Pittsburgh toilet

Short description: Toilet common in older American houses

A Pittsburgh toilet

A Pittsburgh toilet, or Pittsburgh potty, is a basement toilet found in some single-family houses in Pittsburgh and other parts of the United States. It consists of an ordinary flush toilet with no surrounding walls.[1] This toilet is often next to other bathroom and laundry room plumbing fixtures, such as a crude shower, a large sink, and a washing machine.

## Contents

* 1 Origin
* 2 Distribution
* 3 References
* 4 External links

## Origin

File:A Pittsburgh-style toilet in Cleveland, OH, now being used for extra storage.jpgA Pittsburgh-style toilet in the basement of a home in Cleveland, Ohio

The most popular explanation for the Pittsburgh toilet is related to Pittsburgh's status as a major industrial city in the 20th century. According to this explanation, toilets such as these were said to be used by steelworkers and miners who, grimy from the day's labor, could use an exterior door to enter the basement directly from outside and use the basement's shower and toilet before heading upstairs.[2][3][4]

Alternatively, they may have served to prevent sewage backups from flooding the living areas of homes. As sewage backups tend to flood the lowest fixture in a residence, a Pittsburgh toilet would be the fixture to overflow, containing the sewage leak in the basement.[5][6]

In older houses, these toilets may have been the first indoor toilet installed in the house, as a relatively inexpensive installation option that also had less risk of damaging the house if they flooded.[7]

## Distribution

In Pittsburgh, these basement toilets are most commonly found in houses built between about 1880 and 1910, along with some built in the 1920s and 1930s.[1] This toilet arrangement is also found in older houses in cities around the country, such as in the midwest, including Cleveland and Milwaukee,[7][8] parts of the northeast including New Jersey and New York, and in Oregon.[6][9]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kovash, Sarah (September 1, 2017). "Documenting the Pittsburgh Potty: an architectural mystery in our basements" (in en). https://www.wesa.fm/arts-sports-culture/2017-09-01/documenting-the-pittsburgh-potty-an-architectural-mystery-in-our-basements.
2. ↑ Kirkland, Kevin (May 22, 2004). "Homes & real estate: For house hunters, old and new homes each have their advantages". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. https://www.post-gazette.com/life/explore-pittsburgh/2004/05/22/Homes-real-estate-For-house-hunters-old-and-new-homes-each-have-their-advantages/stories/200405220183. Retrieved June 18, 2022. "transplants [to Pittsburgh] to the area might be pleasantly surprised by a few aspects of Pittsburgh housing stock. No, we're not talking about the Pittsburgh toilet, the ubiquitous basement fixture that harkens back to the heyday of the steel mills and coal mines. Not usually a big selling point, it nevertheless provides a good starting point for a basement powder room."
3. ↑ Billingsly, Sarah (September 24, 2003). "Eclectic Pittsburgh Architecture reflects Industrial Influence". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: p. EG-6. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lIlIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hnADAAAAIBAJ&pg=4197,3781396. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
4. ↑ "'You Wanted To Know': Pittsburgh Potty Origins". pittsburgh.cbslocal.com (KDKA-TV). September 17, 2012. https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/you-wanted-to-know-pittsburgh-potty-origins/. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
5. ↑ Murray, Rheana (October 26, 2017). "What the heck is a 'Pittsburgh potty' and why is it in the basement?" (in en). https://www.today.com/home/what-heck-pittsburgh-potty-why-it-your-basement-t117879.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kovash, Sarah (October 11, 2017). "Architect Offers Explanation For Pittsburgh's Basement Toilets (And It's Not What You Think)" (in en). https://www.wesa.fm/local-headlines/2017-10-11/architect-offers-explanation-for-pittsburghs-basement-toilets-and-its-not-what-you-think.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Tanzilo, Bobby (March 4, 2022). "Urban spelunking: Flushing out the real reason for that lone toilet in the basement". https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/basement-toilets.
8. ↑ Davis, John (August 28, 2025). "Is the Midwestern basement toilet a thing?" (in en-US). https://www.wpr.org/culture/is-the-midwestern-basement-toilet-a-thing.
9. ↑ Potter, Chris (January 17, 2008). "I grew up in Pittsburgh, and noticed something when I was home for Christmas: What is up with the toilets in everyone's basements? I have never seen this in any other city!" (in en-US). https://www.pghcitypaper.com/columns/i-grew-up-in-pittsburgh-and-noticed-something-when-i-was-home-for-christmas-what-is-up-with-the-toilets-in-everyones-basements-i-have-neve-1339610/.

## External links

* Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article mentions Pittsburgh toilet
* Pittsburgh Magazine article on the "Pittsburgh Potty"

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