1800s Historic Poorhouse Buildings and

1800s Historic Poorhouse Buildings and - 2001 Television Coverage
Note: Click on small photos to enlarge them.
You can see the primitive wash house and chimney built in the 1800s and the newest 2001 Poorhouse Farm History 'parked' together on June 15, 2001 at the historic Poorhouse Farm. The interviews and tours aired on June 15 and June 16, 2001, television, Channel 7 from Roanoke, VA
		All this attention was focused on the ... WYTHE COUNTY POORHOUSE around the June 16, 2001 Dedication of -- a new cemetery marker and -- a highway marker for the facility which has recently been placed on the National Register of Historic Places
Rachel Cannon, News7 and Abner Bruce Graham Jr. pose in the history filled room at the LIVING HISTORY BOOK on June 15, 2001	The wood working tool being proudly shown to Rachel Cannon, News7 was donated by Abner's cousin Emmie Payne Spencer Nichols, a Dean and Graham first cousin.

	<<<<< Don't Miss This -- Wonderful Scenic View as the TV cameraman sets up to shoot! PHL
They told us we could order a copy of what was shown on TV by calling 1-800-777-9325. Don't know the cost.

	The newly donated granite monument for the cemetery was donated to the Grahams and their LIVING HISTORY BOOK by Grubb Funeral Home and Wytheville, Monument Company in Wytheville, VA on June 16, 2001.

The 340-acre Wythe County Poorhouse Farm was established in 1858 for the care of the elderly, disabled, and impoverished people of Wythe County. It was governed by the Wythe County Board of Supervisors and owned by the county until 1957 when the poorhouse farm was sold at public auction. An administrator known as the overseer of the poor was appointed and paid by the county to operate the facility. The property included eight pauper houses, the overseer's residence, and supporting farm structures. It was listed on the Virginia Landmark Register in 1999 and the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

	And they ALL came to offer prayer and celebrate ... poorhouse history! Click here to see the photo album.
and they will continue to celebrate in ...
FRIENDSHIP PARK
	This small peaceful corner of the poorhouse property was christened Friendship Park ... and it is hoped that it will allow many of the descendants of the former residents a place to experience reunions -- with the memory of their ancestors as well as with other descendants. This 1800s Poor Farm was linked together by a foot bridge built by high school students from Maryland, Olin Armentrout, Warren Thompson and Sarah and Abner Graham Jr. It was christened Friendship Park because new and old friends worked together to create this opportunity for fellowship. The oak lumber and poles for the foot bridge to Friendship Park were donated by Olin Armentrout and The Lawson and Spraker Family.
Erika Aker, the Graham's granddaughter stands on the bridge built across Shoestring Branch near the corner of the Wythe County Poorhouse Farm on June 16, 2001.
See the newspaper article about the FAMILY REUNION already held here.