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.
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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
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#poorfarms #oregonexperience #OPB #Oregon #PacificNorthWest #poorhouse

[@capbubba]

Portland might want to consider bringing them back to help with today's issues. Good documentary.

[@jimgoff4458]

Bring back insane asylums.

[@russellzauner]

@@jimgoff4458 yes, we're running short on unmarked cans of human remains. If you're from Oregon then you should know about Dammasch and Fairview. And honestly, get fucked. ;-)

[@Mindfreeingme]

You are correct and I watched this one when I came on my phone todayou know through KZbin. And honestly, thank you. 5 year old Oregon white boy not racist. But a history of everything is important and clutching a buddy who evebelieved. And so that said, I hope this continues to A. Acknowledgment, not they, let's redo the roll again

[@cherylcampbell9369]

@@Mindfreeingme You are five years old?

[@duo7552]

​@@MindfreeingmeSay what again??

[@r8chlletters]

We sure need to bring back these places for the many people in need today.

[@jannettb7930]

Or we can subsidize housing, provide free community colleges and trade schools, and provide universal healthcare...

[@r8chlletters]

@@jannettb7930I’d say we need all these including institutions that care for folks in need that cannot help themselves

[@davidmcmullen3864]

To many people on drugs oh the wars

[@islandbirdw]

Agreed, apparently back in the early 19th century they weren’t willing to leave these people to just starve sleeping in sheltered. Wealthy of that era felt it was their responsibility to donate for the poor. Today they just keep taking and leaving poor to fend for themselves. Shelters are filthy in many cities (MRSA, Scabes, lice bedbugs etc. Many prefer to sleep on the street. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@here_we_go_again2571]

@@r8chlletters You can't force them to stay where they are given their meds, etc.. Or force them to take their meds if they go off them. The majority of homeless people are people who have mental health issues or drug / alcohol problems.

[@francesnance9110]

We should have homes like this now. The nursing homes are so sterile, and people are isolated in their rooms. It would be so much healthier for people to live in community. As a prior single mom, I would have loved to live in community rather than having to struggle on my own. As a older person now, I would love to live in community, as my family is far away. Community meals, work and socialization is the way to go...

[@rachelk4805]

People were abused there. Why would you want to bring your children there?

[@dixiannehawks1610]

@@rachelk4805 People can be abused anywhere. They could always leave if necessary, unless they are bedridden.

[@HubertofLiege]

A collective farm?

[@here_we_go_again2571]

County poor farms were not the place where people socialized. Only the "deserving poor" were allowed to live there. There were strict rules including mandatory church attendence and work on the farm's kitchens (dormitory style living) farm fields, dairy. No work = No stay (unless one was incapacitated)

[@KnockingONwood1111]

​@@dixiannehawks1610Yeah I'm sure the people at the poor house had the resources to pack up and move somewhere better...

[@bulldogstrut1]

I've lived in Oregon all my life and this is the first I've heard of the poor farms existence. Nice to learn of them.

[@russellzauner]

Consider why there were even poor farms. Consider why people think we should start them again. Consider how we can modify the infrastructure of society so that people don't have to be poor. You can still be rich if you feel you need all those things, it just won't require destitution to be sustainable anymore. If you can't feel rich without someone being in agony/fear, then that should be your issue to deal with and not inflicted on other humans.

[@kumatmebro315]

There will always be haves and have nots

[@russellzauner]

@@kumatmebro315 Zero sum games are known to be false now. It's okay.

[@ronanderson5935]

That's a dangerous ideology that always leads to big government causing the downfall of societies. History is filled with examples. Don't fall into the equity trap.

[@Vladpryde]

I should be able to be rich without getting a guilt trip about it from Leftists who will never know wealth because of their own idiotic ideology and mental issues; neither of which are my problem, or fault.

[@stephencuffel4932]

If only. This country was founded as a plutocracy, and shows no signs of changing. The myth of self help and bootstrapping runs deep.

[@sept2197]

❤This as a beautiful story I agree with some of the others we need to bring the farms back to help those struggling in life always is a good thing to give people hope.

[@rj521]

My dad was born in 1925 in Albany, Oregon. His family owned their own small farm, but they were poor. Often the power company would cut off their power for lack of payment of their bill. He and his three siblings went to a one room country school about 5 miles outside of Albany. When he went to high school in town there was no bus service so he had to live with his grandmother at her house in town. When his younger brother started high school he moved into the fire hall, acting as their janitor after school in exchange for room and board. I would have been mortified, but it didn’t seem to slow him down too much. He was his senior class president.

[@uncledogg5156]

Awesome documentary!

[@pv4669]

Very interesting documentary. What struck me was that things were handled at the local level more back then. Now it's all big government. I think I would prefer that they were still done locally.

