Bui lt by Geni us es to be Run by the Inmates
Introduction This page ( http://www.historicasylums.org/ ) is an attempt to catalog and pre s e nt Ame ri c a's hi s tori c ps yc hi atri c hos pi tals ( s tate hospitals; insane asylums) founded mostly in the latter half of the 19th century. The site gives special emphasis on the facilities built on the "Kirkbride plan", but it is not necessarily limited to the Kirkbride hospitals. The Kirkbride plan and the resulting bui ldi ngs represented great ambiti on on the part of both ps ychi atri c caregi vers and archi tects . Known Ki rkbri de hos pi tals are i ndi cated by a cli ckable Ki rkbri de label Type: Kirkride in the listings. Asylums outside of this scope, such as ones constructed in the 20th century are also included.
To some, the asylums of the 19th century represent a darker period in mental health care, with involuntary incarcerati on, barbaric and ineffective treatments, and abuse of patients.
However, there is also a legacy of progressive institutional treatment left by Dorothea Dix, Thomas Story Kirkbride, John Galt, and others represented by these buildings and sites. The sites that remain stand in monument to the successes and failures of these reforms and their efforts. The treatments and philosophies seem rather outdated and quant today, but at the time were a considered to be great improvement in the treatment of people perceived in need of psychiatric care.
A large proportion of these historic institutions are no longe r ps yc hi atri c hos pi tals . What re mai ns are the magni fi c e nt castle like buildings wrought of brick and stone in incredible detail, a legacy of an attention to detail in architecture which seems to have been long forgotten.
Scope of this site: Presented here are hospitals which are still in operation, hospitals which are still standing but are now closed, hospitals that are still standing but are no longer used as hospitals, and hospitals that havebeen long si nce or recently demolished.
The largest and best known institutions presented here ( i ncluding the maj ori ty of the Ki rkbri de hospi tals) were started by and run by state governments. Well known examples of this type include Danvers State Insane Asylum in Massachusetts and Fe rgus Falls State Hos pi tal in Minnesota. This site also institutions run by city and county governments ( s uc h as the nume rous c ounty as ylums i n Wi s c ons i n, along with private institutions such as Brattleboro Retreat. Also included are state homes, instititions for the developmentally disabled, childrens' asylums, and institutions for the deaf and blind.
In addition to the psychiatric institutions, there are some medical hospitals and sanitariums, sanatoriums, poor farms, and prisons included in the site. These include certain Pennsylvani a state hos pi tals , whi c h i n s ome c as e s are actually medical hospitals, and not psychiatric institutions at all. Although a few of these might be included in this site ( especially where they share locations with insane asylums) , the focus of this site is not on these types of facilities. Note: This site is not yet complete: there are a lot of as ylums that have not be e n adde d ye t.
Arc hi te c ts : : The architects of these buildings include H. H. Richardson, George Kessler, Samuel Sloan, Gordon W. Lloyd, Ste phe n Vaughn Shi pman ( who de s i gne d s e ve ral) , s tate c api tol architect Elijah E. Myers, Ward P. Delano, Isaac Perry, John Notman, Frederick Law Olmsted ( landscapes and grounds) , A. J. Davi s , H. W. S. Cle ve land, Edward O. Falli s , Warre n Dunne ll, Charles C Rittenhouse, Richard Karl AugustKletting, John A. Fox, and others. Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride, while not an architect, devised the basic floor plan many of these architects used in the design of their main asylum buildings. Sanitariums: To most, the word "sanitarium" currently has identical meaning to "insane asylum". However, a century ago, the typical sanitarium was most likely a hospital or residential health spa. Some historic sanitariums were state run tuberculosis hospitals, and a few were actually insane asylums. In this site, the term "sanitorium" tends to be reserved for the TB institutions. The most famous historic sanitarium was the Kellogg Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan. This sanitarium was of the hospital/health spa variety, and was depicted in the film and book "The Road to Wellville". Kellogg's corn flakes were invented at this institution. Several historic sanitariums are included at the end of the listings for each state.
Type of Information Presented: Thi s s i te contai ns s cores of historic asylum postcard images, along with many other photos ( historic and modern) . Most of the pages contain postcard images or photos, while some of the pages contain only text at this time.
Also included are some architect or planner sketches of the hospitals as they were supposed to look (drawn before construction) , and the intended floor plans.
Some photos or other renditions of famous figures from this part of mental health history are included with the entry for the institution that the person was associated with.
These hospitals with their imposing main buildings are quickly vani s hi ng from the Ame ri c an landscape.
The Kirkbride State Hospitals
This excerpt was based on annual reports wri tten by Dr. Thomas Story Ki rkbri de, who served the Pennsylvania Hospital as superintendent from 1841 1883.
Dr. Kirkbride's progressive therapies and innovative writings onhos pi talde s i gn and manage me nt be c ame known as the " Ki rkbri de Plan, " which influenced, in one form or another, almost every American state hospital by the turn of the century.
