The Franklin County Infirmary. Let's call it what it is: The Franklin County Poor Farm. Built in 1911, this nice building was used to house sick, ill and destitute people. This building is located at 17th and Elm in the south end of Ottawa and this building replaced the old Poor Farm on Nevada Terrace (just south of the Wal-Mart Distribution Center) which was closed in 1896, the infirmary was kept open and moved to Ottawa. This building was neglected for many years after closing but is now a private residence.
As a special treat, here are the remains of the original Poor Farm located near Marshall Road and Nevada Terrace. The first picture is of the old outbuildings, usually the main building where the patients stayed were torn down because of the stigma attached to Poor Farms. The second picture is of the last standing pillar marking the entrance to the Poor Farm.
