Wood County Museum facts for kids
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| Former name | Wood County Infirmary |
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| Established | 1975 (Museum) |
| Location | 13660 County Home Road, Bowling Green, Ohio |
| Type | History museum |
The Wood County Museum in Bowling Green, Ohio, is a special place with a long history. It used to be called the Wood County Infirmary, also known as the Wood County Home or the Poor Farm. This building was a home for people in Wood County who needed help. This included those who were poor, had mental health challenges, or had physical disabilities.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
What Was the Infirmary?
| Wood County Infirmary | |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Bowling Green, Ohio, United States |
| History | |
| Closed | 1971 |
The main Infirmary building was built in 1868. The State of Ohio had rules for how it should be built. These rules made sure people had enough space, healthy food, and clean clothes. The Infirmary opened in 1869. It also worked as a Poor Farm, which meant it grew its own food. This helped it be more self-sufficient. Having an Infirmary in Bowling Green helped it become the County Seat instead of Perrysburg, Ohio.
In 1885, a special building called the Lunatic House was built. It was for people with mental health challenges. Many of the first residents moved from a wet basement jail in Perrysburg. Treatments included fresh air, herbal medicines, and other remedies. The Lunatic House stopped being used for this purpose in the 1930s. It then became a hospital and dormitory for families during the Great Depression.
By 1898, parts of the Infirmary were old and needed to be rebuilt. Oil wells on the property provided heat and light until 1904. In the 1920s, the director built a stone wall around the site by hand. From 1935 on, the Infirmary started to work more like a nursing home.
The Paupers Cemetery on the grounds has at least 355 burials. The headstones were removed to make mowing easier, which made it hard to identify who was buried there.
From Infirmary to Museum
In 1971, the Infirmary closed, and its residents moved to a new place. The empty building was damaged by vandals between 1971 and 1974. Lyle Fletcher, a local historian, convinced county leaders to save the building. By spring 1975, the building opened as the Wood County Museum. As of 2018, it was one of the few old poor houses still preserved in Ohio. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The Museum was featured on the WBGU-TV show "Scenic Stop." This episode first aired on December 6, 2012.
Exploring the Exhibits
The Museum has over 30 exhibits. They teach visitors about the building's past and the history of Wood County.
Other Buildings on the Grounds
There are several other buildings outside the main one. These include a pest house, which was used to keep men with illnesses like scarlet fever and influenza separate. There is also a hog barn and an ice house.
A Strange Piece of History: Mary Bach's Fingers
The museum also displays a very unusual item: the fingers of Mary Bach. She was murdered in October 1881. Her fingers were kept as evidence and preserved. They were first kept in a solution, then later moved to a modern preservation method in 2015.
Gallery
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Oil Derrick
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Pest House
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Lunatic House
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The hog barn
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Log Cabin
See also
