's bathroom. One of my most vivid memories of going to the tavern in the 1970s when I was a kid was using this outhouse. The women's side had a bench with three different size holes, small, medium, and large. As a small child, I felt it was important to choose the size hole you would sit on wisely. Maybe just irrational childhood fear talking, but I did NOT want to risk falling down that large hole. Smart that each hole had a lid that was chained to the platform. Unsure how effective it was to keep those holes covered, but I was all for eliminating as much exposure to what lay below.  

Outhouse holes with lids
Small, Medium, Large Size Seating Holes


This was my first ever peak at the outhouse's men's side. I had no idea that it was only a big trough. I have so many questions that I probably don't want to know the answers to after seeing this. But, most importantly, here's to modern plumbing and climate-controlled facilities!


Inside of men's outhouse
The Men's Trough


When I last drove by the property, the house/tavern and outhouse had all been torn down. Unfortunately, not all things that age can be salvaged, but I am glad that I snapped these photos so I can forever connect the memory in my head of the tavern bathroom facilities to an actual image. 

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