A Look Back in History: The Broome County Alms House

Over 140 years ago, Broome County was home to a place called the Broome County Alms House.  The Broome County Alems House was located in the town of Dickinson, three miles north of Binghamton on what you and I now know to be the Broome Community College Campus.

The Broome County Alms House was a massive red brick building and until about 1960, it was a place where the poor, sick, disabled, mentally unwell, widowed, and orphaned could seek refuge and help.

The main goal of the almshouse was to offer support to people who had no way to support themselves and to offer care to people who weren't able to provide proper care for themselves.

Early Years

It wasn't uncommon for communities to have what were called almshouses in the 19th century. When the one in Binghamton was first built in 1833, it was called the Broome County Poor Farm and the purpose was to create a place for members of the community who were considered to be extremely poor, including the sick, orphaned, homeless, and mentally ill.

Residents of Broome County who didn't have a place to live or a fixed income were often sent to the poor farm. It wasn't uncommon for the poor farm to have a large population of young orphans and elderly people.

Life in the Almshouse

Residents of the almshouse were required to follow a structured routine, which included providing meals, living in cramped and often unclean conditions, and for those capable of doing so, long hours of work in the farm fields.

Smoking, drinking, swearing, and recreational activities were forbidden and anyone who disobeyed was subject to punishment of solitary confinement with very little food.

Changes Over Time

The care of those with mental health struggles eventually shifted to state institutions which meant that the almshouse saw a decrease in the number of able-bodied workers. 

While the almshouse began as a farm, it would eventually provide more humane and modernized care for its residents. Facilities such as an infirmary, a bakery, and a laundry were added, and new laws allowed residents to leave the grounds temporarily.

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Closure and Demolition

The Broome County Alms House closed all of its operations in the 1960s and the site turned into the Broome Technical Community College.

Despite efforts to preserve the historic building, it was demolished on February 5, 2010.