Knox County Infirmary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Knox County Infirmary
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Mt. Vernon, Ohio |
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| Area | 0.0 acres (0 ha) |
| Built | 1877 |
| Architect | William Tinsley |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001567 |
| Added to NRHP | July 10, 1986 |
The Knox County Infirmary was once a special kind of hospital and poorhouse in Knox County, Ohio. It was a place that helped people who were sick, poor, or had mental health challenges, including children. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 because of its importance.
Contents
History of the Infirmary
Early Beginnings in 1842
In June 1842, Knox County bought a large piece of land, about 132 acres. This land was near the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus Railroad. The county used the buildings already on the land to create its first infirmary and poorhouse.
Building a New Home in 1877
Soon, a much bigger building was needed to help more people. The county hired Tinsley & Company from Columbus to design a new structure. Construction began on September 30, 1874, by J. Henegan & Company. The new infirmary opened in September 1877. It was built in the Italianate style, which was popular at the time. The building had 100 rooms and a tall, 65-foot central tower. This tower held three large water tanks.
Changes and Challenges
Closing Its Doors in 1957
Over time, the conditions at the Knox County Infirmary became very poor. Because of these problems, the infirmary had to close down in 1957.
New Life as a College
After closing, the building was bought by the Foursquare Gospel Church. They used it as the Mt. Vernon Bible College. The college stayed there until 1988, when it moved to Virginia.
A Spooky Attraction in 1997
After the college moved out, the building was empty for several years. Then, in 1997, it was reopened as "The House of Nightmares." It became one of the biggest haunted houses in Ohio! People visited it for spooky fun until January 2006. Sadly, part of the building collapsed, and four floors fell down.
The Final Chapter in 2015
A person named Toby Spade bought the old infirmary from the state of Ohio. He wanted to fix up the building and make it useful again. However, in February 2015, the front part of the building collapsed. Just a few months later, on June 26, a fire destroyed the entire structure.
Images for kids
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The Knox County Infirmary in 2007, before its final collapse.