Dr. Kirkbride created a humane and compassionate environment for his patients, and he believed that the beautiful setting described below restored patients to a more natural balance of the s enses . " quoted from the Pennsylvania Hospital Newsletter of the Fri ends of the Hos pi tal
Dr. Kirkbride spoke of his plan as linear. Buildings were arrangeden chelons. The center bui ldi ng was more i mpos ing than theothers and had a dome, in agreement with the classical tastes of the time. From the center building, used for administration offices, extendedwings right and left for patients. From the ends of the wings, short cross sections dropped back to connect wi th more bui ldi ngs , for pati ents , whi c h we re paralle l to the ori gi nal wi ngs . Eac h ward was enough out of line so that fresh air could reach it from all four sides and it was not under observation from the other wards from Dr. Kirkbride and his Mental Hospital by Earl D. Bond
You can read more about Thomas Story Kirkbride inThe Art of Asylum Keeping : Thomas Story Kirkbride and the Origins of Ame ri c anPs yc hi atry
See the following historic images of historic state hospitals from across the nation (states and territories) . Hospitals that are known for sure to be Kirkbride hospitals are indicated with an asterisk . The images include photographs, sketches, and floor plans. Note: Image sizes range from 30K to over 300K: these larger ones may take some time to load.
Terminology and Names Over the years, factors such as changes in the mission of the state hospital, changes in philosophy, and even changes in terminology has left these facilities with many names. Some state hospitals have had several names, and it seems like any institution that lasted from the 19th century into the 20th century had at least one name change. Examples of Names ( tending from earlier to recent)
• Lunati c Hos pi tal • Lunati c As ylum • As ylum for the I ns ane • Insane Asylum • State Hospital • Mental Health Center • Ps yc hi atri c Hos pi tal • Regional Center • Retreat • Developmental Center • Center
Ke y to Symbols
Starred entries have a lot of information; at least four images and/or substantial text.
Type: Kirkride Entries with this symbol of a large building with a tall central wing and wings attached on either side in a symmetric fashion are known Kirkbride hospitals.
Entries with this symbol areasylums based on a plan of scattered cottages. Hospitals which started as Kirkbride, but later added cottages are included under the Kirkbride category above instead of this cottage category.
Entries with this symbol are asylums that consisted mainly of one single wing building.
Entries with this symbol are asylums that consist of a large rambling building that is not on the Kirkbride plan.
Entries with this symbol have the main asylum building intact ( or mostly intact) , or the cottages pretty much remain in the case of cottage based hospitals. Preserved hospitals canstill be i n us e as ps yc hi atri c hos pi tals , us e d for anothe r purpos e , or abandoned.
Entries with this symbol are in danger of demolition at this time.
Entries with this symbol are asylums of which little remains
Entries with this symbol are for asylums that have lost their most significant historic structures, but many of the other bui ldings and the grounds remai n.
Entries with this symbol are for asylums buildings that are currently undergoing some sort of remodeling or renovation.
Institution entries with this symbolhave "Asylum Tourist" information, with information on museums at statehospitals ( and former state hospitals) and other sites open to the public, and general information on viewing the sites. The "Asylum Tourist"entries also include information on publicly viewable asylumsites NOT worth s e e i ng, and why.
Intrusion at psychiatric institutions, residences, and hospitals which are still in operation is strongly discouraged ( along with any sort of trepassing at any place where entry or exploration is prohibited or illegal) . The privacy and treatment of the residents and patients must be respected. This also includes former institutions which have been converted to another residential use. This symbol, prison bars, represents institutions that have now become pri sons .
Thi s s ymbol re pre s e nts i ns ti tuti ons whi c h have now be c ome colleges.
Alabama As ylums Bryce Hospital for the Insane, Tuscaloosa Type: Kirkride Mt. Vernon Insane Hospital
Sanitariums Belle Aire Sanitarium ( Mobile)
Alas ka No listings at this time.
Ari zona As ylums
Insane Asylum, Phoeni x
Arkans as As ylums
Arkansas State Hospital ( Arkansas Insane Asylum), Little Rock, 1883. No historic structures remaining ( ?)
