Established in 1855, Johnson County procured the land to establish a poor farm, 160 acres of which are still under County ownership today. The Poor Farm was a working dairy and field crop farm created to house and care for those who needed support in the community before social services were provided by the federal government. Some examples of individuals who found themselves at the farm would include people with low wealth, elderly folks who did not have relatives to care for them, immigrants, widows, orphans, and people with disabilities. Residents were expected to work to the extent of their abilities, producing agricultural products to be consumed by residents and sold to customers. The farm operated under the poor farm model until 1988. In the years after, the land was leased to individual farmers to be row cropped and care for individuals was largely privatized.

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In the present day, the Historic Poor Farm is a community space centered around local food production, historic preservation and interpretation, ADA accessibility, and access to natural areas. From supporting beginning farmers to providing space for onsite research to building trails to engaging the broader community, the Historic Poor Farm is working to become a place of connection and learning.​ 

 

Check out the timeline on our History page to learn about how the farm has changed through the years.​