Outhouse at Robertson Farm – Ferndale WA

City:
Ferndale, WA

Site Type:
Infrastructure and Utilities, Sanitation and Water Disposal

New Deal Agencies:
Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)

Started:
1937

Completed:
1937

Description

In 1937, the Works Progress Administration came out and installed an outhouse at the farm where I now live. Apparently the farmhands were just going in the fields. To make it more sanitary, the WPA put in a beautiful little building, complete with two toilets, side-by-side, with wooden seats, covers that closed, and a concrete urinal. It’s in remarkably good shape for being almost 80 years old. It even had electricity and a light so you could go at night!

Source notes

Beverly Robertson, who now lives next door, is 79 years old. She was born on this far in 1935, and her father owned the farm and ran it when the outhouse was installed. Apparently the WPA installed them all over the county. She has told me several times that the WPA installed the outhouse, which the whole family used until 1955 when the current farmhouse was built.

Site originally submitted by Meagan McGovern on October 30, 2014.

Location Info


2358 Brown Road
Ferndale, WA 98248
Whatcom County

Coordinates: 48.8852065, -122.60962589999997

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