Before America’s social services systems were in place to serve as a safety net for the most unfortunate in society, there were poorhouses, also known as almshouses, poor farms, or workhouses. They were not pleasant places to live. Often, they were created to punish people for their poverty or encourage them to return to being productive, if possible. However, they often housed the elderly without families or those unable to care for themselves. Originating in England in the 1600s, they became part of the fabric of America as immigrants began to arrive here.
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