Historic Home Features Two-Story Outhouse
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Just mentioning a two-story outhouse sounds like the start of a bad joke. But it’s enough to attract visitors interested in odd and historical sites, says Rick Krant, president of the Belle Plaine Historical Society in Minnesota. The outhouse is one of three known to exist in the U.S., and the second story is attached to the house by a 3-ft. skyway.
“The two-story house is the jewel on the crown,” Krant says, noting it was added to a home built in 1871 that three prominent families owned over the years.
The second owner, Samuel Bowler, a Civil War veteran who owned a lumberyard and founded a bank, renovated and added to the house after he purchased it in 1886. Besides being a symbol of wealth, the reason was practical. Bowler and his wife had 11 children, and they could quickly get to the outhouse from their second-floor bedrooms, which was especially nice during cold Minnesota winters.
Each level has three holes. A wooden chute allows the waste from the top floor to go into the pit under the outhouse. The three holes on the first floor are in front of a false wall concealing the chute. The holes are different sizes to accommodate children and adults, and the roomy spaces include windows and plastered walls. According to a 105-year-old lady who lived there (now deceased), there was never an odor with good ventilation and the use of lye (or lime).
While the unusual outhouse is a big attraction, the Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House is also an important piece of local history. It was significant enough that the historical society formed in the mid-1970s when the last Hillstrom left, and a potential buyer planned to raze the house and build apartments. A local group purchased the home, which became city property, with the historical society taking care of it, arranging tours and organizing events.
“The house was lavish ahead of its time,” Krant says. “One other unique feature is a copper tub in the bathroom.”
The society’s renovations, based in part on wallpaper remnants and furnishings, give visitors a glimpse of three different eras—Victorian, Mission and 1850s farmhouse with yellow walls and red floors (a common practice to use paint leftover from the barn).
Krant says a museum filled with antiques, including circus items, in a barn on the property and a restored 1868 Episcopalian church just 1 1/2 blocks away give history buffs and other visitors plenty to see in Belle Plaine.
Society members and costumed theater group volunteers offer freewill-offer tours by appointment and from 1 to 3 p.m. on the third Sunday of the month from May through October.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House, 405 North Chestnut St., Belle Plaine, Minn. 56011 (ph 952-217-1385; rickkrant@gmail.com; Facebook: Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House).
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Historic Home Features Two-Story Outhouse BUILDINGS Miscellaneous Just mentioning a two-story outhouse sounds like the start of a bad joke But it’s enough to attract visitors interested in odd and historical sites says Rick Krant president of the Belle Plaine Historical Society in Minnesota The outhouse is one of three known to exist in the U S and the second story is attached to the house by a 3-ft skyway “The two-story house is the jewel on the crown ” Krant says noting it was added to a home built in 1871 that three prominent families owned over the years The second owner Samuel Bowler a Civil War veteran who owned a lumberyard and founded a bank renovated and added to the house after he purchased it in 1886 Besides being a symbol of wealth the reason was practical Bowler and his wife had 11 children and they could quickly get to the outhouse from their second-floor bedrooms which was especially nice during cold Minnesota winters Each level has three holes A wooden chute allows the waste from the top floor to go into the pit under the outhouse The three holes on the first floor are in front of a false wall concealing the chute The holes are different sizes to accommodate children and adults and the roomy spaces include windows and plastered walls According to a 105-year-old lady who lived there now deceased there was never an odor with good ventilation and the use of lye or lime While the unusual outhouse is a big attraction the Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House is also an important piece of local history It was significant enough that the historical society formed in the mid-1970s when the last Hillstrom left and a potential buyer planned to raze the house and build apartments A local group purchased the home which became city property with the historical society taking care of it arranging tours and organizing events “The house was lavish ahead of its time ” Krant says “One other unique feature is a copper tub in the bathroom ” The society’s renovations based in part on wallpaper remnants and furnishings give visitors a glimpse of three different eras—Victorian Mission and 1850s farmhouse with yellow walls and red floors a common practice to use paint leftover from the barn Krant says a museum filled with antiques including circus items in a barn on the property and a restored 1868 Episcopalian church just 1 1/2 blocks away give history buffs and other visitors plenty to see in Belle Plaine Society members and costumed theater group volunteers offer freewill-offer tours by appointment and from 1 to 3 p m on the third Sunday of the month from May through October Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House 405 North Chestnut St Belle Plaine Minn 56011 ph 952-217-1385; rickkrant@gmail com; Facebook: Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House
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