Demystifying the Livingston County Poorhouse
By Holly Watson
Livingston County Historian
February 20, 2025 7PM
Lima Town Hall 2nd Floor
(Accessible via elevator at west side door)
Co-Sponsored by Lima Historical Society
And the Lima Public Library
On Thursday, February 20th at 7 pm, Holly Watson, the Livingston County Historian, will present a compelling talk on the county poorhouse that existed in Geneseo during the early 19th and 20th centuries. Many of you may be familiar with the old building. As Holly will explain, poorhouses often have a complex history, but historical records can help us understand the evolution of care at these institutions, and dignify the poorhouse residents so they are not forgotten.
The Livingston County Poorhouse (later the County Home) provided care to county residents from the 1820s through the 1960s. Over the years, the Poorhouse evolved, along with perspectives about people experiencing loss, poverty, and mental illness. The program will trace these changes and what life in the Poorhouse might have been like, concluding with a discussion on recent preservation initiatives for the former buildings and the remaining Poorhouse cemeteries.
The talk will be presented at the Lima Town Hall at 7 pm.
The public is welcome.
Admission is free.
