History

poorhouse |ˈpoŏrˌhous; ˈpôr- |
noun
an institution where paupers were maintained with public funds. To include orphans, widows, the handicap and minor criminals.

almshouse |ˈä(l)mzˌhous |
noun
a house built by a charitable person or organization for poor people to live in.

asylum | əˈsīləm |
noun
a shelter or protection from danger or those too ill to care for themselves;
an institution offering shelter and support to the mentally ill. A refuge, sanctuary, or safe haven.


Before becoming infamously known as Rolling Hills Asylum™ and a widely documented hotbed of paranormal activity, the property was originally named
The Genesee County Poor Farm, often affectionately referred to as
"The Old County Home".

Days gone by
The Genesee County Poor Farm
Often resembling a reformatory, a poorhouse often housed orphaned children, families, destitute elderly, physically handicapped, mentally unstable, morally corrupt, even criminals. These institutions were situated on the grounds of a poor farm on which able-bodied residents were required to work; such farms were common in the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

A poorhouse (sometimes referred to as almshouse or asylum) was a government-run facility for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality, and institutions of this nature were widespread in the United States prior to the adoption of the Social Security program in the 1930s.

On December 4, 1826 the Genesee County Board of Supervisors met in Bethany for the purpose of establishing a County Poorhouse. A brick building, originally a stagecoach tavern, located near the corner of the Bethany Center Road and Raymond Road was the site selected, as it represented the geographical center of the county. (Wyoming County wasn’t established until 1841.)


This official announcement, dated December 9, 1826,
appeared in an issue of the Batavia Times newspaper:

“Notice is hereby given that the Genesee County Poorhouse will be ready for the reception of paupers on the first day of January 1827 … The Overseers of the Poor of the several towns of the County of Genesee are requested, in all cases of removal of paupers to the county poorhouse, to send with them their clothing, beds, bedding and such other articles belonging to the paupers as may be necessary and useful to them.”

The following were eligible for assistance:

Habitual drunkards, lunatics (one who by disease, grief or accident lost the use of reason or from old age, sickness or weakness was so weak of mind as to be incapable of governing or managing their affairs), paupers (a person with no means of income), state paupers (one who is blind, lame, old or disabled with no income source) or a vagrant.

In 1828 Genesee County constructed a stone building attached to the Poorhouse for the confinement of lunatics and a repository for paupers committed for misconduct. The insane were also housed at the County Home until 1887 when the Board of Supervisors agreed to send “persons suffering with acute insanity" elsewhere in the state.

The Genesee County Poor Farm aka The County Home, was a self sufficient working farm and woods, spanning over 200 acres, providing food and fuel, thus the actual cost to care for each person was low, about $1.08 per week per resident, back in 1871.

Residents were referred to as inmates (no matter why they were housed there) and those physically able-bodied would work the farm and many actually built and made wares to sell to help offset some of the living expenses. The raising of Holsteins, pigs, draft horses, chickens and ducks, raising vegetable and fruit crops, canning jams, jellies, meats, were all part of the chores, there was a bakery and even a wood shop where coffins were made (for use as needed and for sale to local mortuaries).

The County would bury those who had no family, and records indicate there was once a cemetery located on the property, but the particulars are almost nonexistent. An 1886 Proceeding states “The burying ground we have improved by building a fence in front and grading and leveling the ground as much as could be done without injury to the graves.”

The cemetery for the County Poorhouse has faded away as the stones crumpled, the grass grew and the forest replanted. No one was around to care for those who had so long ago been forgotten. These people, though they were poor, ill and sometime abandoned, do deserve to be remembered. An actual cemetery register or plot map has yet to be discovered.

A memorial site was created in the Genesee County Park and on June 6, 2004 when five headstones, dated from 1887 to 1888, were returned to the County. The Genesee County Historians dedicated a historical marker honoring those who died while living in the County Home from 1827 until the facility was closed in 1974 (residents were relocated to new facilities in Batavia).

