Dexter Asylum, Poor farm in Providence, Rhode Island, US
The three-story brick structure with mansard roof and dormers stood on a 40-acre farm enclosed by a mile-long stone boundary wall.
Ebenezer Knight Dexter, a merchant, bequeathed his Neck Farm to Providence in 1824 for the construction of an asylum within five years.
The institution housed 190 residents at its peak in 1849, many of whom were Irish immigrants working in agricultural and dairy production.
The facility operated from 1828 to 1957, providing care and housing for elderly and mentally ill residents unable to support themselves.
Brown University purchased the property for $1,000,777 in 1956, leading to the creation of the Dexter Donation fund for Providence residents in need.
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