Ontario County Poor House
| Ontario County Poor House | |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1825 |
| Alternate Names | |
History[edit]
The Ontario Poor House operated for over a century. During the time, residents of the poor house were referred to as inmates. After the Ontario County government acquired the land in 1825, the 112-acre Poor House Farm was established. The house held the poor, mentally ill, and afflicted, often collecting them, leading to the phrase of "driven to the poor house."
This changed as by the end of the 19th century, all of the mentally ill had been moved to other facilities. Orphan children and those that suffered from epilepsy were also moved to other facilities.
In 1936, the farm and facility were operated by two nurses, two cooks, one orderly, one janitor, and two farm hands. With the help of "inmates" from the home and jail, they worked the fields and tended four horses, 21 cows, 5 heifers, 15 goats, three sows, 17 pigs, 200 hens and 270 pullets.
In 1969, the facilities were condemned by the state's Department of Public Health, and replaced by a new Health Related Facility that opened in 1976.
