-Dana Deaton and Jenny Kulikowski, Preservation Raleigh
Why a Toilet Tour? Preservation Raleigh has enjoyed planning our fall fundraiser event and learning about the history of water, bathrooms, and plumbing in our city. What started as a funny sidebar discussion during a board meeting has turned into a serious idea for a tour. This event, our Toilet Tour, is more than a simple peek into historic restrooms; it is an education about the evolution of Raleigh’s water systems and how it influenced everyday life.
Learn more details here about the evolution of water and sanitation in our city.
The Great Sanitary Awakening in Raleigh
The story of modern indoor plumbing is the story of public health, and Raleigh’s own history with municipal water is fascinating—and a little rocky!
Before the late 19th century, most homes, even within city limits, relied on private wells and natural springs. This reliance on individual sources, along with the necessary use of outdoor privies, created enormous public health risks as Raleigh’s population grew. The lack of a dependable water supply was also a constant concern for fire safety.
In 1802, four public wells were dug, but that effort proved insufficient. The city’s first attempt at a municipal water system was completed in September 1818, but was a complete failure. A water wheel and “propelling engine” at Rocky Branch Creek forced water through 1.5 miles of wooden pipes to a 110-foot-high water tower near the south side of the Statehouse. It was hoped that from there, gravity would feed a reservoir in Union Square, which would then supply water to other parts of the city. Unfortunately, the system was inefficient, expensive, and the wooden pipes quickly burst or clogged with mud. Within a couple of years, the city was forced to abandon the entire scheme, returning to wells and communal pumps.
The First Flushes
The true luxury of indoor plumbing—the modern water closet and bathtub—didn’t arrive until the late 1850s.
Daniel O’Donnell, a plumber and gas fitter from Richmond, is credited with installing some of the earliest indoor plumbing in the city. His 1858 advertisement in the Raleigh Standard proudly listed the new amenities available: Stationary Wash Stands with Marble Tops, Bath Tubs, Shower Baths, and, most importantly for our tour, the Water Closet.
These early, expensive systems were a true status symbol. Homes like the William B. Boylan house, Montfort Hall (now the Heights House Hotel), and the Rufus Sylvester Tucker house were among the first to ditch the privy and welcome water piped directly into their new indoor bathrooms, often installed by O’Donnell himself in the late 1850s.
Despite these advancements, widespread municipal water access was still developing. This meant that while some enjoyed indoor luxury, many properties still relied on outdoor solutions and secondary structures for non-flushing and, later, even flushing toilets. The Vogel anti-frost toilet, like the antique beauty with its high tank and wooden seat that still stands outside the Mordecai House, appeared later (around 1910) and represented the peak of specialized, all-weather plumbing technology for outbuildings, long after Montfort Hall had its initial indoor plumbing installed. Even a century later, these Raleigh lavatories were far more lavish than the ordinary relief-seeker would have used, making them true windows into Victorian-era luxury.
The System Sticks (and Expands)
It wasn’t until the mid-1880s, when Raleigh’s population neared 10,000, that a functional, city-wide system was established, finally providing dependable water and sewerage infrastructure. The Chamber of Commerce strongly supported bond elections to push for modern sewerage and street improvements.
From the H. H. Brimley Collection, State Archives of NC., courtesy Olde Raleigh)
In 1886, Raleigh built a proper steam-powered water treatment plant, drawing water from Walnut Creek. The treated water was sent to a reservoir and then to a 100,000-gallon water tower downtown—a piece of infrastructure that still stands today and is featured on our tour! By 1910, the city boasted 55 miles of water mains running beneath the streets. (And yes, in the winters of the 1890s, the municipal water works pond was even used for ice skating!)
The Infrastructure Boom
By the late 1930s, with Raleigh’s population quickly growing past 50,000 residents, the 1886 plant could no longer keep up with demand. Using federal funds from New Deal programs and city bonds, Raleigh constructed the much larger E.B. Bain Water Plant. This new plant significantly boosted the city’s capacity, serving as the backbone of Raleigh’s water supply for decades and helping to solidify indoor plumbing as a standard necessity, not just a luxury.
Throughout the mid-20th century, the city continued to expand its water sources, building major reservoirs like Lake Raleigh and Lake Johnson, and later drawing from the Swift Creek and Neuse River watersheds to meet the demands of explosive growth.
From Lake to Faucet: Raleigh Today
Today, Raleigh Water, which serves over 650,000 residents, operates a highly advanced system rooted in the lessons of the past.
The city draws the majority of its drinking water from the Falls Lake Reservoir, with a secondary source being Lake Benson in Garner. This raw water is treated at two major facilities: the E.M. Johnson Water Treatment Plant (Falls Lake) and the Dempsey E. Benton Water Treatment Plant (Lake Benson). These modern plants use advanced processes like ozone and UV disinfection to ensure the water is consistently clean and safe.
Completing the cycle, the used water is sent to three Resource Recovery Facilities (wastewater treatment plants)—the largest being the Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility —which clean the water and safely return it to the Neuse River watershed, demonstrating the city’s commitment to modern public health and environmental protection.
The Toilet Tour celebrates these critical advancements, offering an educational opportunity to explore these unique spaces and to better understand Raleigh’s water story. We hope this background enhances your tour experience!
Follow up with more info in our resource links:
- “A History of Raleigh’s Water” via The Raleigh Commons: https://theraleighcommons.org/raleighpublicrecord/opinion/2015/01/05/a-history-of-raleighs-water/
- Murray, Elizabeth Reid, Wake, Capital County of North Carolina: Volume I, Prehistory Through Centennial. Capital County Pub. Co, 1983.
- Johnson, Todd and Elizabeth Reid Murray, Wake, Capital County of North Carolina: Volume II, Reconstruction to 1920. Wake County, North Carolina, 2008.
- N&O Article, 11/10/25: “Tour of historic Raleigh toilets offers a glimpse into privies of the past” https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article312810626.html#storylink=cpy
- https://preservationraleigh.org/2024/05/21/bain-water-treatment-plant/
- “Raleigh Water: Treatment Plants and Sources” via RaleighNC.gov: https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/water-wastewater-treatment-plants
- Current project at the Neuse River Resource Recovery Center: https://raleighnc.gov/projects/bioenergy-recovery-project