Historical Marker · No. 496
Dodge County Poor Farm
Dodge County · Nebraska
Erected by The Grateful Residents and Nebraska State Historical Society, 2014
A decade into the farm's life, A. T. Andreas's 1882 county history found relief run on very little. The poor farm then counted 160 acres, sixty of them under cultivation, with J. W. Vars in charge. For people who did not receive outdoor relief, the county had put up a house in Fremont about four years earlier, and only seven or eight families were supported permanently. The whole department cost no more than $1,000 a year, which the history read as a credit to the county and its people.
What the plaque says
Dodge County Poor Farm 1872-1944 In 1872 Dodge County purchased 160 acres at this site to provide relief for the needy. In 1884 a residence was added for those receiving aid; by 1888 the farm comprised 245 acres. Paid stewards oversaw its operation. After 1935, federal and state old-age insurance (Social Security) reduced the need for county assistance to the indigent. The last of the more than 400 residents the poor farm served died in 1944. The farm was rented out in 1945 and sold in 1955. The Grateful Residents Nebraska State Historical Society, 2014
Where it stands
41.50033, -96.48306 · Directions
More markers nearby
- Fremont, Nebraska — 4.7 mi
- The Great Platte River Route West — 5.6 mi
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- Platte River History — 9.2 mi