"The bizarre historic structure in Gays, Illinois known simply as the Two-Story Outhouse is all that remains of a former general store that would have made the bi-level bathroom make a lot more sense," the Atlas Obscura says.

"Standing like a strange white monolith on a small patch of grass in Gays, the two-story outhouse has become somewhat of a local celebrity. It was built in 1869 as part of a general store that once had apartments connected to it. The upper section of the old bathroom was attached to the residences while the lower section was for general store shoppers who just had to go. In order to avoid any disastrous doodie drops, the upper and lower commodes are positioned on opposite sides of the outhouse, and the waste from the upper level actually falls to the septic pit below behind a false wall that keeps the first level away from all sorts of crap.

"When the general store was torn down in 1984, the owner of the property saw the uniqueness of the bathrooms and took care to leave them standing, albeit a bit strangely as they no longer have any true reason for being. Today the stacked outhouse is no longer open to the public, and in fact there is no direct way to access the higher level but the Two-Story Outhouse, known to locals as the “skyscrapper,” is beloved nonetheless."

"Gays, Illinois, a town of 250 just west of Mattoon, has a two-story outhouse. It used to be connected to a building with a general store on bottom and an inn on top," the Cyburbia.com says.

"The 1869 building was razed in 1984, but the outhouse was saved and now serves as a tourist attraction in a small park. The outhouse was added in1872.

"The top hole is offset so it drops behind the bottom stall. The icky is hidden by a false wall."

"Arguably one of the most famous outhouses left on the planet is located in the town of Gays, IL, located just five minutes from Mattoon," the Enjoy Illinois says.



"The existence of outhouses in general are rare, but certainly a two-story version is a unique oddity that the small rural community of 300 has capitalized on for quite some time. Stop by anytime for this great photo opportunity!"

"We see a lot of outhouses in our travels—and even use them occasionally when we’re desperate. We’ve seen two-hole outhouses in living history museums (the family that poops together….?) But never before had we seen a two-story outhouse like the one in the central Illinois town of Gays," the Midwest Wanderer says.

"The two-story privy stands proudly in its own small park in the tiny town of 240 people. Signs in the town direct tourists to it. And they come. Like us. I mean, who could pass up a chance to see a roadside attraction as silly as an outhouse?

"Samuel Gammill built the structure in 1872. A short ramp connected it to his general store that had attached apartments. The two-story outhouse allowed residents of both floors to use the potty without having to go up and down the stairs."

"Originally, the Gays double decker outhouse, built by Samuel Gammi, stood at the back of a general store to give residents of an upstairs apartment access to a private bathroom. But have no fear if you’re using the bottom toilet: the waste from above falls behind a false wall — not on you!" the Silly America says.



"In 1984 the store and apartments this two leveled lavatory were attached to were town down, but, luckily for locals and us roadside-attraction loving road trippers alike, the town kept the structure behind and today the outhouse lives on as the pride of Gays Illinois on a grassy patch in Gene Goodwin Park.

"The park was named for the president of Gays’s village board who fought for the roadside attraction’s preservation along Illinois Highway 16 between Shelbyville and Mattoon."

"As crazy it may sound, two-story outhouses actually existed and one of them is poopular attraction in Illinois. One of my friends is an over-the-road truck driver and he was telling me he stopped by a two-story outhouse recently. I thought he was full of crap, to be honest," the Q98.5 Radio says.

"The proud village of Gays, Illinois gets the bragging rights to this historical two-story outhouse. All 218 residents (as of 2020) take pride in this structure. Constructed in 1872, this is what puts the village on the map, literally.

"The general store was demolished in the mid-1980s but the two-story outhouse remained because it had already been promoted as a landmark tourist destination."

"Gene Goodwin Park / Two Story Outhouse built in 1872," The Historical Marker Database says.

"In memory of a devoted promoter of the Historical Two Story Outhouse built in 1872. Erected 2001 by Village of Gays, Illinois."

"An outhouse is a small structure, separate from a main building, which covers a toilet. This is typically either a pit latrine or a bucket toilet, but other forms of dry (non-flushing) toilets may be encountered. The term may also be used to denote the toilet itself, not just the structure. Outhouses were in use in cities of developed countries (e.g. Australia) well into the second half of the twentieth century. They are still common in rural areas and also in cities of developing countries. Outhouses that are covering pit latrines in densely populated areas can cause groundwater pollution.

"Outhouses are typically built on one level, but two-story models are to be found in unusual circumstances. One double-decker was built to serve a two-story building in Cedar Lake, Michigan. The outhouse was connected by walkways. It still stands (but not the building). The waste from "upstairs" is directed down a chute separate from the "downstairs" facility in these instances, so contrary to various jokes about two-story outhouses, the user of the lower level has nothing to fear if the upper level is in use at the same time. The Boston Exchange Coffee House (1809–1818) was equipped with a four-story outhouse with windows on each floor.

"Some outhouses were built surprisingly ornately, considering the time and the place.[46] For example, an opulent 19th century antebellum example (a three-holer) is at the plantation area at the state park in Stone Mountain, Georgia.[47] The outhouses of Colonial Williamsburg varied widely, from simple expendable temporary wood structures to high-style brick.[48] Thomas Jefferson designed and had built two brick octagons at his vacation home.[48] Such outhouses are sometimes considered to be overbuilt, impractical and ostentatious, giving rise to the simile "built like a brick shithouse." That phrase's meaning and application is subject to some debate; but (depending upon the country) it has been applied to men, women, or inanimate objects.

"With regards to anal cleansing, old newspapers and mail order catalogs, such as those from Montgomery Ward or Sears Roebuck, were common before toilet paper was widely available. The Old Farmer's Almanac, manufactured with a hole drilled through it to allow easy hanging on a nail, was popular. Paper was often kept in a can or other container to protect it from mice, etc. The catalogs served a dual purpose, also giving one something to read."  (Wikipedia)

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