By Marty Trese, KnoxPages.com Editor
BANGS – Among the crowd of those who watched the old Bible College/Infirmary fire in Bangs Friday evening was a local historian who has studied the property for years.
Local historian and author Aubrey Brown is writing a book on the building and took time to share some of the history while the building burned in front of her eyes. Over the years the building was known as the Knox County Home, Infirmary, and Poorhouse. On seeing the fire Brown said, “I cried, it was a very sad moment for me. It’s a tragedy. It was a true gem to the county. It was one of the last remaining poorhouses in the state of Ohio.”
The County moved the indigent to the orignal poorhouse building, which was on the land which is now the Chapel Hill driving range, in 1842. In 1874 fire broke out in that structure. A new facility was planned. According to Brown the building which burned Friday night was built in 1875-1877. The architect was William Tinsley who also built Ascension Hall at Kenyon College and likely built Quarry Chapel outside of Gambier.
The Infirmary was home to the indigent and it closed in 1955. The closure was due to the relatively few who remained living there, about 50. Brown says those residents left were moved to the County Home on Avalon Road.
The building was purchased and became Mount Vernon Bible College from 1957-1986. The MVBC was moved to Virginia and the building stood empty until the late 90’s or so when it was operated as a haunted house.
Brown shared that recently, the Chapel Hill Golf Course bought the MVBC property but found it difficult to keep up with the taxes. It was sold and purchased by Toby Spade from Dublin, Ohio who had plans for the building but they never materialized.
Hear more comments from Brown on KnoxPages radio at this link:
https://soundcloud.com/mount-vernon-radio-com/history-of-old-bible-college-aubrey-brown
These photos show building before the fire – Photos courtesy Jeff Kusner.
