The room still retains the original tub, sink, and light fixture. The present toilet dates to the 1930s.
At the turn of the century, bathrooms were still a relatively new household concept. Outhouses still ruled the day, especially in rural areas. In towns and cities, indoor plumbing required access to city water and sewer, and often those on the outskirts of town had to wait. As the popularity of (and possibility for) indoor bathrooms spread, home owners usually began by converting one closet to a bathroom.
The 1903 Van Orden home was designed with 4 bathrooms, a sign of their wealth and modernity. There was this full bathroom, plus a half bath on the first floor (still in use today), a full master bathroom, and a separate bath in the basement for the live-in maid. Each bathroom (except the maid’s) had marble vanities and tasteful light fixtures. In 1903, few people invested in indoor plumbing of this scale. This decision by the Van Orden’s indicated both their wealth and their aspirations to build a modern home
