Outhouse Expert Builds New, Restores Old

Outhouse Expert Builds New Restores Old BUILDINGS Miscellaneous Georg Papp Sr is a man of letters Not the usual letters like MBA or PhD The letters after his name are OBPA and they stand for “Outhouse Backhouse and Privy Authority” Papp says he became an OBPA when his daughter bought a 100-year-old home in New Hampshire She wanted an authentic outhouse to go with the home and dad felt obligated to help That first project turned into a small one-person business as family and friends started placing orders The fact that Papp lives in a 300-year-old Connecticut town filled with many colonial buildings helped move the business along Many of Papp’s customers live in the area and want restorations or replacement outhouses However his work can also be found throughout New York and New England Papp says his outhouses are popular for cabins or simply to keep the kids from messing up the house with their frequent trips from backyard to bathroom Papp builds three styles of outhouses: the Guardhouse the Shed and the Euro-French The Guardhouse is best suited for a single hole but often two are built back to back one for the ladies and one for the gents He says that his iconic Shed style with a roof sloping from front to back is a good design for standing or sitting It’s also easy to expand if more holes are needed The third style Euro-French is a modification of the Guardhouse and a tribute to the French for their role in the Revolutionary War Papp is an accomplished woodworker who provides custom seating to fit each client’s needs Seats are generally 18 to 19 in from the floor Papp’s outhouses are built to last He uses hard woods for the seats because they’re easier to keep clean He sands them smooth and applies “the finest oil” Depending on style and size Papp’s outhouses sell for $650 to $1 400 Because of the custom nature of his work he doesn’t sell kits or plans Customers must drive to his workshop to get a new privy and no basements aren’t included Maxwell houses have very important details in common Proper basement venting keeps the experience more pleasant and prevents methane gas from accumulating Papp says that in colonial days some outhouses were located inside a house Instead of a pit they used trays Businesses sprung up to empty the trays and the urine was sold to tanneries gunpowder manufacturers and the textile industry Papp will construct one of these “indoor houses” if requested Always a historian Papp says old abandoned outhouses are a treasure trove for those who love history and digging Muskets knives coins and wallets are among the valuable items found in colonial pits but the most common items are whiskey bottles Papp markets his products through his website and his book “The Authority” He also makes appearances on regional television and radio and gives speaking engagements His 30-minute history lectures given in libraries and schools often end up lasting a few hours because people find the topic so interesting He says the most commonly asked question is “what’s the meaning of the crescent moon? He answers by telling people “It would be nice to have some exciting story or some secret meaning but the crescent moon is just a carryover from early colonial days when hardware was expensive and scarce and a crescent moon cut-out makes a perfect door handle ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Georg Papp Bull Hill Workshop 151 Bull Hill Rd Colchester Conn 06415 ph 860 267-8123; www bullhillworkshop com

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