Observant Laramie residents, perhaps with varying levels of emotion, are noticing that one of the city’s most outstanding landmarks is gone.
Drivers looked for it on their way to and from work every day, and visitors to the Gem City sometimes would stop for a quick photo and social media post promoting it.
It stood majestically for more than two years prominently in the public right of way near the alley on the south side of Russell Street between 7th and 8th streets. After the University of Wyoming, it was arguably Laramie’s No. 2 attraction.
Not anymore.
The Russell Street toilet has been retired.
End Of An Era
The discarded toilet and tank — in two pieces — had been sitting on the side of one of Laramie’s busiest east-west corridors for more than two years, but just when it first showed up isn’t known for sure, said Brian Forster, the city’s code enforcement officer.
While during the summers someone would plant flowers in the bowl and tank, and a nearby homeowner reportedly suggested it could be some sort of public art installation, in the end it was just an old, discarded commode, he said.
“That’s all fine for public art and all, but there’s no landscaping around it or nothing like that to set it off as art,” Forster told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday. “So, I took care of it today.”
Why Was It There For So Long?
Forster said he had noticed the toilet beside Russell Street many times and would make mental notes about it. But frankly, it always would drop on the priority list of code enforcement issues to take care of.
When Cowboy State Daily called to ask about why an old, abandoned toilet would be allowed to languish for so long in such a conspicuous place, Forster said that was the nudge needed to get flush with the situation.
“I said to myself, ‘I got to get rid of it,’” he said, adding that, “I appreciate the push to get rid of it.”
All In A Day’s Work
Taking care of an old toilet is old hat for a code enforcement officer, Forster said.
And while it’s entertaining to poke fun at Laramie finally throwing out the throne, Forster and the city deal with a lot of unusual issues.
“People have a weird expectation of what my job is,” he said. “One guy was upset because his neighbor’s tree hangs over his fence and dropped pine cones in his yard. He was furious.”
The man demanded Forster ticket and prosecute the neighbor for the intrusion.
Another time a woman called to complain that someone disposed of dog feces in her garbage container while walking a pet through her alley.
She demanded a full-on investigation, complete with surveillance cameras to catch the dog doo derelict in the act.
As for the toilet, it wasn’t a borderline call to remove it, Forster said.
For many in Laramie, losing the landmark will take some getting used to. For others, it’s sure to be a most satisfying bowl movement.
Greg Johnson can be reached at: Greg@CowboyStateDaily.com
