South Dakota has some really cool museums. There’s the Air and Space Museum, the National Music Museum and the Children’s Museum of South Dakota, just to name a few. But here’s a little outdoor museum that you might not have heard of…and it’s definitely quirky.

The South Dakota Outhouse Museum is the work of Richard Papousek, who started collecting interesting outhouses about 15 years ago.
South Dakota Outhouse Museum/Facebook
The outhouses were originally located near his antique shop in Gregory, but the little outdoor museum has since moved to a back alley off of Main Street in Colome. Every outhouse in the collection has a unique story, though Papousek admits that some might be a bit embellished. After all, an outhouse museum can't take itself too seriously!
This little gem once stood behind Zimmerman Hardware in Colome. Its owner apparently installed wheels on it so that it would be easier to move from one site to another, and it became a popular Halloween prank to put it in the middle of the road.
South Dakota Outhouse Museum/Facebook
The "Porthole Potty" features two round windows. Mabel Reed's grandparents came to America on a ship, and she built this as a memorial to them. Because nothing honors your grandparents like an outhouse...
South Dakota Outhouse Museum/Facebook

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You might not think that outhouses are the place for sweethearts, but the Pete Ranch Shootout Outhouse has a romantic tale. A young couple hid out here during a shootout and emerged in love, riding off in the sunset to live happily ever after.
South Dakota Outhouse Museum/Facebook
I suppose it could be said that politics is a "crappy" business...
South Dakota Outhouse Museum/Facebook
The Rustler's Refuge has a tale of intrigue. Supposedly, Jack Sully, a cattle rustler, hid out here to evade law enforcement.
South Dakota Outhouse Museum/Facebook
These are just a few of the fascinating and quirky outhouses you'll find when you visit this little spot in Colome. Stop by during daylight hours, and don't forget your camera - this museum is well worth documenting, as long as you have a strong sense of humor. It's offered free to the public.

Have you visited the South Dakota Outhouse Museum?

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