The Knox County Poorhouse was originally constructed for the less fortunate of Knox County, Ohio. It was built between the years of 1875 to 1877 and was one of the largest buildings in the county. It was purchased by the Mount Vernon Bible College in the 50′s, then ultimately closed in the 1980′s.
History
The Knox County Poorhouse was constructed in 1875 and was used for 75-years to house the poor, many of whom lived and died on the grounds.(1) The 90,000 sq. ft., four-story building featured 90 rooms.(5) The Poorhouse closed in 1953 due to structural stability concerns, although it became home to the Mount Vernon Bible College in 1957 (3) until 1987.(4) In 1997, the building became home to the House of Nightmares, a haunted house, which operated until 2006 when a section of the interior collapsed.(2)
Sources
- Price, Rita. “Primitive Freight – Instinct prompts a scream; the brain says go back for more.” Columbus Dispatch 8 Oct. 2000. 19 Dec. 2007: 1D.
- “Knox County Poorhouse.” Abandoned Ohio. 19. Dec. 2007 Article.
- “Knox County History: Events of 1951 to 1975.” Knox County, Ohio. 19. Dec. 2007 Article.
- “Knox County History: Events of 1976 to Present.” Knox County, Ohio. 19. Dec. 2007 Article.
- Palmer, Karen. “Not everyone can stomach the House of Nightmares.” News Journal (Mansfield) 24 Oct. 2004. 19 Dec. 2007: C4.