The Jefferson County Alms House, also known as Snow Hill Farm, located near Leetown, West Virginia, is an historic Federal style house. Snow Hill was built circa 1813 for John Hurst, son of James Hurst, a prosperous local landowner. In 1857, Snow Hill was purchased from the Hurst family for use as a farm for the local poor. By 1931 the Alms House (also known as the County Infirmary) had declined to the point that it had become a local disgrace. Corrective measures were taken, and the Infirmary survived until 1959, when its last nine inmates were moved to other quarters.
The property now houses a number of County agencies.
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“In a virtuous government, and more especially in times like these, public offices are, what the should be, burthens to those appointed to them which it would be wrong to decline, though foreseen to bring with them intense labor and great private loss.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“Jack: A politician, huh?
Editor: Oh, county treasurer or something like that.
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Editor: They say he’s an honest man.”
—Robert Rossen (1908–1966)
“If alms were only given out of pity, all the beggars would have starved to death.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“The welcome house of him my dearest guest.
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Till natures sad decree shall call thee hence;
Flesh of thy flesh, bone of thy bone,
I here, thou there, yet both but one.”
—Anne Bradstreet (c. 1612–1672)