Compiled by information provided by
By Susan L. Conklin, Genesee County Historian

 

HELP PRESERVE ROLLING HILLS ASYLUM 

October is a pretty special month for me and Rolling Hills Asylum.
On October 25, I purchased this incredible property — just one day before my birthday on October 26. This October marks the beginning of my 17th year owning, caring for, and working to preserve Rolling Hills Asylum.
And there's another very important milestone coming: in 2027, the PROPERTY will celebrate its 200th anniversary. I'd really like to keep it going.
Anyone who has ever owned an old building knows the work never truly ends — and with a property of this size and history, neither does the expense. There are always repairs to be made, and some of the biggest and most costly work still ahead involves our roofs. I don't currently have the next phase of roof work scheduled because, quite simply, I need to raise the money to do it.
So, in honor of my RHA anniversary, my birthday month, and the property's approaching 200th anniversary, if you're so inclined, please consider making a donation toward the continued preservation and repairs at Rolling Hills Asylum.
No amount is too small. Even the price of a coffee from Tim Hortons, Dunkin' or Starbucks can help when enough people come together.
If you aren't able to donate, sharing this post and the GoFundMe is tremendously helpful too.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me and Rolling Hills Asylum through the years. I want this extraordinary piece of history to still be standing, welcoming visitors, and telling its stories for many years to come. ❤️
Please donate if you can — and PLEASE SHARE!

 

 

 

 2026 marked the 111th Anniversary of the
100th Anniversary of the official designation of the
Genesee County Forest in 1915

Spearheaded by Genesee County Poor House's Superintendent, George Fleming, thousands of pine trees were planted by the inmates of the Poor House, and many of the trees still remain
from the original plantings.

 Click Here to read the article

2015 marks the 50th Anniversary of the closing of
The Genesee County Farm on July 20, 1965

Click Here to read the article

Genesee County Nursing Home closed in 1974

Much of the information was provided by The Genesee County History Dept.
Click Below

Another source for additional information- Click Below

 

