Horrific Hauntings : The Fairfield County Infirmary

  The Fairfield County Infirmary, called a poor farm, used to be a place for the less lucky ones. It used to shelter the homeless and it was also a place where people with physical or mental health issues got admitted. It also housed people with disabilities, who have been ill, the elderly who were too old to care for themselves and also orphaned children.

 With an extended history of over 170 years of serving the much less fortunate, Fairfield County Infirmary additionally preserves more than just history in its partitions. The Fairfield County Infirmary is said to be extremely paranormally active. It harbours a lot of darkish secrets, and after you know more about the Infirmary, you’ll quickly recognize why this brick behemoth has a haunted recognition.

History

 In 1828, township officials who were charged with overlooking the poor and unfortunate contracted the development of a wood building in the north of Lancaster, Ohio. It got filled to its maximum ability quickly, performing as a place where the impoverished, mentally sick, bodily disabled, abandoned elderly, and orphaned children could receive food, clothing, a roof over their head and medical assistance.

 By the year 1840, the wooden building was turned into a huge brick building. Additions have been made to the facility in 1865, both to the principal construction as well as building some of the outbuildings used for storage, tenants, laundry and farming. The farm was situated across the street and plenty of residents laboured on the land to make food for themselves and others at the infirmary.

 In 1917, natural gas lines were laid out in the building to provide heat and lighting. Water pipes have been laid in 1926, but the building got electricity only in 1958. A cemetery which stands behind the construction is where the bodies of the mendicants and residents without family lie and most of these graves are unmarked. In line with documentation, the number of residents in 1903 was 82, and they had been “admitted” for numerous reasons, which included physical and mental health issues that their families couldn't handle. There were many residents a majority of whose lives were at the infirmary and they mostly met their demise in the infirmary as well.

 While residents usually lost their lives to old age or their health conditions, some met their demise more abruptly and tragically. One such tale involves Jane Householder, a resident aged 72, whose clothes caught fire whilst she was near a gas stove. Whilst attendants working on the infirmary smothered the fire, Ms Householder was able to survive her burns for only a short duration. Tales persist that a former superintendent used to be especially merciless to the residents of the infirmary, reportedly hitting them as they worked within the fields of the farm.

 Those punishments had been witnessed by others inside the community and it was stated in an article posted in 1851 in the Lancaster Gazette. The good souls of the vicinity ended the superintendent’s brutality, and the life of the infirmary's residents became better once the abuse ceased. It is also stated that the county officials would sporadically visit the infirmary and have a meal with the residents.

 People from the community would donate Christmas gifts, nearby musicians might play for the aged, and ice cream socials were also held at times. Still, tales of suicide and violence persisted, as too many humans with different problems residing under one roof often proved to be disastrous. The infirmary functioned until 1985, after which it was seized with the last sixteen residents being moved to nearby nursing facilities or foster houses.

 The infirmary became remodelled in 1986 and the county offices got moved there after establishing multiple protection measures, including the installation of fire alarms, sprinklers and emergency lighting. Its name was then changed to Clarence E. Miller Building, and the county health department functioned in the building till 2013, despite the fact that the structure was completely damaged in 2011.

Paranormal Occurrences

 Mix the death, trauma and mistreatment of the former residents, and you end up with a perfect blend for a haunting.

 Many spirits are reported to haunt the Fairfield County Infirmary, with eerie events often occurring in the building. A lot of people trust that the former superintendent Hummel still lingers in the building. It is believed that he might still enforce rules on the spirits on the property, overseeing them and silencing their tries to talk with visitors.

 Another spirit stated to stay at the infirmary is that of Jane Householder. Jane died in the building while she was 73 years after a terrible accident where flames from a gasoline stove took hold of her clothes. This woman spent the next 9 hours struggling from the burns before finally passing away. This terrorizing experience could be the reason for her lingering around.

Other spirits said to loaf around the infirmary is that of a young girl, who has been named Susie, a spirit named Willy who is said to haunt the second and third floor and a 9-foot-tall shadow figure who remains in the attic, additionally known as the dungeon, as misbehaving citizens were regularly chained to the partitions up there.

 There are lots of areas in which eerie activities have been reported, however, they aren't necessarily connected to a selected spirit. The prison-like cell in which residents were frequently locked up for not following regulations is paranormally active. The attic/dungeon, the toilets, hallways, some rooms and even the lower floors that contain the former morgue are also said to be haunted.

 Site visitors have recorded hearing unclear voices and slamming doors and windows, smelling lavender fragrance and objects moving on their very own. Shadows, Footsteps approaching when no one is around, device failure or malfunction and unexplained banging are commonly reported occurrences in the house.

Current State

 The Fairfield County Infirmary is closed now, but those brave enough to visit can still visit the property.