The Ottawa County Poor Farm in Eastmanville, MI - October 23, 2018 - Zeeland Historical Society

The Ottawa County Poor Farm in Eastmanville, MI - October 23, 2018

The Ottawa County Poor Farm in Eastmanville, MI

Historical Society President, Mary Beth Timmer, welcomes our speaker, Marjorie Viveen :: photo by Lindsey Kult.

Next, at the podium, Debbie Albert invited everyone to the Historical Society's annual dinner on November 8 :: photo by Lindsey Kult.

Marjorie Viveen, Ed.S., was the chairperson of the Ottawa County Poor Farm Sesquicentennial Committee and chaired committees to preserve the Ottawa County Poor Farm Cemetery :: photo by Lindsey Kult.

CLICK TO ENLARGE - Internet photo

We watched a documentary film, "The Poor Farm", which tells the story of the Eastmanville Poor Farm in Ottawa County, Michigan :: photo by Susan.

Production assistance was provided by students from the Television and Digital Media Production program at Ferris State University :: photo by Lindsey Kult.

Founded in 1866, the Eastmanville Poor Farm was the longest continually operating Poor Farm in the United States, serving its community for over 130 years :: photo by Lindsey Kult.

Like many such Poor Farms across the country, the Eastmanville Poor Farm provided a home for the sick, the elderly, the disabled, and anyone else unable to live independently in our society :: photo by Susan.

After watching the film, Marjorie tells "the rest of the story" :: photo by Lindsey Kult.

Marjorie talked about Peter Ploeg, Joe Steel and Rena Kulos, just to name a few :: photo by Lindsey Kult.

Internet photo

There were about 125 people in attendance :: photo by Susan.

Thank you, Marjorie, for a wonderful presentation! :: photo by Lindsey Kult

CLICK TO ENLARGE - Viveen, Marjorie. (2016, Fall). Ticket to the Poor Farm. "The Joint Archives Quarterly, Volume 26, Number 3)", page 1 :: reprinted with permission from Hope College Joint Archives

CLICK TO ENLARGE - Viveen, Marjorie. (2016, Fall). Ticket to the Poor Farm. "The Joint Archives Quarterly, Volume 26, Number 3)", page 2 :: reprinted with permission from Hope College Joint Archives

CLICK TO ENLARGE - Viveen, Marjorie. (2016, Fall). Ticket to the Poor Farm. "The Joint Archives Quarterly, Volume 26, Number 3)", page 4 :: reprinted with permission from Hope College Joint Archives

CLICK TO ENLARGE - Viveen, Marjorie. (2016, Fall). Ticket to the Poor Farm. "The Joint Archives Quarterly, Volume 26, Number 3)", page 3 :: reprinted with permission from Hope College Joint Archives

CLICK TO ENLARGE - Viveen, Marjorie. (2016, Fall). Ticket to the Poor Farm. "The Joint Archives Quarterly, Volume 26, Number 3)", page 5 :: reprinted with permission from Hope College Joint Archives

THE END :: Internet photo

To view the YouTube version of the "The Poor Farm", press play.

THE POOR FARM TODAY . . .

On November 11, 2018, hubby and I drove out to the location where the Ottawa County Poor Farm once stood. See how it looks today ...

Written by Susan Norder, webmaster

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External Links

The Zeeland Record (1893-2006) - requires a Howard Miller library card

Family histories at Calvin College

Zeeland Cemetery - findagrave