DeKalb County Asylum
| Dekalb County Asylum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Opened | 1908 |
| Closed | 2025 |
| Current Status | Closed |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Architect(s) | Griffith and Fair |
| Location | Keyser Twp., IN |
| Architecture Style | Late Victorian |
| Alternate Names |
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History
In the late 1850s, Dekalb had a program, similar to many other towns in the United States at the time, where citizens would host poor or unwell folk in their homes and be paid by the township for doing so, referred to as “Poor Laws.” The commissioner’s reports show that some were paid up to $23 for boarding a person, which is roughly $800 to $900 in today’s money. It wasn’t until 1908 that the county farm, otherwise known as Sunny Meadows today, was built for $27,000, almost a million dollars in today’s money. Built with a divider for men’s and women’s sections, around 60 rooms, including some for workers of the building to live in.
Back in the 1910s, it was referred to as the county infirmary. Local newspapers covered new residents living there, like a mother and daughter who moved to the residence after the mother became sick and unable to care for herself or her daughter.
DeKalb County Commissioners adopted the recommendation of a committee that was formed to look at the future of Sunny Meadows. The committee recommended transitioning residents out of the facility in 2025. Issues considered by the committee were: tenant living conditions; the state of the facility; inability to retain proper staff; difficulty procuring insurance; an inefficient operational mode; and cost overages, the letter stated.
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