George Washington Sat Here - Fort Johnson - New York
Posted by: 
swizzle
N 42° 57.441 W 074° 14.413
18T E 561971 N 4756358
A classic two-holer on NRHP property.
Waymark Code: WM79G0
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 09/23/2009
Views: 47
This is a real find as far as outhouses goes. This one is located on the back, right hand corner of Sir William Johnson's Fort in Fort Johnson. The fort is on the National Register of Historical Places and has also been know to receive visits by General George Washington himself.
Do you suppose that General Washington and Sir William Johnson may have held a meeting or two here? Were these the first 2 seats of Government in the area? Really makes one wonder about the goings on of a 250 year old privy. For more information about this privy click on the link below.
George Washington Sat Here!!
To find the privy take Route 5 out of Amsterdam and into Fort Johnson. If they are open you can park in front of the building but the best parking is on Route 67 just off of Route 5 and across the road from the firehouse. Happy Waymarking, Swizzle & Family.
1749 - 1770
The 18th century privy at Fort Johnson is one of only a handful of similar buildings still remaining in the United States! It is a very high style structure with a roof that was popular for garden structures, outbuildings, and "necessaries" in the 18th c. called an "ogee" and interior paneling that matches paneling inside the Fort. Construction is believed to be around 1749. A 1770 renovation was undertaken by John Johnson to welcome his new bride, Polly Watts of New York City, and this is still how the privy appears today.
Archeology at Fort Johnson began on May 8th, 2004 by students from Schenectady Co. Community College. The project goal was to excavate the area where the 1749 Privy will be relocated to. A field stone foundation was placed and the privy moved on top. Many 18th and 19th century artifacts were uncovered. Among them were earthenwares, clay pipes, forged iron nails and glass.
