Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge, National historic site in Centre Wellington, Canada.
Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge is a two-story stone building from the late 1800s situated on a hilltop beside the Grand River in Ontario. The facility provided shelter and work for destitute individuals and has been converted into a museum that now displays exhibits about the area's past and how social services evolved.
The building was constructed between 1876 and 1877 and operated as a poorhouse for Wellington County until 1971. Its long period of operation documents how social assistance evolved in Canada over nearly a century.
The building reflects how the community once managed poverty through institutional care, bringing together people who had nowhere else to turn. Visitors can observe how this place functioned as a central support hub in the region.
The site is best visited during daytime hours when the museum and exhibits are open to visitors. The building sits on a hillside with views toward the river, so plan for a short walk uphill to reach it.
A cemetery on the grounds holds approximately 300 graves of former residents, marking the spot where many who lived here were buried. Walking through these rows offers a sobering reminder of the lives that passed through this place.
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