Berks County Almshouse, 1895 1895

Louis Mader created this painting of the Berks County Almshouse in 1895, likely commissioned by the institution itself. It offers a bird's-eye view of the almshouse, a charitable institution providing housing and care for the poor, elderly, and disabled in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The image presents the almshouse as a self-sufficient and orderly community. We can see residents engaged in various activities, from farming to tending livestock. The inclusion of the American flag and symbols of industry like the smoking chimney stack, suggest a narrative of progress and national pride. But how might we look beyond this rosy picture? Historical records, census data, and institutional reports can help us to uncover the realities of life in the almshouse. We can ask: Who lived there, and under what conditions? What were the social attitudes towards poverty and dependency at the time? By exploring these questions, we can understand the almshouse not just as a building, but as a reflection of the social and economic forces shaping late 19th-century America.