[@ladybug5093]

Omg!! I love that Mcmenamins!! What a great story. ❤

[@mackpines]

I've done lots of research on these poor farms. Very fascinating history. I love it. I think if they're managed properly, well funded and with today's technological advances, poor farms could succeed. No more free handouts of food. Work for it and you build important skills. Another great OPB documentary. Thank you!

[@rachelk4805]

"Free handouts" of food? What does that even mean? People who work in this country are still poor, they work multiple jobs and they are still poor. At what point do you stop calling poor people lazy and say, "hey, you corporations pay these people a wage they can actually live on. Stop taking advantage of people's labor."

[@dixiannehawks1610]

@@rachelk4805 Many times quoted in Bible, "'if you don't work, you dont eat'.

[@AwenyddGryffin]

​@@dixiannehawks1610it also says slaves should accept their lot, and love their masters (even if they beat them). While it has some good things it's honestly a horrible book.

[@kbrown5523]

@@dixiannehawks1610 Matthew 25:35-40 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

[@user-gv4mi9cd2y]

​@@dixiannehawks1610did you not read his comment? many people work and still are destitute.

[@critters16]

Thank you very much, this is a very good documentary and a lesson to all.

[@user-sz9fv7cb3c]

A very good documentary with clear speakers and images from the earliest poor farms. It seems better than the Poor Houses of UK in a similar time.

[@ShlisaShell]

When I got in trouble as a kid my family would joke about sending one of us kids to the funny farm or even the poor farm.

[@SpiritGirlSF]

Our stepmonster used to tell us kids we were driving her to Salem, it wasn't til years later I found out she meant the state mental hospital.

[@poigmhahon]

Such a different world back then.....really good story.a lot of people are of the mind that this past would somehow work now....not only was it not perfect then, there is no way this would be a panacea for the current social crisis....wonderful history and praise to those preserving it....times have changed people....the genie will not go back in the bottle.

[@jbmason000]

What part of this looked like a panacea then? Additction, Mental illness, and scoundrels (freeloaders) taking advantage have existed at the same rate per capita in every culture throughout history. The good old days were neither better or worse nor less evil or more good than any other age of humans. Humans are just a mixed bag of humans regardless of the epoch or culture they live in and for this reason one age is never more pure of heart than another. Why do we want to convince ourselves we aren't safe anymore when statistically and factually we are taking better care of each other than we ever have in the USA's history.

[@adamsmiths3016]

But we can take lessons from the past so we don't make the same mistakes in the future.

[@diamonds4383]

Happy thanksgiving 🎉weekend stay safe and be kind love ya!!!!

[@ingridmcdonald7644]

Excellent story!!

[@carylshawver]

Sharon Nesbit is a treasure💖✨️

[@mtbalpinecounty]

This is Excellent!💪

[@JOLENE2008]

wow? I never heard about this I am glad it was brought out😊

[@vf12497439]

I see comments about a modern day version of a poor farm. That was a time where fentanyl wasn’t driving the homelessness. Paint the story as you like but people who ended up on a poor farm were not popular or respected. I remember my grandfather telling me as a young boy that there’s no time for play or we will end up on the poor farm…. He would add “and you don’t want that”. The perception of those back then were people who couldn’t provide or were just a failure in life. My grand father talked about this in the 1970’s so this negative view persists well into the 1900’s.

[@Magravator1671]

My parents were depression babies and they said the same things to me. These low quality homes were feared by many who were faced with that as their only choice. I'm sure the treatment was horrendous and that many died unnecessarily due to substandard care. Most things run by the government are top heavy and only a small percentage actually goes into the project such as hiring trained and qualified help. I have no doubt that people suffered because of it.

[@anthonydryer6251]

They speak of the stigma associated with it in the documentary, they also noted how nearly anyone could end up there. My family still loves Reagan and some of them have disdain for those less fortunate. The Reagan era defended social services which led to a loss of funding, which in turn the closure.

[@JeySanders]

I remember seeing the poor farm driving by with my mother. I would hear the stories of how people couldn't pay their bills and feed their families,so that was where they ended up. The impression I received was not a good one. 😕 We need more compassion and apply this example to work in our 'today' society.

[@cherylcampbell9369]

I was also thinking about the fentanyl problem today.

[@vf12497439]

@@cherylcampbell9369 it’s so awful, There’s a mental illness here where you literally don’t care what happens to you or if you live to see tomorrow. All we hear about is climate change, nuclear war, terrorism, systemic racism, asteroids, mega thrust tsunami….. we have a generation or two here that have nothing but fatalistic views of the future. There’s nothing optimistic on the news. 😢

[@XOXO-mb2vh]

Sounds so much better than the horror of rogue homelessness now. Hazel dell park in Vancouver Wa has a poor farm that once was there.

