poorhouse

Poorhouse is a historical term for a government-run institution that provided shelter, food, and employment to destitute people who could not support themselves under the prevailing system of poor relief. The concept developed in medieval and early modern Europe and persisted into the 19th and early 20th centuries. In many places, poorhouses were part of a broader system that combined housing with work requirements, intended to deter dependence on public aid while offering a basic safety net.

In Britain and Ireland, poor relief was organized through parishes and boards of guardians. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 aimed to centralize administration and promote austere workhouses, where admission often entailed admission to a regime of labor in exchange for sustenance. Conditions widely varied but were frequently harsh and designed to be unappealing. Almshouses, providing more comfortable shelter for the elderly and needy, also operated in many communities. In the United States, similar institutions existed as almshouses or poor farms at county or municipal levels, serving the aged, disabled, and paupers, and they were gradually transformed as welfare programs expanded in the 20th century.

Decline and legacy: The rise of modern social welfare programs, including public assistance and social security, led to the closure or repurposing of many poorhouses. Today the term is largely historical and can carry a pejorative connotation when applied to contemporary welfare systems. Some former poorhouse buildings have been preserved as museums or repurposed for other public uses.