Greene County Poor Farm
This Pennsylvania almshouse-turned-museum can’t shake the spirits of a few former residents
Paranormal Activity at
Greene County Poor Farm
- Unknown odd smells have been encountered
- Ghostly footsteps have been heard
- Small objects have been moved by unseen forces
- Visitors report unexplainable eerie feelings in the building
- Strange lights have been spotted around the exterior of the building
- Apparitions have been seen throughout
- Lights in the building come on with no known cause
- Spirits in the building have purportedly used dowsing rods to communicate
History of Greene County Poor Farm
More often than not, poor farms and almshouses were American tragedies. For generations, these countryside facilities served as a patchwork of social safety nets in an era when there were none. Often underfunded and overcrowded, American poor farms would regularly end up as dens of preventable disease and suffering.
And as Social Security and other social safety nets superseded them, many poor farms across the country simply disappeared.
Today, relatively few old poor farms remain. Some are abandoned, while others have found prosperity in reuse. Pennsylvania’s Greene County Poor Farm is a case of the latter.
The old brick country home is now a historical museum dedicated to the life and times of early Greene County. But though the building is no longer home to any indigent locals, there may be some permanent residents walking the halls in spirit.
Timeline of Greene County Poor Farm's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Greene County Poor Farm through the years
1857
First built in 1857, the future Greene County Poor Farm started life as a single family farm. Initially operated by the Rinehart family in the late 1850s, the town acquired the property in 1861 to build a home for the poor. The state had recently passed a law requiring each county to have a home for the poor, and the Rinehart farm was Greene County’s quick solution to the law. The old farmhouse became a home for the poor farm administrator, and work soon began on the almshouse itself.
1862
The first completed wing of the poor farm welcomed its first resident, Issac Pipes, in June, 1862. Over the remainder of the year, the poor farm would greet over 80 more residents. Overcrowding quickly became a problem, as the first wing only had 20 resident rooms. Attic space was quickly converted to additional resident rooms. But, by the early 1880s, conditions around the Greene County Poor Farm had deteriorated to the point that it was making news in national publications.
1886
In 1886, in response to ongoing criticism of the poor farm’s quality, the county built a new wing onto the building. The addition added numerous extra bedrooms, as well as indoor bathrooms. The added space also allowed for an indoor cafeteria space for the first time. This era also brought a new steward to the property, William Cage. Said to be especially cruel, Cage’s treatment of residents brought the poor farm renewed ire. Cage’s treatment purportedly included withholding food from residents and savagely beating others with a cane.
1969
Despite a spotty record of quality and resident support, the Greene County Poor Farm continued to operate well into the 1900s. Even after Social Security and other New Deal measures kept many people out of the county poor farm, the building continued to support local senior citizens. By the 1960s, the facility was a full-fledged retirement home rather than an almshouse. In 1969, a new retirement home opened, and all the residents were moved out of the old poor farm. For a short while, the historic brick structure would sit abandoned.
1971
In 1971, the old poor farm was reopened as part of the Greene County Historical Society. The expansive almshouse had been redecorated into a local history museum. To this day, the building operates as the Greene County Historical Society and Museum. Though it’s a museum now, the building keeps many memories of its poor farm past, reportedly including ghosts! And some of the spectral residents can apparently be quite active. The museum is a known haunted hotspot today, and greets many interested ghost hunters for tours.
Is Greene County Almshouse Haunted?
Much of the paranormal activity at the Greene County Poor Farm is said to be linked to the poor treatment and conditions around the farm in the 1800s.
Between the overcrowded spaces and the abuse from certain stewards, the poor farm often became a hellish place to live.
And yet, it seems some of the souls that suffered don’t seem to want to leave. Or, perhaps they’re forever trapped by their experiences in the building.
Regardless of why exactly they linger, many visitors and workers at the museum now encounter specters around the historic structure.
The Farm’s Ghostly Footsteps
One of the most common claims around the Greene County Poor Farm is phantom footsteps. Nobody is quite sure where they’re going, but the poor farm ghosts sure seem to have a lot of places to go. Footsteps can often be heard heading up and down long, empty corridors.
Many now figure these are the footsteps of restless former residents returning in spirit. And some stories suggest footsteps aren’t all you might find in the poor farm’s halls.
Apparitions at the Almshouse
Apparitions are another regular report at the Greene County Poor Farm. Along with the claims of ghostly footsteps, shadowy figures are also seen lingering in the building’s hallways and rooms. Sometimes, these figures’ appearances even correspond with the sudden manifestation of the phantom footsteps.
Perhaps it is these sometimes-unseen entities responsible for another common claim in the building: eerie feelings. Unexplainable senses of dread or other sensations of not being alone are often encountered at the old poor farm.
Smell the Poor Farm Spirits
Greene County Poor Farm is also said to be home to a few strange, ghostly smells. The reports vary, but the phantom odors around the poor farm apparently appear and disappear quite quickly. They also seem to linger in the middle of rooms or halls, always far from any possible cause. You might walk right into the stench of old cigar or cigarette smoke in one area, or wander into the smell of floral perfume in another.
To date, no one has pinpointed just where these spiritual stenches are coming from. Perhaps every ghost in the old building has its own unique aroma.
Ghost Hunts in Greene County
In recent years, the paranormal claims at the Greene County Poor Farm have garnered attention of ghost hunters. Many ghost hunters have brought special communication tools into the building in an attempt to communicate with the ghosts.
Apparently, some luck can be had using dowsing rods around the poor farm. The building’s specters have purportedly used the rods to answer simple yes-and-no questions quite often. This correlates to a longer-standing report of small objects being moved around the building. If it’s lightweight and made of metal, the ghosts of Greene County may want to reach out and touch it.
Phantom Lights & Eerie Exits
Another notable report from visiting researchers is that strange lights have sometimes appeared around the building’s exterior. They aren’t known to appear often, but in at least once instance, a patterned array of glowing lights appeared just outside the main brick building.
Though these strange lights have never been seen inside, the indoor ghosts make light of their own. Inside the building, electrical malfunctions in the lights have been noted by visiting investigators, like flickering lights. This has been spotted even in the building’s exit lights, where one will come on or turn off, even if it’s on a circuit with numerous other lights.
Haunts & History Collide at
Greene County Poor Farm
All the ghost stories around the Greene County Poor Farm cast an image of mystery around the historical museum there today.
But, the museum seems more than happy to be home to a few ghost stories…even hosting ghost hunting teams for private investigations. They also host other paranormal-centered programs open to the public, alongside their long list of other programs throughout the year.
Booking a ghost hunt at the Greene County Poor Farm is as simple as visiting the historical society’s website and reaching out via email. But be sure to plan ahead! The former poor farm has gained increasing popularity as a paranormal location in recent years, powered by appearances on popular programs like Travel Channel’s Destination Fear and YouTube’s Paranormal Quest.
This old Pennsylvania almshouse clearly has many stories, both haunting and historical, to share with anyone who wants to visit it. So pay a visit yourself and learn something new…and maybe offer some alms to the apparitions while you’re there.
