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1907 Picture of Harvest Time At The City Farm and Alms House at Clarks Point -
New Bedford, Ma. |
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The alms house and poor farm were on 75 acres that stretched across Clark's Point from Clark's Cove all the way to the Acushnet River.
The land was bought from Perry Russell in 1828 for $4,800.00.
Also known as "The Poor Farm" it came with a house on it.
At that time, the previous Alms house built in 1773 and located on 6th street was moved to the farm and joined onto the main house there. Soon additions were built, and it could house 75-80 people.
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During the small pox outbreak in the winter of 1839 -1840 a small house was built on the land about 30 rods (495 feet) away to house about 10 - 12 patients.
It was used as a small pox hospital later.
A successful salt works were built in Clark's Cove adjacent to and as part of the farm which produced 1200 - 1500 bushels of salt.
The farm work was done by the inmates who were capable of working and it managed to do well as a farm. The winters saw an increase in population.
It also served as a marine hospital, and there were 27 patients in 1839 and 43 in 1840.
Eventually a school was built for the children in the institution and the Overseers Of The Poor met there once a month. The inmates were assembled for religious instruction on the Sabbath.
In 1853 Violet Procter, 108 years old died there.
In 1773, she had been aboard one of the ships in the Boston Tea Party.
Click on the image for an enlargement |
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| Below is a photo of the stone building of the Alms house at Clark's Point. |
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