Pershing/Prairie Gem Schoolhouse - Elk Falls, KS
Posted by: YoSam.
N 37° 22.415 W 096° 11.678
14S E 748410 N 4140009
The Prairie - Gem School is a museum now and houses the outhouse collections ~ An outrageously “moving” experience!
Waymark Code: WMNGBA
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 03/11/2015
Views: 3
County of school: Elk County
location of school: 10th St. & Montgomery St., Elk Falls
Plaque erected by: friends of Elk Falls
Marker erected: 2002
"An ongoing project of the Friends of Elk Falls, it functions as a local history museum. Open during the Fall Open House weekend (Friday and Saturday before Thanksgiving)." ~ Rural Kansas Tourism
The lifetime collection of Maryland's outhouse expert, Homer Allison. Donated to the Friends of Elk Falls in 2009, currently housed in the Pershing/Prairie Gem Schoolhouse.
One of 14 working outhouse in town. The city built two for the city park, the telephone company has one and the post office has one, etc...when the town shrank so fast no "flush" type reilef was built because the money flow was slow and the other flow would grow.
This was turned into an annual fun fest called The Great Outhouse Tour & Contest and sometimes draws over 1,00 people to vote and visit.