The Cutest DAMNed Outhouse in the Adirondacks
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The Lakehouse Outhouse
Photo by C. and J. Redenbaugh (Used by permission)

The Lakehouse Area
Photo by C. and J. Redenbaugh (Used by permission)
    [Curator's Comment: These are the exact words of the contributor describing the history of this Outhouse.] I have to be the luckiest person in the world to have inherited a beautiful 100+-year-old camp and 28+ acres in the most beautiful section of the country. My great uncle George and about four of his buddies purchased this place, along with its woodshed, boathouse, and privy, in the 1920's. My first recollections of the outhouse were from the early 50's when I was a small child. Having no plumbing in our camp on Raquette Lake, the outhouse was the only place to go! When anyone made the announcement, "I'll be out back," no one questioned the destination.
    Unreachable by public road and mostly accessible by boat, our property seemed an impossible destination for a septic tank. That thinking proved wrong, as my folks had one barged over from town in the later 50's. The house out back lost its popularity for a while. In the 60's, having fun with their many friends who would visit, Mom and Dad painted the inside orange, and also painted the words "Buoys and Gulls" on the outside of the now-white door. Fake leopard fur covered the toilet seat lids. Now named Studio 1, the house out back became a place of privacy and convenience when there were a dozen or so people in the camp. Luckily, the foundation was pretty stable (old stone), and there was interest and care on the part of my family. About 5 years ago, Dad (now 97 and thriving!) hired George Marsh - who with his wife Linda are the best damned neighbors in the Adirondacks! - to re-roof it with some leftover green shingles from a job done on the camp.
    When I acquired the camp (in 2003 and renamed The Lakehouse), my husband Jim and I took extra interest in the preservation and modernization of what we now can "The Library." This spring my Dad, Henry R. Bennett of Norwich, NY, his friend Al Nassar, also from Norwich, and Jim together managed to right The Library to a perfect level reading with a crowbar and aid of a few more rocks and bricks. With that task completed, Jim had a straight wall available to install a perfect little double-hung window, screen, working windows and all! It is now framed and has a flower box filled with New Guinea Impatiens. The aforementioned George Marsh carved a gorgeous handle out of an apple wood branch, which adds more than a small touch of class! The sign was meticulously carved out of yellow birch on a birch bark background. Dad has cleaned the original metal toiled paper holder, and I hope to locate it and take a photo of it for you next week when we again visit The Lakehouse. He also has purchased for us two oak toilet seats to use when we refurbish the inside next year.
    I have to add here that my Dad had a ball with his friends when they were kids. On Halloween they would together sneak into yards and quietly move the outhouses behind their holes. How ingenious!!
    Our plans are to make this outhouse the prime destination of bathroom-users at The Lakehouse, and it will be complete with water in a pitcher with a bowl, towels on a brass towel bar, soaps, lotions, and lace curtains. It will retain its original structure and mystique, but the 21st century does allow us to add beauty and creativity to make this piece of heritage a very useable and lovable building. If anyone has any suggestions for us or any comments to make, please contact us through the Outhouses of America Tour web site and mention the page "redenoh.shtml". Thank you for the opportunity and care for us to tell our history and to show out photos to outhouse lovers everywhere.

  What else can you see in the images shown? Many times a photo is worth a thousand words and I've only elaborated with a few so why don't you add some "color commentary" to my collection. If your addition is worthy, you will find the quote added on the Comments to the Curator page.

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This Page was created on August 29, 2005