[@anthonydryer6251]

Great documentary. It wasn't the vandals that caused the disrepair after the last resident moved out. The disrepair started with the defunding of social services during the Reagan era.

[@ronanderson5935]

Did you even watch the documentary? Poor farms started their decline with the introduction of social security. Reagan didn't kill them. We did have heavily flawed, overly regulated institutions like the State hospital for mentally ill. Reagan did the right thing by deregulating allowing better options to be explored. But it was left-wing Democrats that took that opening and ran with it with " mainstreaming " releasing a lot of mentally unstable into society. Poor farms were practically gone before Reagan took office.

[@email4664]

And vandals, buddy. They came after. I worked to clean it up

[@ronanderson5935]

And everywhere across our Oregon cities the vandalism is on the rise. Why? Becuase Democrats thought it a good idea to legalize drugs, reduce prosecution for crimes, and enable folks to not contribute to society. Regan cracked down on drugs, believed that a healty society punishes bad behavior, and helped create one of the strongest economies by reducing government and getting out of the way. Regan may have not been perfect, but he was close. Democrats, on the other hand, seem to destroy everything they touch. Their road to hell is paved with good intention, but lacks historical perspective or an understaning on how anything really works.

[@dixiannehawks1610]

Those that could worked, and cared for the place was not from government funding which did not happen until Roosevelt, which was the downfall of this country.

[@normabreazile5500]

Really…Dem are fully in charge right now , money being handed out like free candy and look at the mess they’ve made just in a couple years. Really!!

[@sarahkrick8667]

Yeah!

[@KnockingONwood1111]

My Grandmother wasn't from Oregon, but I remember her warning some of the grandkids that if they didn't work hard they'd end up at the poor house. I didn't realize they really existed until recently.

[@shanannahgins]

I was really hoping they would touch on hot lakes sanatorium. This was great and interesting though.

[@janisreasnor8687]

Edgefield is now a fancy place to stay, with its own winery & out place for big name concerts.

[@jeannedouglas9912]

No one starving anymore?

[@user-rh5ke2qu6p]

I remember visiting my Aunt and Uncle at a Penna. Poor Farm

[@bollweevil8112]

a jail for wild animals sits where a farm once sheltered people Fix it Portland

[@guenther1]

The current Whatcom County, Washington, Planning Department where I worked in the 90s is a former "poor farm/hospital/jail". The jail portion was demolished while I workerd there. A co worker told me he was born there and one of his relative's was buried on the property. Very interesting stuff. We are already losing our ero american history. Imagine how the native people's of this land must feel!

[@jessicaprice6827]

I wouldn't go to Portland with a court order. Salem is the capitol but we have to go up to ghetto Portland for everything. It's just so gross. Even the "nice" part. Riding in the car, and looking at 5m plus Homes, one on top of the other, no privacy, sloped tiny yards. Why spend so much for no privacy or space and in a sewer of a place?,

[@websurfer5772]

Nowadays we just let people die in the streets. We're so much more compassionate and intelligent than we were back then, aren't we?

[@kds365]

Bring them back.

[@furthereast6775]

Not a panacea, just far more effective and humane than governments current approaches. Nothing would make drug/alcohol rehab succeed more than adding in a purpose in life and a real community.

[@samgrace6813]

The state seems to care less now. They should at least put those grave markers back. Thank you for making this documentary.

[@frankpeter6851]

I think we should put wealthy people in work farms.

[@jeannedouglas9912]

Either you have a heart or you don't. First you have to care. Don't you think? There is plenty to go around. Just seems like some want the whole pie not their portion. Let's face it. The "poor" and deserving poor are a very lucrative business. I've seen amazing tiny homes built for less than 2k. It's obviously not a priority. Don't you think by virtue of being born on the earth that everyone is entitled to food,shelter and clothing? Without fear of exploitation. Then there's acceptance and treated like a human being not a rabid elephant.

[@MrJeep75]

What about Washington county

[@bobbydixon4484]

Its always gonna be strange when you call some people chinese and then others black. we are just called black while everyone else has a home name to come from. In america we are just called black. I love opb and the history of my home and my country!

[@user-rn3oc8dr3f]

they got nothing on apalatian mtn hillbillies

[@helenhunter4540]

I'm 79 years old. Before reading some of these comments, I wouldn't have believed people now would think it a good idea to BRING BACK POOR FARMS! Social Security and grudging county assistence are the current poor farms, duh!

[@AnnAndNala]

Social Security is no-where near enough to live on. Housing and food is far too expensive.

[@helenhunter4540]

@@neengwynnatwoottonwilkeshi955 We can't get connections with others from living in poor farms! In my HUD housing, I can afford to live on my Social Security and have lots of neighbors and I already have my own family and friend connections! NO NEED TO BRING BACK POOR FARMS!

