HARTFORD — The Van Buren County Museum will sponsor a fundraiser visit by the Southern Michigan Paranormal Investigators (SMPI) July 28.

While at the museum, 58471 Red Arrow Highway, the group will seek out paranormal activity at the century-plus old building.

The SMPI, consisting of volunteers, has been coming to the museum since 2009 and finding unusual readings on sophisticated equipment.

The public is invited to attend the event that begins at 9  p.m. Registration is required. Call (269) 621-2546 or (269) 621-2188. Cost is $10 per person; $15 day of event.

The museum site can be traced back to the late 1800s, when the county’s poor and indigent population did not have the benefit of a social service support system, and, as a result, the care of those people was provided by the county.  The Van Buren County Poorhouse was originally a working farm with a wood-frame farmhouse and was set on 173 acres. The residents worked the farm, tilling the soil,  raising crops and livestock to feed themselves.

This continued until 1884, when it was destroyed by fire, resulting in the loss of many lives.  Because of the fire, the county realized the need for a less fireprone dwelling and built the four-story brick structure that stands today.

The Poorfarm operated until 1952.

In 1972, the Van Buren County Historical Society was formed and the building was on its way to becoming the 44 -room museum that it is today housing collections illustrating local history.  Museum hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.