Necessary

At Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest, only members of the gentry used the Necessary, commonly known as an outhouse or privy, and likely only in good weather. Chamber pots were used inside the house in evenings and in cold or inclement weather. Slaves removed, emptied, and cleaned the chamber pots daily. Research indicates that a second Necessary may have existed north of the Meat House, completing the symmetrical arrangement of buildings located along the ridge of the hill.

Woodlawn, Virginia · United States