The Mercer
County Home is situated north of Mercer. The principal
buildings were erected about 1882-83, ground being first broken in 1880.
The original cost of the building was over a hundred thousand dollars.
The farm has been owned and used by the county for these purposes for
more than half a century. The first poor farm was bought in 1851, and
was also in Cool Spring township, The site was ill adapted, and the
place was sold before buildings were completed. The present farm was
bought of Thomas Pearson in May, 1852, and
was made ready for its first resident poor in January, 1853.
Twentieth
Century History of Mercer County,
1909, Vol. I, page 24
