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This 1870 brick Italianate is one of only a few surviving buildings in
Illinois constructed by county governments to house and care for the poor
and indigent. County almshouses were first established in 1839, pre-dating
Jane Addams’ Hull House in Chicago by 50 years. Male and female paupers
would work on the surrounding farm to provide for themselves; children
would attend community schools. Mentally impaired citizens were integrated
rather than left in seclusion.
The farming operations declined when
almshouses were converted for use as elderly care facilities in the early
1900s. This building was abandoned in the 1950s, when the number of
residents requiring county assistance dwindled. Over the years, this
county-owned building has fallen into an advanced state of disrepair, as
evidenced by the collapsed porch, graffiti, and missing windows. The
remaining land is leased to a tenant farmer who would like to expand
agricultural operations if the historic building is demolished.
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