Winter 2007

Six months or so ago the Oysterville Water Company approached the Oysterville Restoration Foundation Board (in Oysterville, we have almost as many organizations as residents!) about putting a water monitoring station somewhere on Foundation property in town. It would require access to water and electricity and would be small and unobtrusive.

After considerable pondering, it was decided to place it behind the church. It would need to have some sort of protective cover around it – “a little box” – and, as we discussed the logistics, Bradley came up with a great idea: “While we’re at it, let’s build an ‘outhouse’ to enclose the Sanican!”

I was excited! An outhouse in Oysterville again after all these plumby years without one! No matter that it would be a “fake” and that the old-fashioned looking structure (Could we have a crescent moon on the door?) would house a practical, up-to-date porta potty! Just the look of such a structure seems way more in keeping with the Historic District than the current facility with its partial disguise of lattice-work.

Photo by Tucker

As with all such projects, the initial, pre-building stage has seemed interminable. There were measurements to take, plans to draw up, workers to hire and, of course, communication with Evergreen Septic and the County and who-knows-what-other-entities.  A concrete slab was poured (the wrong way to) and plans were adjusted. The monitoring system went in and the ensuing leak required some drainage engineering. Potential builders were involved in other projects and… time went by.

Yesterday the construction began! The two workmen were well-bundled against the cold wind and, with their hoodies up, looked like a couple of busy hobbits from my warm vantage point at the dining room window. Late in the day I did my own bundling and went over to inspect progress. Wow! The framework has taken shape already! Perhaps we’ll have a new structure in Oysterville by the weekend!