A few miles east of Clay Center sits the best outhouse in Kansas, at least that’s what its owners think. Hundreds of visitors have also been biased, enjoying the novelty of a still-functioning outhouse. Neat and clean, the outhouse is just seven years old.
It was built in 2017 when its owners, Dallas and Linda Cunningham, had it commissioned. Both grew up on rural Clay County farms where the “facilities” consisted of an outhouse.
“We just wanted an outhouse,” Linda said. Saying it was built all in good fun. Located near their cabin, Ponderosa, named for its proximity to their pond. Linda said it’s used during family functions or when there are people out visiting.
“We’re not vacation people, we come out here to relax,” adding that their families and friends often join them at the cabin.
When planning the outhouse, they visited a friend’s model to check out various features. Then talked with their contractor and booked the job, choosing cedar for its pleasant scent. While Dallas dug the hole underneath the future outhouse himself.
“Actually it is like an extra bathroom, only you don’t have to clean it as often,” she laughed. “It’s not too far from the cabin and it’s just handy.”
Inside the outhouse is lime powder, sprinkled after use to help with smell and to dry up the ground below. This is done in lieu of flushing, Linda said.
In addition, a coffee can holds a roll of toilet paper, keeping it dry and free from bugs. This is reminiscent of Linda’s childhood days, when she attending the Hays Church north of town. The same church the pair was married in had a pair of outhouses, she said, one for women and another for men. (Today, the building is located at Vintage Gardens on Franklin St. in Clay Center.)
There, the toilet paper was kept in a can, just like the Cunninghams do today.
“It doesn’t get wet that way and it keeps out the biters and critters,” she said.
Rounding out the outhouse’s interior is a phone that’s attached to the wall. It’s the same phone that was located in the couple’s dairy farm years ago, Milk Unlimited Dairy Farm.
“It’s not hooked up to a phoneline, but it’s been a fun thing to pretend you’re making a phone call while you’re in the outhouse.”
There’s also a second “roll” of paper that features silly sayings and toilet humor, as well as instructions on how to use the lime.
Outside of the building sits a homemade eco-friendly washing station that features “solar-heated water” in a jug that’s dispersed by gravity, along with instructions of how to dry one’s hands: via swinging arms. However, the jug is put away for the winter once the temperature hits 40 degrees.
Linda dubbed it, “The Best Little Outhouse in Kansas,” a name that’s painted on a mailbox next to the small building. The name came from hearing other things that were the best in their state, she said.
“There are a lot of states that have the best somethings, so that’s why we chose the name.”
In addition, there is one rule for anyone who visits: they have to have their picture taken in front of the outhouse. In seven years, the Cunninghams have more than 300 snapshots of her visitors posing and having a good time. While many are repeats, in total, 177 people, three yard art flamingos, two dogs, one Flat Luke, and a box of Tasty Pastry donuts have posed in front of The Best Little Outhouse in Kansas. Taken with a point-and-shoot camera, family, friends, neighbors, classmates, reunion members, maintenance guys, and more have all been featured. Plus in-laws and a few outlaws, Linda said.
The idea came from an old picture of her Dad, who passed away in 1994, which featured him – fully clothed – sitting on the toilet.
“He was kind of ornery. I don’t know who took the picture, but it inspired me to start taking my own.”
She’s now onto a third photo album and has taken to sharing pictures on peoples’ birthdays.
“I take the picture and put little clip art things to decorate it and then post to Facebook for their birthday,” she said. “It’s been a fun thing. I may or may not have kidnapped individuals and brought them to the outhouse for their pre-birthday photo.” Though she added that no one was injured.
The entire family gets in on the fun, too. Their grandkids were there as much of the outhouse was built and posed as janitors. Linda said their grown daughters like to host events with their friends at the cabin, bringing even more into outhouse pictures.
“A group photo of them in the outhouse is required,” she said. In total, all seasons have been captured and they’ve fit 10 people inside the outhouse at one time. All for a picture opp, of course.
“It has been a really fun way to spread some cheer.”
