Berks County Welfare Farm - 1923 - Leesport, PA
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Janila
N 40° 23.194 W 075° 59.771
18T E 415447 N 4471139
Dedication plaques for the Berks County Welfare Farm
Waymark Code: WMYNDD
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 07/03/2018
Views: 8
William W. Essick, who was the founder of the Pennsylvania Optical Company, believed in giving back to his community, a trait inspired by his service during WWI in Yugoslavia and Belgium. His two main passions were fighting tuberculosis and working towards prison reform.
His first donation to the county consisted of 713 acres of land plus the equipment needed to maintain it. Shortly before he died, he donated an additional 162 acres. This land was to be used to build a new prison for Berks County. This was accomplished and a few years later, a new county home was built on the same land to care for the sick and injured who were not able to pay for long term care on their own.