160 Unusual Things to See in Ontario ~ Smith Falls Two-Story Outhouse

 

The addition on the left side of the building is the two-story privy.

The building is an excellent example of Georgian architecture, popular in Canada during the 19th century. Its rectangular floor plan is symmetrical in nature, consisting of the central entryway and hall, a high gable roof, a centred gable facade with three bays and a double chimney on either side of the building. The main entrance contains sidelights and a transom, and is flanked by casement windows. Above the main door is a Palladian window with arched toppers, while beneath the gable is a typical semi-elliptical window. This front facade is mirrored exactly on the rear facade, adding significantly to its architectural value. The building is striking in its simplicity and is a study in contrasts: the white clapboard of the main building against the red ochre of the side addition; the simple lines of the wooden walls against the multi-paned windows. The use of casement windows instead of sash windows suggests that Bates may have used a French-Canadian carpenter who, at that time, would have worked for substantially lower wages than English-Canadian carpenters. (Source)

Smiths Falls' Two-Storey Outhouse. It's actually attached to the house and wide enough that the upper "facility" is not directly above the outer one. A vertical partition separates them. The door to the lower "facility" leads directly off the downstairs porch, the upper leads from a hallway in the house. (Source)