Communal showers have been a central component in American society since their first usage at the start of the 20th century. Thanks to their economy, throughput, cost-effectiveness, and simplicity, they became a vital component for facilities where it was required to get large numbers of people clean.

However, their importance transcended this obvious utility. For many generations of Americans, communal showers formed an important cornerstone in their daily social life. Whether as part of school gym class, at the pool, during summer camp, at the factory, or in the military, communal showers were a regular feature of American life. The social bonding and personal understanding and growth that occurred within the context of these facilities was an important rite of passage for millions of Americans from 1900 up until the present day.

The Communal Shower Association is dedicated to furthering our understanding and appreciation of this widespread but little studied aspect of our material culture and history.

Recent trends have been away from this hallmark of the American Century as more and more facilities incorporate strict individual privacy. Without having been studied, what is being lost and sacrificed by this anti-social shift is not fully appreciated. The costs may be measured more in the harmful distortion of self-image, a loss in social cohesion, and a rise in alienation and insecurity among future generations than in higher construction and maintenance costs. It is the goal of this association to document the merits and value of communal showers to help stem this recent shift and to further promote and effect a resurgence in the use of communal showers.

Complete our sign-up page to stay in touch and volunteer to participate in the research study.