What should this mantel even look like?

Have to say I’m a complete amateur, but I think water closets were not uncommon from 1860s onwards, often preceding plumbed bathrooms. Came across a lot of online talk re mid-century Baltimore, Philly, NY WCs! Perhaps many got taken out as full bathrooms were put in. The experts will know a lot more about this sort of stuff. Good luck with your house.

higherwhitley

in General Discussion 3 years and 6 months ago

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higherwhitley | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Could the coat closet have originally been a water closet (separate toilet)? We had a windowed closet next to the bathroom, & above the parlor floor, in our early 1870s wooden rowhouse. The window (covered over when we moved in) must have originally vented into the bathroom.

michaelcoughlan | 3 years and 6 months ago

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Interesting thought, higherwhitley. I guess I had assumed that these houses still used outhouses in the 1850s/60s (and early 70s)? I’m not sure why they would have gotten rid of it if so!