History of the Poor House
The Wellington County Museum and Archives is a National Historic Site, located in the oldest remaining rural House of Industry and Refuge in Canada. Commonly known as the Poor House, this building was built in 1877 as a place for the poor, homeless, and destitute people of Wellington County. Approximately 1,400 men, women, and children sought refuge here from 1877 until 1947.
The Industrial Farm
The Poor House was designed to operate as a self-sufficient industrial farm, with thirty acres under cultivation. Crops like oats, turnips, wheat, hay, potatoes, carrots, peas, and sugar beet mangolds were grown, and an orchard with 100 trees provided apples. Chickens, pigs, and cows provided eggs, meat, and fresh butter, and any surplus was sold in town to offset the cost of purchasing staples like sugar, coffee, and bread.
Cemetery
At the edge of the property, a cemetery was established for residents of the Poor House who had no family to claim their remains at death. 271 men, women and children were buried here. To learn more about their stories, take a short 6-minute walk on the Museum Trail to the cemetery or visit the House of Industry and Refuge Resident Database.
From Poor House to Present Day
In 1947, the House of Industry was renamed to the Wellington County Home for the Aged, and the term 'inmate' was officially replaced with 'resident.' The Home closed in 1971, and the residents were transferred to a new senior's home in Elora called the Wellington Terrace. In 1975, the building re-opened as the new home of the County Museum.
Our site continues to evolve. A new Archives wing opened in 2010, the Heritage Barn opened as a seasonal public exhibit in 2011, the original 1918 Poultry House was restored in 2020, and a playground was added in 2023.
Further Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
The history of the Poor House is complex and research is ongoing to discover more details about the House and the people who lived there. Although much is known about the site's history, many questions remain. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Poor House.