Knox County Almshouse
| Knox County Almshouse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1856 |
| Opened | 1866 |
| Closed | 1967 |
| Current Status | Demolished |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Architect(s) | W. W. Boyington |
| Location | Knoxville, IL |
| Architecture Style | Gothic |
| Alternate Names |
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History
In 1856 Cephas Arms, John S. Winter and Rufus S. Miles served on a committee of the County Board of Supervisors (now named the County Board). The men stated that conditions at the poor farm were inadequate. The building wasn’t large enough for the number of residents. One patient, Crazy Hannah, had to be locked in a small room to keep her away from the heating stove. She had been confined in that room for three years. In that same year land was purchased in Section 21, Knox County. A two-story building was erected with ample ventilation, many windows to allow light into the rooms and supplied with a number of bathrooms. In 1876 a second wing was added to the facility.
The 1881 Knox County report was quite favorable. The yearly cost of operating the facility was $8250. At that time there were 105 residents (28 were insane, but none were secluded or restrained). The inspector stated that the establishment was first class in every respect. The Knox County Board chose to continue with a nursing home to serve constituents. The Alms House was torn down just before the present day nursing home was built in 1966 at a cost of $2.8 million.
