In the 19th century, Cecil County government did far more than maintain roads, courts, and the jail. It also operated a 175‑acre working farm as part of the almshouse located near Cherry Hill. This “county farm” produced vegetables, meat, and dairy for the residents, and any surplus was sold to help offset the cost of poor relief. For generations, the cultivated fields of prime land on a hilltop in northeastern Cecil County stood at the center of the county’s public‑welfare system.
The Overseer of the Poor—together with his wife, the matron—shouldered the demanding work of running the institution, caring for residents, and operating a productive farm. Beyond the administrative duties, the overseer managed the fields, barns, livestock, and daily operations, often laboring alongside hired hands and residents. His wife cared for those committed to the poorhouse, prepared meals, dispensed basic medical attention, washed clothing, and oversaw the housekeeping that kept the almshouse functioning. Together, their responsibilities formed a relentless workload: while her husband worked the fields from sunup to sundown, the matron’s labor neither began nor ended with the light of day.
Able‑bodied residents were expected to contribute, aiding in the cultivation of the fields or providing general labor in return for their support from the county. Yet even with this help, the overseer frequently hired additional workers, especially during the planting and harvest seasons, to cultivate fields and keep the large agricultural operation productive.
The scale of the farm’s output was substantial. In 1884, the almshouse farm produced 393 bushels of wheat, 520 of oats, 800 of corn, 208 of potatoes, and 20 of turnips. It also yielded 5,459 pounds of pork. Livestock on the property included pigs, cows, and horses, all of which contributed to the institution’s self‑sufficiency.
What happened in the fields during the growing season could affect the county budget. A good, productive year meant the almshouse table was well served with a variety of healthy, locally grown dishes, and that less money was needed from the county tax levy to support the poorhouse. A poor yield shifted the burden back to the taxpayers.
After more than a century and a half of operation, the 164‑year‑old almshouse and its 175-acres were sold by Cecil County Government in early 1952 for $30,200 to G. Howard Bathon. The remaining seven residents were transferred to other institutions, bringing an end to a system that had shaped local poor relief for centuries.
With that sale, an institution that had long been an integral part of Cecil County’s public‑welfare network passed quietly into memory. The county farm — prime farmland on a hilltop near Cherry Hill — was more than an agricultural enterprise: it was a cornerstone of the community’s care for its most vulnerable residents. Today, few remember that such a place existed, yet it once stood at the heart of the county’s efforts to provide support to those in need.
