Older Detroit houses without sink in bathroom question...

[carlscomputers]

By the way, carlscomputers, I apologize for babbling on in a way that didn't address the basic question that you asked.

No problem Ron! That's why this is a "discussion board" I'm always fascinated & pleasently surprised when a thread I start generates such a varied & diverse group of responses! Thanks All!

[Bigb23]

Back in the Eighties, my girlfreind had inlaws in St. Clair county that still had a pump sink in the kitchen and a outhouse in the back. She had an eight year old. Boy, that kid hated staying there during the winter.

[szla]

My mother was born in 1919 and spent the first 10 or 12 years in a house at 5634 Daniels. This is SW Detroit [[McGraw and Martin). There was no bathroom to not have a sink in. There was an outhouse and yes this was the city of Detroit at the time. For sure the last couple of years.

[BillyBBrew]

SW Detroit, 1910 working class 2 story house, no running water originally, bedroom converted to bathroom upstairs, still had plumbing for gas lights in each room upstairs.

by contrast.

West Village, 3 story terrace. 2 bathrooms [[2nd/3rd floor) fully wired 1916

West Village, 2 1/2 story upper middle class home, [[3500 sq ft) Full bathroom [[all subway tile walls and ceiling, bath and shower 2nd floor, full bath [[tub only) 3rd floor, 1/2 bath first floor under stair landing, and toilet in basement. 1912

[English]

I would say that less than 40% of men using public bathrooms actually wash their hands, and less than 25% wash their hands for more than 2 seconds. So, sure, probably don't need a sink in the bathroom.

*jaw drop* OK, I get #1 for the guys... kinda... but #2? Are you serious?

Okay... in most ladies' bathrooms, you couldn't get away with that unless you're going in there by yourself or you'll never go to the establishment again. You will get judged, and if it's the workplace, talked about. Some women don't care, but most of us just wash our hands out of sheer habit. I am sure that is a very new custom, because what did people do before there were sinks in bathrooms?

In fact, hand washing among women has evolved so much since the turn of the century until many of us wash our hands, dry them, and then get another paper towel to grab open the door handle. [[This is something new -- I don't remember that happening as much in the 80s or early 90s.) Most establishments will have a receptacle near the door for the second towel.

Of course, all that handwashing is going to waste the very next time we touch a surface...

[upinnair]

What's a water closet? Thanks.

[Jimaz]

What's a water closet? Thanks.

That's what they call a bathroom in England—often abbreviated as "WC."

[stasu1213]

I was raised in a house in the Gratiot Van Dyke area. The house was built in 1910 and came originally with a tub, toilet, and sink in the bathroom or baddesimmer