Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1410461
21 I PSAI Association Insight, September 15, 2021 Pictoral History of Wooden Portable Restroom Units By Jeff Wigley, Past President Wooden units and truck engine-powered vacuum pumps were the tools upon which our industry began. Keep in mind, when you needed more units, you went to the local hardware store and pur- chased the raw materials; there was no manufacturer to ring up. When units were returned to the yard and needed to look fresh for the next delivery, you went to the paint store, returned, and applied a fresh coat of paint to the outside of the unit. With much of the history of these first units covered in a dedicated section of this publication, here is a pictori- al examination of these homemade, self-designed, and incredible pioneering portable restrooms. While technically "wooden" and "por- table," these units with chamber pots inside illustrate that the need for mobility of portable restrooms existed prior to the founding of our industry in the 1940s. This is an ad for the MC Nottingham Company in California, circa late 1940s to early 1950s. Early wood units featured steps up into the unit to protect the floors from water. Later, skids replaced the steps for easier access, loading, and delivery. Notice a vent stack coming out and upward from the metal 55-gallon waste collection tank inside. Further ventilation was created by having square sheets of plywood on the sides and a slanted roof, this created open space on both sides. In addition to providing some air flow, these two open areas were also the only places where light could get in to illuminate the interior of the unit. Bill Reynolds, Sr. designed this wood unit for his company, Johnny On the Spot. As it sits on a job site with a vintage concrete truck in the background, the unit illustrates the best ideas of the time: a lower front step to enter the units as well as advertising painted on the door. This innovation also allowed the customer to contact the company from the closest land line (often found in a phone booth in those days). (continued on page 22) Outhouses on Wheels Nottingham "Portable Chemical Toilets for Rent" Johnny On the Spot with Innovations