Where did the poop go in 1952 ?

[markdenise]

The bathroom is missing in our '52 cruiser. Now that the shell is off we see that there is a hole in the belly pan where the toilette drain used to be. If there aren't any holding tanks and the drain goes straight down through the belly pan, where did the poop go ?? Did they dig a hole or what ??

I assumed that perhaps the toilette sat on a raised tank, inside the cabin, like in some older Airstreams but if that were the case, why is there a drain pipe going down through the belly pan ?? If it was there to drain the raised tank why is it so big in diameter ??

Thanks Denise

[Stefrobrts]

I ran into a trailer like that while camping once, they thought their trailer had been a 'park model', which would have been hooked up to a permanent sewage connection. Theirs was an early 60s unit, I believe. It also could have just been used with the 'gopher hole' procedure, but I think that would be a little awkward - get to camp, dig a hole, park the trailer over it just right...

Hopefully some historians will weigh in.

[Nuvite-F]

Trailers did not have sewage holding tanks before about 1960. In fact, there was a federal law which prohibited transportation of sewage across state lines.

Prior to that time the toilets were plumbed straight down, "dump to daylight". This meant they were only usable in an RV park with sewer hookups or by digging a "gopher hole". You dug the gopher hole, backed the trailer a little to position the sewage outlet over the gopher hole, then connected a short length of sewage hose from the outlet into the hole. The usual practice was to carry a couple of pieces of plywood with semicircular cutouts to clear the sewage hose, then put those over the hole to cover it. You then shoveled the dirt from the hole over the plywood to hold it down and keep down the smell.

[terryV]

Originally Posted by Nuvite-F

Trailers did not have sewage holding tanks before about 1960. In fact, there was a federal law which prohibited transportation of sewage across state lines.

Prior to that time the toilets were plumbed straight down, "dump to daylight". This meant they were only usable in an RV park with sewer hookups or by digging a "gopher hole". You dug the gopher hole, backed the trailer a little to position the sewage outlet over the gopher hole, then connected a short length of sewage hose from the outlet into the hole. The usual practice was to carry a couple of pieces of plywood with semicircular cutouts to clear the sewage hose, then put those over the hole to cover it. You then shoveled the dirt from the hole over the plywood to hold it down and keep down the smell.

Yup, that's exactly how we used to do it. I remember camping at the IOWA State Fair with my parents back then. My job each year was to dig the hole.

When you were ready to leave, you shoveled the dirt back into the hole, and patted it down as best you could.

That was also back in the days when you took a bath every Saturday nite. (Saturday was the only day of the week when folks bathed)

[Frank's Trailer Works]

The 1953 29 foot Liner I currently am working on had this also. We have added in a blank tank and it took a great deal of creativity.

[Creampuff]

Probably had a black tank above the floor similar to my '57, and a 3'- 4" hole to a dump valve.

[TG Twinkie]

I remember the days of the Saturday bath. In a galvanized tub on the back porch. Yes! Outside. Talk about Grey Water. I was the last of 5 to have a bath in the same water (warmed up) of course. Mom heated the water on the kitchen stove. We carried the water to the house in buckets from the windmill powered well.
There was no plumbing in the house. Only one room had heat. An oil burner in the "Parlor".
We heated flat rocks about 12" in diameter, 2" thick. Then wrapped the rock in a towel. Which was placed at the foot of the bed.
The pee pot, one in each bedroom would be frozen by morning.
Iowa gets REAL COLD in the winter.
Our 26' Argosy is 5 Star compared to those days.


Sent from my iPod touch using Airstream Forums

[cwf]

Ahhhhh... the 'good ol days'...

BTW.. my dad was unable to comprehend we actually had bathrooms built into our new Church building... yeah.. we were from the Country.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by Creampuff

Probably had a black tank above the floor similar to my '57, and a 3'- 4" hole to a dump valve.

No, it went straight down like was described numerous times now in this thread.

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by terryV

Yup, that's exactly how we used to do it. I remember camping at the IOWA State Fair with my parents back then. My job each year was to dig the hole.

When you were ready to leave, you shoveled the dirt back into the hole, and patted it down as best you could.

That was also back in the days when you took a bath every Saturday nite. (Saturday was the only day of the week when folks bathed)

Pity the poor soul who found the gopher hole from the previous campers...

[Landshark]

Ah yes, I remember the good ol' days visiting my grandparents' farm: bath in a big washtub set in the pantry behind a curtain, outhouse out beyond the pigpen so if we needed to pee before morning there was a thunder mug located on the back stoop (didn't want us city grandkids falling into the pigpen in the middle of the night). Of course we would have burst something before we used that mug.

Even the most primitive aluminum tent is better than that!

Vivian