Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, USA

A newly-built outhouse that is for sale! They are made right here on Mt. Airy Road in northern York County. The structure's orifice is for light and ventilation. Today, we think of them as crescent moons, but the crescent shape did not show up as a part of outhouse lore until the mid-20th century. [2021]

Marksville, Louisiana, USA

Inside the outhouse was a bench with a hole that gave way to the pit toilet below, hidden from the eyes but not the nose. This one served residents of the Hypolite Bordelon House, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places. What is needed, though, is an outhouse that commands a historical marker of its own. Do any exist? [2022]

Independence, Virginia, USA

The Grand Privy Race takes place every October in Independence, Virginia: any excuse for a festival! What used to be hidden out back, the outhouse, is now flaunted on the town square. And, the odors of everyday life have been replaced by sanitized memories of the past. They were good days, weren't they? [2015]

Ten Mile, Pennsylvania, USA

What used to be common is now very rare. Still, some visual evidence from the past reminds us of what life used to be like. The outhouse was a staple of the American frontier right up until the 20th century: Houses, schools, and churches, and businesses all had them. Imagine what it was like in the winter! Or even how hot it could get in the summer! [1991]

Jerusalem, Israel

Important gates in medieval city walls always led somewhere important, and the place of importance gave the gate its name. There were only two cardinal places in Jerusalem's local universe: Jaffa, a seaport on the Mediterranean, and Damascus, a port on the Syrian Desert. This is Damascus Gate. [1999]

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Built space vs. open space: Cities have to work hard to get the right balance. The purpose of both spaces is to serve the needs of people. But don't expect every space to be crowded all the time. Expect the market here to be alive with activity on Friday mornings and abandoned on Sunday mornings. Expect just the opposite from the cathedral next door. [2008]

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Flatiron buildings were perfect for intersections where two streets came together at an acute angle. They needed a more triangular shape, one that was like the front of the appliance we still use for pressing clothes: an iron, or flatiron. This one is the Gooderham Building. [2010]