Have you ever used an actual, old-fashioned, genuine in-service outhouse?

No Sears catalog, real TP, sorry. (Well, not sorry) Lots of times, in nicer campgrounds, they have fancy outhouses. But I once rented a cabin that had an outhouse and a pump and lanterns and candles for a few weeks. It was winter and I was in my early 20s and felt very tough and mountain-y.

Sure. Camping and cabin camping. One time in the winter in western New York. The outhouse was up a snowy hill and there was no electricity. I was also in my 20s fo that one.

In terms of toilet paper there always was some. But in a cheap, cheap hotel in Paris across from Notre Dame, I stayed in an attic room. The toilet was two floors down and there was torn up newspaper provided for wiping.

No, but many decades ago, my aunt’s house had what we colloquially called a “Plumpsklo”.
Meaning a toilet that just had a straight pipe down into a shit pit. Flushing consisted of pouring a bucket of water down the pipe after you were done.

Yepper. Standard two-holers they was. Tp or corn cobs was the standard wipe with white lime for a dusting.
One relative had one that sat out over a slough and in the spring the flood waters would carry away the refuse. No need to ever up and move the outhouse to a new hole.

Yes. A door, a hole for light, and a hole in a wood plank/box and toilet paper if you’re lucky, generally.

Yes. Back in the remote and distant past and some rural episodes of my youth. Branding the crappers, however, is beyond my recollection, though toilet paper was never absent.

Yes, when I visited my grandpa’s farm before he added a bathroom. Torn up newspapers were provided.

Yep. The only indoor plumbing my grandparents had was a kitchen sink. The outhouse was out back. Had to take a chamber pot to bed as well. They did have TP so I didn’t have to use the catalogue or a corn cob (thank goodness). But for the life of me, I will never understand why Grandpa put his bee hives near the outhouse.

Yes at a family reunion. There was only one actual bathroom in the old house so they put the outhouse back in rotation. It kinda freaked me out but had tp.

Another cousin bought a porta potty instead for his parties. Out in the country the snakes are my concern, otherwise you can power wash them and move them so they arent dirty.

I have, yes. It was at a Christmas tree farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I was about 14 and I had to go to the bathroom while we were there and the only bathroom was an actual wooden outhouse, so I used it. :P

I think a description of the corncob, as used in the privy, is in order.

Corn was harvested and dried on the cob. When dry, the corn was removed leaving a almost hair like texture on the cob that was very soft and gentle. The result was like wiping your bum with a kitten, except it was much easier to hold, and much more practical. And you didn’t need a whole cob, only ½ of one. They could be kept in the outhouse in a gunny sack.

Wow, @kritiper, I didn’t expect a beautiful answer on this thread but that is one. Especially the kitten part, even though it made me shiver.

I have a couple of times, visiting with my dad to a friend of his cabin. I will say I don’t like outhouses. But when you gotta go, you gotta go.

Yes while camping. I spent way too long hoping that the spiders don’t come down, while I am going #2.

I used one in camp, when I was about 12 and also when visiting relatives at their summer camp on a lake in Maine. I just remember it being gross but like @nightwolf5 said, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

I can’t imagine living someplace like Alaska and having to deal with the elements and then walking out to the outhouse. I know they have what’s called a “honeypot” which is like a handicap toilet in the house with a bag in it, and then you bag up the waste and throw it out. Still gross but I guess easier than dealing with going out in subzero temperatures in the middle of the night and getting attacked by a bear.