Pittsburgh toilet  A Pittsburgh toilet, often called a "Pittsburgh potty", is a common fixture in pre-World War II houses built in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States and surrounding region. It consists of an ordinary flush toilet installed in the basement, with no surrounding walls. Most of these toilets are paired with a crude basement shower apparatus and large sink, which often doubles as a laundry basin. Also, because western Pennsylvania is a steep topographical zone, many basements have their own entryway, allowing homeowners to enter from their yard or garage, cleanse themselves in their basement, and then ascend their basement stairs refreshed. As Pittsburgh was historically an industrial town, toilets such as these were said to be used by steelworkers and miners: grimy from the day's labor, they could use an exterior door to enter the basement directly from outside and use the basement's shower and toilet before heading upstairs.