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Wow That's Weird: Genoa claims Most Famous Outhouse in America

It's even on the National Historic Register of Places

GENOA, Ohio — The village of Genoa is quiet little town, about 150 years old, with a historic downtown area and beautifully restored Town Hall.  

There is another another historic building in Genoa, however, that isn't as apparent and doesn't get too many visitors.

It's an outhouse.

"Officially it's called the 'Little Building,' in parentheses, 'The old school privy' and the next questions is what's a privy? It's a bathroom," explained Tom Bergman who is the Genoa Historical Society President and a Clay Township trustee.

Bergman said the historic outhouse is believed to be about 148 years old. In polite parlance, it's the proverbial "brick outhouse."  

It was erected about 1870 when Genoa constructed its first brick school building at the corner of what is now State Route 163 and Main Street on the south side of town. 

Today, the brick is now painted white, but was originally orange and the brick work design and style are not only unique but of historic significance. So significant that the building earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places, a designation of the Department of the Interior.  

The unique design is called Romanesque Revival, unusual for an outhouse, especially in the Northwest Ohio region during that late 19th century era.  It is one of the main reasons the "privy" earned its designation. 

The building is not your typical outhouse. Made of brick, it is obviously large for an outdoor bathroom of that era. Not your one-door-wooden Johnnie with a half moon over the door. This one is Genoa is a giant.  

About 12 feet by 24 feet with a steep pitched roof of asbestos shingle. The building features four doors. One door each for men, women, boys and girls. The windows are also specially designed in half and quarter moon shapes, rimmed with arched brick work around them.  

It's believed the outdoor restroom was actively used for as many as 60 years. 

In 1929, though, long after the first brick school was replaced by another school in 1910, it was closed up as indoor plumbing flushed the long outhouse era from the future.  

In the 1940's, the old privy in Genoa was briefly used as a meeting hall for the local Boy Scouts, but by the 1950's is was again furloughed. This time for good. Relegated to little more than a curiosity of little use. 

Bergman said by the 1970's things changed when his grandmother, Tomme Bergman, a well-known Genoa Civic activist put together a plan to have the "Old School Privy" renovated and was able to secure funding and secure its designation on the National Historic Register. 

Ten years later she would use her skills in renovation and inspiration to secure the funding to renovate the community's 1885 Town Hall and Opera House, which is a proud centerpiece of the village. 

The dedication of the School Privy in 1976 was an event that drew hundreds of people and dignitaries to Genoa to celebrate this "little building" as it would be officially known. And Bergman believes they all understood the humor inherent in what they were doing at the time.

"They took an unusual amount of pride restoring a bathroom, and it was the humor of it too."

But today, 43 years later, the "Little Building" is largely forgotten and while its Romanesque Revival architecture remains intact, its bushes are overgrown, the paint is fading, windows are boarded up and no one comes to visit anymore. 

For a long time after its renovation the village used it for storage and kept it locked.

"Yeah it's been used for a whole 'lotta nothing," said Bergman. "As you can see it's pretty much empty."

But Bergman, like his grandmother before him, sees more than just an empty building with no future. He would like to see it moved to Genoa's Veteran's Park area to be used as a headquarters for festivals and events, and to give it more exposure to a planned bike trail that is to be constructed through the park next year.  

Bergman thinks Genoa needs to reclaim this hidden and neglected gem.

"It's the only outhouse on the national register in America, which by default makes it the most historically significant outhouse in the United States. That's pretty cool," he said, smiling. 

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