[@oregonpatriot1570]

Today _'McMenamins Edgefield'_ is *NOT* for the poor! Their prices for food, homemade beer and wine and lodging *EXCLUDE* the poor! _Personally, I think they should keep the spirit alive by offering some sort of discount if you can show you're in need. Even a free hotdog with a doft drink would be enough to get them on the news, and probanly generate more business in the process!_

[@rockercater]

**THATS WHEN PEOPLE CARED* *CATER*

[@JW-hf9ev]

These people are rich compared to the current Portland bum situation

[@pinoyakoh6024]

Bring them back, and round up all the bums!

[@cherylmyke1693]

The problem with having them in todays society vs. back then is that in those days people wanted to work and ended in these homes through no fault of their own, as stated early on in this document. Today, sooo many people are not willing to work to help themselves, and a lot of their demise is brought on by their own acts…not all….but so so many. I think that a system like this would be overwhelmed in no time today 😢

[@helenhunter4540]

"So many people not willing to work" is a vicious middle-class myth.

[@FlatTireForHire]

In my experiences working with and personally needing help through social services, I have very rarely dealt with any individual who didn’t want to work.

[@cherylcampbell9369]

Why don't we have anything honoring Dr. John Beeson?

[@chriswitt2596]

It's a shame that there are no homes left that were poor farms and that the historical information is so limited. The problem with trying to bring back poor farms today would be that they would be caught up in government bureaucracy and millions would be spent and nothing would happen they would pocket the money. Sort of like our foster care system. But perhaps someone could open their own home to a person to help them out. That would be good. That's what Jesus would do.

[@mathiasniemeier4359]

PEOPLE SHOULD GIVE FROM THE ❤, AND NOT BE SEEN, FOR...GOD BLESSED YOU AND IT WAS FOR YOU TO HELP PEOPLE. NO,THEY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW. I THINK THAT'S WHY I HAVE..NO USE FOR THIS CHANNEL.

[@patrickbennett439]

Funny how eductation is so important but they dont even really learn much that helps in real life. Now, if they graduated and knew how to build a house, farm a garden, hunt, be self seficient, that would be great. Instead they learn flawed history, fiction stories in english, a wrong food pyramid, more math than theyl even use in real life, science like a stupid bug learning project, and countless other crap that just isnt usefull in real life. Freakin schools everywhere. Costs money. So lame. Since I was a kid this has pissed me off and im 41, still pissed. wtf world.

[@marktweet7395]

Send the homeless here. Anything to turn their lives around

[@OldProVidios]

So, the Social Security destroyed the county supporting the poor.

[@billsirvatka7492]

Back then we didn't have the drug issues, mental issues and freeloaders that we have today....

[@jbmason000]

Your being lied to bud and scared by what your reading and watching. Alcoholism, Mental illness, and scoundrels (freeloaders) taking advantage have existed at the same rate per capita of every culture throughout history. The good old days were neither better or worse nor less evil or more good than any other age of humans. Humans are just a mixed bag of humans regardless of the epoch or culture they live in and for this reason one age is never more pure of heart than another.

[@dixiannehawks1610]

If they are rewarded for begging, then we will have freeloaders, these people worked.

[@jeannedouglas9912]

Not only poor have drug issues or mental illness or are fleecing the public trough.

[@dianetm8557]

They address this issue at 8:36 and on. Anyone deemed a vagabond or rogue was deemed unworthy of state support. I’ve spent all of my adult life trying to help and support members of the poorest in our communities. There are just some that will not work or do much to support themselves. We cannot work harder on other’s life problems than they are willing to do themselves. My immigrant mother taught me her work ethic.

[@Dope_Spartan27]

Oregon is turning into California part 2.

[@georgehaydukeiii6396]

People have always been a little cruel. But it seems they are becoming more so lately. We used to take care of the less fortunate, back when America was great.

[@dixiannehawks1610]

Take care of them and they forget how to care for themselves. Not including of course children and bedridden.

[@Joyce-id3dr]

A little cruel? Do you remember the Holocaust?

[@briannave7326]

If kids were taught at home and in schools how to save and manage money, there would be less dependence of others to take care of them in their later years.

[@georgehaydukeiii6396]

@@briannave7326 I wish it were that simple. When folks are working a full-time job, two part-time jobs, and still can't earn enough to rent a cheap apartment, buy decent food, or procure reliable transportation, they wind up on the streets. It doesn't matter how good they are at managing their funds, if you don't have enough, you don't have enough!

[@Mindfreeingme]

Truth will set us free from the lies of the past

[@jamesanonymous2343]

>>>>>> ""OPB "",,,,,,,,,,""OTHER PEOPLES BUSINESS"",,,,,,WHO CARES !!!!,,,,,DEPRESSING !!!