Upcoming Events

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  • Oct 14 October 14, 2026 - Guided Flashlight Tour -
    October 14, 2026 - Guided Flashlight Tour - 7p-9p - $49p When the sun goes down, Rolling Hills Asylum becomes an entirely different place. Step inside after dark for a guided flashlight tour through the shadowed halls of Rolling Hills Asylum, where nearly two centuries of history, tragedy and unexplained activity surround you. Your guide will lead you through some of the asylum’s most storied—and notoriously active—areas, sharing the history of the property, stories of the people who once lived and worked here, and the documented experiences and paranormal activity that have made Rolling Hills Asylum famous. With the building darkened and only your flashlight to light the way, you'll explore corridors, rooms and spaces where visitors and investigators have reported disembodied voices, footsteps, shadow figures, unexplained sounds, touches and other encounters. And because no two nights at Rolling Hills are ever quite the same... you never know who—or what—may decide to join the tour. BONUS: The first 30 tickets sold for this tour include a FREE souvenir flashlight for you to use during the tour and take home with you! Ticket Info: 18+ with valid ID. Ages 14–17 permitted with parent and pre-authorization at least FIVE days in advance of event date. Parking: 30 minutes before scheduled time | Check-in: Promptly 15 minutes prior to scheduled time | No late entry. Bag rules & restrictions apply. No outside food/drinks. Closed-toe, closed-heel shoes required. Rolling Hills Asylum has a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY regarding drugs and alcohol and reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone suspected of being under the influence of any substance. Smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, nicotine pouches, and all other tobacco/nicotine products are also prohibited on the property. All sales final. No refunds. #RollingHillsAsylum #Ghosts #GhostHunting #Haunted #HauntedAsylum #Paranormal #ParanormalActivity #HauntedHistory #HistoricHaunts #AsylumTour #GuidedTour #HauntedNY #WesternNY #WNY #ThingsToDoWNY #ExploreWNY #FlashlightTour, #HistoryAndHauntings #DarkTourism #OctoberInWNY #SpookySeason #HauntedPlaces #GhostTour #ParanormalNY
  • Oct 15 October 15, 2026 - Guided Flashlight Tour + Ghost Hunt - $59p
    October 15, 2026 - Guided Flashlight Tour + Ghost Hunt - 7p-10p - $59p When the sun goes down, Rolling Hills Asylum becomes an entirely different place. Step inside after dark for a guided flashlight tour through the shadowed halls of Rolling Hills Asylum, where nearly two centuries of history, tragedy and unexplained activity surround you. Your guide will lead you through some of the asylum’s most storied—and notoriously active—areas, sharing the history of the property, stories of the people who once lived and worked here, and the documented experiences and paranormal activity that have made Rolling Hills Asylum famous. With the building darkened and only your flashlight to light the way, you'll explore corridors, rooms and spaces where visitors and investigators have reported disembodied voices, footsteps, shadow figures, unexplained sounds, touches and other encounters. And because no two nights at Rolling Hills are ever quite the same... you never know who—or what—may decide to join the tour. After the tour ends, do you dare roam the halls of Rolling Hills Asylum on your own? BONUS: The first 30 tickets sold for this tour include a FREE souvenir flashlight for you to use during the tour and take home with you! Ticket Info: 18+ with valid ID. Ages 14–17 permitted with parent and pre-authorization at least FIVE days in advance of event date. Parking: 30 minutes before scheduled time | Check-in: Promptly 15 minutes prior to scheduled time | No late entry. Bag rules & restrictions apply. No outside food/drinks. Closed-toe, closed-heel shoes required. Rolling Hills Asylum has a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY regarding drugs and alcohol and reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone suspected of being under the influence of any substance. Smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, nicotine pouches, and all other tobacco/nicotine products are also prohibited on the property. All sales final. No refunds. #RollingHillsAsylum #Ghosts #GhostHunting #Haunted #HauntedAsylum #Paranormal #ParanormalActivity #HauntedHistory #HistoricHaunts #AsylumTour #GuidedTour #HauntedNY #WesternNY #WNY #ThingsToDoWNY #ExploreWNY #FlashlightTour, #HistoryAndHauntings #DarkTourism #OctoberInWNY #SpookySeason #HauntedPlaces #GhostTour #ParanormalNY
  • Oct 16 October 16, 2026 - Self Guided Ghost Hunt - $59p
    October 16, 2026 - Self Guided Ghost Hunt - 6p-9p - $59p Do you dare roam the halls of Rolling Hills Asylum on your own? Tonight, YOU’RE the paranormal investigator. Following orientation, venture into the asylum and explore its notoriously active rooms, corridors and darkened spaces at your own pace. Go with your group—or find out if you have the nerve to sit alone in the darkness. Follow an unexplained sound. Feel a sudden cold spot. Hear footsteps approaching when no one is there. Catch a voice on your recorder. Feel something—or someone—touch you when you're certain you're alone. The unknown. The unexpected. The unexplained. Your heart pounds a little harder when the lights are out and you realize you don't know what's waiting around the next corner... or standing right behind you. Whether you purchase some gear from our website or on site gift shop, bringing your own paranormal equipment, or keeping it simple with just your cell phone, a small low light flashlight, and your own senses, everything is real. Including the ghosts. And that's what makes every investigation at Rolling Hills Asylum different. Ticket Info: 18+ with valid ID. Ages 14–17 permitted with parent and pre-authorization at least FIVE days in advance of event date. Parking: 30 minutes before scheduled time | Check-in: Promptly 15 minutes prior to scheduled time | No late entry. Bag rules & restrictions apply. No outside food/drinks. Closed-toe, closed-heel shoes required. Rolling Hills Asylum has a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY regarding drugs and alcohol and reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone suspected of being under the influence of any substance. Smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, nicotine pouches, and all other tobacco/nicotine products are also prohibited on the property. All sales final. No refunds. #RollingHillsAsylum #Ghosts #GhostHunting #Haunted #HauntedAsylum #Paranormal #ParanormalActivity #HauntedHistory #HistoricHaunts #AsylumTour #GuidedTour #HauntedNY #WesternNY #WNY #ThingsToDoWNY #ExploreWNY #FlashlightTour, #HistoryAndHauntings #DarkTourism #OctoberInWNY #SpookySeason #HauntedPlaces #GhostTour #ParanormalNY
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