The Johnson County Historic Poor Farm has been designated as an official Heritage Area Site in partnership with the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA).
SSNHA spans 37 counties in northeast Iowa. It is one of 62 federally designated heritage areas in the country and the only one that interprets the theme of agriculture.
As part of the designation, the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm, located at 4811 Melrose Avenue, Iowa City, will access various benefits from SSNHA, including marketing programs, funding for educational and interpretive site improvements, and networking opportunities.
More information about SSNHA is available at https://www.silosandsmokestacks.org/.
The Johnson County Historic Poor Farm is one of the few remaining relatively intact examples of the county farm model established in the 19th century. In 2017, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors adopted a master plan to provide a 10-year vision for the Poor Farm to preserve the farm’s history, educate the public, offer recreation areas, and increase local food production through land access and beginning farmer training.
More information about the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm is available at www.jchistoricpoorfarm.com.