I am most passionate about the 19th century poorhouses of rural Ohio. My interest in these institutions began with the Knox County Infirmary, located Bangs, just southwest of Mount Vernon, Ohio. These institutions have many legends that surround them, but very few outside of academia truly understand what poorhouses and other social reform institutions of this period really meant to the community and the individuals that they housed. Specifically, I am interested why these institutions have such grand architecture and expansive, scenic grounds when the poor, elderly, orphaned, and the physically and mentally disabled were (and continue to be) portrayed as the outcasts of society.I received an award from the Knox County Landmarks Foundation in 2016, recognizing my "Individual Contribution to Landmark Preservation," primarily for my efforts in preserving the history and legacy of the Knox County Infirmary.