Located in Ashmore, Illinois, USA is an abandoned almshouse built in the 1900s. Ashmore Estate's almshouse was the second of such a facility in Coles County after “The Coles County Poor Farm”. Just like the first poor farm which was situated at the same site, Ashmore Estates was closed down and abandoned to date.

Fall of the Coles County Poor farm

Coles county's poor farm closure opened the way to the construction of Ashmore Estates which was its replacement. The first-ever poor farm which was constructed in the 1850s and opened for operations in 1857 was closed in the early 1900s. This was due to the obsolete ventilation, heating, and emergency systems. On top of that, poor hygiene of the facility, especially the kitchen, worried the committee sent to check on its overall condition. After adequate analysis and research, the board made a decision to build a new and improved Ashmore Estates. Initially, it still retained the name Coles county poor farm but changed names in 1959 when it was sold to Ashmore Estates. The organization opened up a private psychiatric hospital on the premises which closed down after five years of operation. It opened as a public institution for the insane two years after its closure.

Abandonment

Over the next few years, the facility changed hands with every owner at a given time having visions of restoring the structure. Paul Swinford, who was the last known owner of the property, closed the facility down after the government failed to support his proposals. All the residents were transferred to other area homes within the state. Attempts to reopen the facility 2 years later by Swinford bore no fruits. In 1995, fire devoured one of the structures within the property. Four years later, a local bought the building with plans to renovate it into his private home. He was unable to fulfill this dream due to the extreme vandalism that was subjected to the building. New owners purchased the building and turned it into a commercial haunted house. The business was later halted when a storm blew the roof off the building.

Was the building ever restored?

Ashmore Estates was sold to the owner of the R Theater, Norma Terry who has renovated the building. Terry's intention is to preserve the building as a historical structure and a paranormal investigation site. For over a century now, Ashmore Estates has stood strong despite the rough years. Ashmore Estates are yet to be declared a national historic landmark. Ashmore Estates was open for visits by the general public but recently changed its policy due to extreme vandalism that has been brought on the building. The new and improved policy bars people from trespassing on the property.