Do you know why lilac bushes are placed where they are?

Lilacs bushes always used to be planted whenever they moved the outhouse, back in the day. I assume because over the winter, all the nasty stuff stayed relatively neutral smell-wise, and in the late spring and summer, the contents started to come alive a bit. But then the lovely lilacs would bloom around the same to cover it up.

Read More: What's Up With Those Little Shacks at the End of Maine Driveways?

That's why you often see lilac bushes all planted in a row on older properties, because they would keep the outhouse and the flowers all moving down the line. You could just think of it as a primitive form of Glade spray. These days of course, you don't see outhouses very often, if at all.

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Can you dig a new outhouse in Maine?

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Despite being all the rage 100+ years ago, there are still times when an outhouse can be practical. So yes, here in Maine, you can still dig an outhouse on your property. But... there are very specific rules that go along with it. You're going to have to jump through as many municipal/administrative hoops as you would for a normal bathroom, according to the BDN.

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You'll have to get permits, tests, design specs, and a number of other things if you really want an outhouse. There may have been a time when you could just drop a stall over a hole in the ground, and then drop a deuce. But not these days. You'll need to consult a number of resources.

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Why would anyone want an outhouse these days?

Surprisingly, there are a number of great reasons. Obviously, if you live in a house with regular indoor plumbing, you don't really have a need for one on your property. But Maine is a state of people who often own remote wood lots, or camps, or other areas where you may need to do some business, but a port-a-potty might not be ideal.

Read More: Maine Lobster Roll Ranked One of the Best Sandwiches in the World 

While it's nice to do a lot of things off-grid, going to the bathroom isn't always one of them. You may not always want to hang your hiney over a log. If it's a spot you'll be using a lot, an outhouse may be the perfect thing. Besides, you can always just plant some lilacs around it, right?

Scroll through these concert listings while you're in the outhouse...

2024 Bangor, Maine Waterfront Summer Concert Lineup

Here are the performers who will be coming to the Maine Savings Amphitheater on the Bangor Waterfront in the summer of 2024.

Gallery Credit: Jordan Verge

Try These 50 Maine Restaurants with the Best Outdoor Seating

Thanks to our great listeners we were able to compile a list of many of Maine's restaurants with the best outdoor dining.

These great spots can be found across the state and waiting for you to give them a try.

How many have you been to? How many would you like to try for the first time?

Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka

Maine's 10 Busiest Airports

Maine's aviation connection is mostly considered two entities, the Portland Jetport and the Bangor International Airport.

These two facilities unquestionably handle the bulk of the commercial aviation in state. However, there are a number of smaller airports that also help ship people out of Maine.

Here is a look at the 10 busiest airports in Maine.

The information used comes from 2019 FAA statistics. This means these ridership numbers are from before the pandemic.

Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka

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