The Poor House

The Wellington County Museum and Archives is a National Historic Site. It is located in a building that stands as the oldest remaining rural House of Industry in Canada. It was built in 1877 as a "Poor House" or place of refuge for the poor, homeless, and destitute people in Wellington County. It operated as a Poor House and Industrial Farm until 1947 when it became a County Home for the Aged. In 1974 it was transformed into the Wellington County Museum and Archives. A new Archives wing opened in 2010.


New Book! If These Walls Could Speak: The Story of the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge, 1877-1947

image, front profile of Susan DunlopAvailable for purchase at the Museum giftshop and Archives is the book, If These Walls Could Speak: The Story of the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge, 1877-1947 by author Susan Dunlop, past‐curator of the Wellington County Museum and Archives. 

“The story of the rural Houses of Industry and Refuge has been a forgotten part of Ontario's early history. This book explores how the issues of poverty laid the foundations of our modern social welfare policies, told through the experiences of the women, men and children who passed through the doors of the Wellington County Poor House. “– Susan Dunlop

To purchase a copy of the book, please visit our gift shop at 519.846.0916 x5221

  

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Virtual Tours

 Click here for more information on our Virtual Tours

1877 Barn
Photo Gallery: WCMA_1877 Barn will appear here on the public site.

 

View our 1877 Barn page


The House of Industry and Refuge was built to run as a self-sufficient farm. Even today the original 1877 barn is still on site. Thirty of the sites fifty acres were under cultivation.


In 2011, the Barn was open as a public exhibit and rental facility space (on a seasonal basis). Special group tours of the Barn, the Museum, and the Poor House Cemetery can be arranged for a nominal fee. 

House of Industry Cemetery

Photo Gallery: WCMA_House of Industry Cemetery will appear here on the public site.

 

View our Cemetery Virtual Tour


At the edge of the property, a one-acre cemetery was established for those who had no family to claim their remains at death. There are 271 men, women and children buried here. Please note not all death certificates have been found.

Death Certificates

Between 1877 and 1947, over 1500 destitute men, women and children sought refuge at the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge, or the 'Poorhouse' as everyone called it.

Built as an Industrial Farm, the site included a sixty-bed house, thirty acres of crops and a barn for livestock. Many of the inmates were admitted because of poor health or advanced age and had no one to care for them. At the edge of the property, a one-acre cemetery was established for those who had no family to claim their remains at death.

There are 271 men, women and children buried here.

Death Certificates

It is a cemetery like no other.

Between 1877 and 1947, over 1500 destitute men, women and children sought refuge at the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge, or the 'Poorhouse' as everyone called it.

Built as an Industrial Farm, the site included a sixty-bed house, thirty acres of crops and a barn for livestock. Many of the inmates were admitted because of poor health or advanced age and had no one to care for them. At the edge of the property, a one-acre cemetery was established for those who had no family to claim their remains at death.

There are 271 men, women and children buried here.

Death Certificates

It is a cemetery like no other.


It is a cemetery like no other.

 

Pump House

The water supply system for the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge




In 1884, eight acres of land across the road from the House of Industry and Refuge was purchased at $400 and the spring water it provided was pumped to the building by means of a hydraulic ram.

In 1889 troubles with the water supply began.  "The hydraulic ram, at present in use, does not furnish enough water...a windmill or some other power to pump water up to the House must be resorted to..." (Council Minutes, pg.20, Committee Report, 1889).

In 1890 a windmill was purchased and two iron tanks were placed in the attic, one in the main building and the other one in the wash house. The collected spring water was pumped into the tanks and supplied to the kitchen, laundry and water closets by gravity.

 

Download Pump House pdf  

 

Gardens

The Gardens surrounding the Museum are an outstanding feature and attraction in themselves. Bring a picnic lunch, relax and recharge in our gardens and rolling acreage.

 

Photo Gallery: WCMA Gardens will appear here on the public site.

 

Butterfly Garden

This garden is designed to attract butterflies. A variety of plants are included here to offer food for the adult (nectar), host plants for laying eggs and feed for the hatched larvae (caterpillars). The garden faces south to maximize the exposure to the sun and provide a place for the butterflies to sun themselves. Some of the species grown here are purple coneflower, wild bergamot, bronze fennel, hollyhock, New England aster, yarrow and globe thistle.

 

Vegetable Garden

The Vegetable Garden is a demonstration garden used for education programmes and located west of the frame barn. The selection of plants is based on research of the produce that was grown on this property when it was the County House of industry and Refuge.

We grow potatoes, onions, beets, cabbage, carrots, turnips, peas, beans, lettuce, cucumbers and strawberries.

 

Woodland Garden

This garden contains a selection of woodland plants and trees representative of species growing in this area before European settlement. We have milkweed, trillium, wild ginger, white cedar, Grey dogwood and Virginia creeper and many other species on display in this cool, shaded natural display.

 

Cottage Garden

This collection illustrates plants selected primarily for practical use. The plants in this garden were grown as a source of food, medicine, fragrance, textile fiber and dye. Examples of plants include peppermint, lovage, horseradish, lavender, chives, calendula, dill and flax. There is also a small orchard of crab apples to represent the large apple orchard that was on the property when it was a working farm. 

 

Heritage Garden imageVictorian Garden

This garden reflects the Victorian taste for formal
structure and continuous colour from spring through fall. Incorporating native and introduced species, Victorian gardeners selected plants primarily for decorative use. The display includes black-eyed Susan, bergamot, lungwort, candy tuft, wisteria, peonies and a variety of heritage roses.

 Awards
The Museum and Archives was presented the 2013 Business Beautification Award by the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce for our work on the House of Industry and Refuge cemetery and 1877 Barn.

 

 

 

 

 

Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge Resident Database

Black and white photo of a congregation of individuals outside of the House of Industry and Refuge, during the late 19th to early 20th centuries.

This searchable database is a transcription of the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge Admission Register between 1877 and 1922. Additional research can be found under the Details tab for each resident. Subsequent years will be added on a yearly basis.

Many residents were discharged and re-admitted, usually only once or twice, but in one case eleven times. Each re-admission meant a new admission number was assigned to the resident. The background information on each individual is linked to the first admission number they were assigned. “See” references are used to redirect to the first admission number assigned to each resident admitted more than once.

This database contains historic language that includes racist, sexist, ableist, and otherwise discriminatory terminology. These descriptions reflect the language and attitudes of the historical period in which they were created.

We welcome any feedback or additional background information on residents listed in our database. Please email wcma@wellington.ca.

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© 2023 County of Wellington, 74 Woolwich St. Guelph, Ontario N1H 3T9, T 519.837.2600, TF 1.800.663.0750, F 519.837.1909