Vanderburgh County Poor Farm
| Vanderburgh County Poor Farm | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1838 |
| Opened | 1882 |
| Demolished | 1974 |
| Current Status | Demolished |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Location | Evansville, IN |
| Alternate Names |
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History[edit]
Established in Vanderburgh County in 1838, the Asylum for the Poor was an attempt to care for the indigent of the county. At the time the state was founded, Indiana law allowed for the poor and paupers in the parlance of the time to be auctioned for hire. They were sold for the cost of room and board and forced to work for their buyer in the form of indentured servitude. The Asylum featured a poor farm but closed shortly after it was opened and in 1882, after a second farm failed, the county purchased 161-acres of land in Center Township for the construction of a larger Vanderburgh County Poorhouse.
Located between Evansville and McCutchanville, near what is now known as the corner of Senate Ave. and Weaver Rd., the facility was renamed the County Home shortly after it was opened. Able-bodied residents were expected to work on the farm to help cover the county’s cost for their care. Residential numbers within the home varied but peaked to 210 people in 1941. Over time, the population of the County Home aged and shrank and in 1971 the home changed its name yet again to Pleasant View Rest Home.
The original building was demolished three years later in 1974, and the county officially closed Pleasant View Rest Home in 1976. The dormitory building was later converted into apartments and much of the farmland was then leased to form Hamilton Golf Course, now known as Thunderbolt Pass.
Images of Vanderburgh County Poor Farm[edit]
Main Image Gallery: Vanderburgh County Poor Farm
