The history of Oregon's county poor farms | Oregon Experience

For decades, Oregon required counties to care for their indigent residents. Government-funded relief institutions — known as poor farms — provided food, shelter, and medical services throughout the state. Poor farms became a refuge for the elderly, people with disabilities, or anyone unable to care for themselves. However, the care varied widely. Some provided residents with a home, while others operated more like prisons. “Oregon’s County Poor Farms” examines this little-known history of how the state once cared for its poor. Learn more: https://www.opb.org/pressroom/new-opb... Find stories like this at https://www.opb.org/show/oregonexperi... Chapters: 0:45 Oregon's County poor farms, an introduction 2:00 The mystery of Hoyt Arboretum 4:30 Hillside Multnomah County poor farm 5:30 Poor farms as relief institutions in the United States 6:16 Society's view of poor farms 7:10 Jackson County poor farm, Jacksonville 8:47 What is a poor farm? 9:56 Some of the problems with poor farms 12:12 Who ended up at the poor farm? 13:23 Oregon counties' support of the poor 13:34 Lane County poor farm 14:40 Why people come to poor farms 16:38 Abuse and poor conditions at poor farms 18:32 The origin of Washington Park in Portland 19:05 Troutdale poor farm, the largest poor farm in the state of Oregon 19:41 Frankie Baker, most famous resident of the poor farm, the story behind the song Frankie and Johnny? 20:50 The impact the Great Depression had on the poor farms system 21:30 The New Deal and the beginning of the end of poor farms 23:01 Oregon public welfare commission 23:22 Jackson County and the new poor farm 24:10 Time capsule from the Jackson County poor farm 26:07 Edgefield Manor 27:23 McMenamin Edgefield -- Oregon Public Broadcasting aims to elevate and amplify the community, connect Oregon and its neighbors, and illuminate a wider world through stories. OPB Every Day. OPB Everywhere. One way to support OPB and the work of public media is to subscribe to our channel for new OPB videos every month: https://www.youtube.com/opb?sub_confi... Member support makes all the videos on the OPB YouTube channel possible, and everything else you love. Ensure the next important story is covered and join in as a Sustainer now at https://give.opb.org/opb/?s=OAMEGNS22... #poorfarms #oregonexperience #OPB #Oregon #PacificNorthWest #poorhouse #poverty #mcmenamins #pacificnorthwest #oregonhistory #aging #welfare