Today is our 21st wedding anniversary and I’ve decided to re-run a version of last year’s anniversary post. Our wedding was uniquely Appalachian for several reasons, not the least of which was that the only “facility” at our wedding was . . . an outhouse.
We got married at Laurel Fork United Methodist Church in West Virginia. I’m the fourth or fifth generation in my family to attend the little, white church on the hill and it was where I wanted to pledge my heart to my husband for life.
The church is OLD and creaky, but it does have modern updates. We traded the pot-bellied, coal-burning stoves for gas heaters and installed a drop ceiling to help keep the heat in on cold winter mornings (I’m kind of sad about that). And we eventually updated the wiring so it wouldn’t burn the church down. It’s simple but picturesque.
We invited our friends and family to the ceremony, but didn’t expect many to make the trek to a remote hilltop in West Virginia for the nuptials. Those who did travel from SC (where we lived then) were encouraged to use the facilities at their hotel before coming to the church 30 minutes away in Laurel Fork.
Ha-ha, they thought, a West Virginia joke.
Nope. The closest thing there is to running water is the downspout at the corner. Even today the only bathroom is an outhouse. Of course, some adventurous souls might have enjoyed the experience, but I’m pretty sure everyone crossed their legs until the reception back in town.
When I was a kid, we actually had TWO outhouses at church. One for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. The ladies had two compartments (fancy) each with a separate door for privacy. It was painted white and tucked back in the trees behind the church for discretion. Unfortunately, it’s leafy, protected eaves seemed to be prime spots for wasps to build their nests, but you often have to sacrifice something for the sake of your dignity.
The men’s outhouse is a much roomier one-seater with an open end that serves as an, ahhh, urinal. It’s closer to the doors of the church, which often made it preferable when I was young. The wooden seat was worn remarkably smooth and there was always a stack of church bulletins in place of toilet paper. Waste not, want not.
And honestly? It wasn’t unpleasant to use. Oh, it wasn’t great on a January morning, but in general, it served just fine. It smelled of worn wood as much as, well, what you’d expect, and members of the church maintained both outhouses so they stayed relatively pleasant. MUCH nicer than any port-o-let I’ve ever been in.
Outhouses have become something of a redneck or hillbilly joke, but I’ve used them (although NOT while wearing a wedding dress) and they’re no joke. They’re just the best way to deal with a necessity in a place with no running water.
Of course, the standing joke is that every outhouse is too close to the back door in the summer and too far away in the winter. You can probably guess why.
21 years…wow! Congratulations to you and Jim! Enjoy your special day…love the outhouse story 😉
Yes, plumbing is NOT overrated.
Great Story!! Congrats! My husband, Jerry & I will celebrate 43 years June 1st~Hold those memories close to your heart bc time passes oh, so (too) quickly! ❤️
I’m already discovering that! Grandma always said time picks up speed as you age.
At a church I served in Streetman, TX. The only facility was in a large mimeograph room (not much privacy!) but you could lock the door. An off duty fireman helped me install 2 bathrooms. It was understood that the outhouse was for the men. A cardinal sin—I didn’t ask permission! A deacon/janitor helped me burn down the outhouse, which in turn, melted away the overhead telephone lines. We knocked out half of the telephones in the community. It took several months to calm everyone,
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What a fantastic story!
I hope you had a wonderful anniversary, Sarah. That little church reminds me of the one here, in Poetry, Texas, where my husband’s family has held weddings, etc. It’s the cutest thing, and I include it in one of my novels. It got so damaged in a storm a few years ago that no one can use it now. It’s not safe. That just breaks my heart. It’s so sweet from the outside though. Right across from the cemetery, too. <3