Danville and Mahoning Poor-House

Danville and Mahoning Poor-House
Established	May 4, 1854
Demolished	Yes
Current Status	Closed
Location	Mahining, PA
Alternate Names

History

The Danville and Mahoning Poor House was built to care for the poor of Danville Borough and Mahoning Township, being one of the two almshouses which operated in Montour County, the other being the Valley Township Poorhouse. The facility was established by the Act of May 4, 1854 and situated approximately two miles north of Danville in a rural area. The hospital sat on 116 acres of land, of which 111 were cultivated and one was utilized for garden husbandry. All of this was done for the benefit of the institution.

The original construction consisted of two wood frame buildings, with the main building measuring 30 by 40 feet, with a wing of 25 by 16 feet, and standing two stories tall with an attic. This building with nine rooms on the ground floor and ten on the second, accommodated both the steward and the female paupers. The second building, being built for males, was also two stories high and measured 20 by 40 feet. At the time of an 1885 report by the Pennsylvania Board of Public Charities more structures had been added. In 1873 a large barn and carriage shed had been erected which were noted to provide ample space for livestock. A third two story building was also on the premise and used to relieve overcrowding though was not yet finished.

According to the previously mentioned 1885 it was noted that there were 35 paupers, with all the insane being sent to the nearby Danville State Hospital. The report indicated the facilities, aside from the barn, were reported to be inadequate and the construction of a modern, brick, county almshouse was recommended. The county system was not adopted, however a 1902 report shows that the old wooden frame buildings had been replaced by two modern brick buildings.

Recent history is fuzzy, though it is extremely likely this institution closed by the 1970s.

Cemetery

According to the Montour County Genealogical Society the former poor house farm currently is located in Danville, PA on Route 11 across from Woodbine Lane. The land is now called Memorial Park containing no marked graves. A memorial marker exists on site.

References

http://accesspadr.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/slppadocs&CISOPTR=4150&REC=3]