Montgomery County Almshouse
| Montgomery County Almshouse | |
|---|---|
| Established | March 10th, 1806 |
| Construction Began | 1807 |
| Construction Ended | Fall 1807 |
| Opened | Fall 1807 |
| Current Status | Active |
| Alternate Names | * |
History
The question of establishing a county poor farm in Montgomery County was first considered at a public meeting, held at the residence of John Davis in Norristown on January 23, 1801. Despite this it was not until March 10th 1806 that the county first passed an act establishing the county poor farm and authorizing its construction. By the fall of 1807 the construction was completed and the farm was in operation. It was located in Upper Providence Township, two miles from Phoenixville. By 1885 the alsmhouse property extended 298 acres, of which 245 were under cultivation and four more under garden husbandry. In 1821 the originals almshouse building caught fire and burned down, but was rebuilt that same year. In 1867 a fire consumed many of the hospital's outbuildings, causing them to be rebuilt that summer. These buildings included the wagon-house, slaughter-house, sheep-stable, barn-yard wall, corn-crib and chicken-house.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Cemetery
Images of the Montgomery County Almshouse
Main Image Gallery: Montgomery County Almshouse
Additional Information
http://www.heritageconservancy.org/lasting-landscapes/113-pages/58-upper-providence-township-trappe-and-collegeville/274-montgomery-county-almshouse http://www.poorhousestory.com/PA_some_account_of_the_poor.htm