Other State Institutions Arkansas Training School for Girls, Alexander
California As ylums
Atascadero State Hospital Agnews State Hospital, 1885 Camarillo State Hospital, Ventura County Fairview State Hospital, Orange County, 1959 Highland State Hospital ( see Patton State Hospital) Mendocino State Hospital, Ukiah Metropolitan State Hospital, Norwalk, 1916 Modesto State Hospital Napa State Hos pi tal, 1875 Norwalk State Hospital ( see Metropolitan State Hospital) Pacific State Hospital, Pomona, 1917 Patton State Hospital Type: Kirkride Porterville State Hospital, 1953 Sacramento State Hospital, 1853 San Franci sco Mari ne Hospi tal, 1853 Sonoma State Hospital, Eldridge, 1891 Stockton State Hospital, 1853
Colorado As ylums
Fort Logan Mental Health Center Colorado State Hospital ( Colorado Insane Asylum) , Pueblo, 1879
Sanitariums Mount Ai ry Sani tari um
Connecticut As ylums
Fairfield State Hospital, Newtown, 1932 Connecticut Retreat for the Insane, Hartford, 1823 Connecticut State Hospital, Middletown Norwi c h I ns ane Hos pi tal, Norwi c hMR & DD, Di s able d, State Home s , etc State School for Feeble Minded, Lakeville
Sanitariums Dr Gi ve n's ( Stamford) , Dr. Wads worth ( South Norwalk)
De laware As ylums De le ware State Hos pi tal, Farnhurs t De laware State Hos pi tal, Wi lmi ngton
Di s tri ct of Columbi a ( Was hi ngton, D. C. ) As ylums
St Elizabeths Hospital Type: Kirkride
Sanitariums Washington Sanitarium and Hospital
Flori da As ylums
Florida State Hospital, 1877 North Eas t State Hos pi tal, Mac Cle nny
Georgi a As ylums
Central State Hospital, Milledgeville 1837
State Homes, etc Georgia Retardati on Center
Sanitariums Blackman Walton ( Atlanta)
Hawai i No listings at this time.
Idaho No listings at this time.
Illinois As ylums
Alton State Hospital Anna State Hospi tal ( Southern Illi noi s) Type: Kirkride Bartonville State Hospital, Peoria, 1885 (aka Peoria State Hos pi tal) Chester State Hospital Chicago State Hospital ( Chicago Read) Tinley Park State Hospital Galesburg State Hospital Elgin State Hospital Type: Kirkride Jacksonville State Hospital Type: Kirkride Kankakee State Hospital ( EasternIllinois) Type: Kirkride Manteno State Hospital Wate rtown As ylum / Eas t Moli ne State Hos pi tal Fox Ri ve r As ylum (Fictional)
MR & DD, State Homes, etc Institute for the Feeble Minded, Lincoln
Indiana As ylums
Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane Type: Kirkride ( 2)
Evansville State Hospital ( Woodmere) Logansport State Hos pital ( Northern Ins ane As ylum) , Logansport Madison State Hospital ( Southeastern Insane Hospital) , Madison Ri c hmond State Hos pi tal
State Homes Home for Feeble Minded Youth, Fort Wayne
Sanitariums Dillsboro Sanitarium
Iowa State Asylums
Mt Pleasant State Hospital Type: Kirkride Cherokee State Hospital Type: Kirkride Clarinda State Hospital Type: Kirkride Independence State Hospital Type: Kirkride Woodward State Hos pi tal ( i n Woodward)
County As ylums Des Moines County Infirmary and Asylum for the Insane Hospital for the Insane, Dubuque County As ylum, Elkade r Boone County Poor and Insane Asylum ( near city of Boone) Clinton County Poor Farm and Insane Asylum Johnson County Insane Asylum and Poor Farm Jackson Country Insane Asylum at the County Poor Farm ( near city of Andrew) Marion Country Poorhouse and Asylum, Knoxville Polk County Asylum for the Poor and Insane
State Homes Institute for Feeble Minded Children, Glenwood
Kans as As ylums
Kansas State Imbecile Asylum (Winfield State Hospital) , Winfield Larned State Hospital Parsons State Hospital, Parsons Topeka State Hospital Type: Kirkride Wells Asylum, Atchison Osawatomie State Hospital Menniger Clinic ( 1925)
Ke ntuc ky As ylums
Central Insane Asylum, Lakeland Western State Hospital ( We s te rn Ke ntuc ky As ylum) , Hopki ns vi lle , 1848 Eastern State Hospital,1824
MR & DD, Di s able d, State Home s , e tc Kosair Hospital for Crippled Children, Louisville Sanitariums Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanitarium
Loui s i ana As ylums
State Hospital at Alexandria Jackson State Hospital ( East Louisiana State Hospital) Central Louisiana State Hospital ( Pineville)
Sanitariums Fenwi c k Sani tari um ( Covi ngton)
Mai ne As ylums
Augus ta Me ntal He alth I ns ti tute ( Augus ta I ns ane Hos pi tal) , 1848 Bangor Insane Hospi tal
MR & DD, Di s able d, State Home s , e tc Valley Farm ( Maine School for Feeble Minded) , West Ponwal
Maryland As ylums
Bay Vi e w As ylum. Hi ghlandtown Eastern Shore State Hospital, Cambridge Sheppard Enoch Pratt Hospi tal, Towson Spri ng Grove State Hospital, Catonsville Type: Kirkride Willmar State Hospital
Sanitariums Wabas ha Sani tari um State Sanitarium at Walker
Medical Hospitals Mayo Hos pi tal, Roc he s te r St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud St. Eli zabe th's Hos pi tal, Wabas ha St. Gabriel's Hospital, Little Falls St. Luke's Hospital, St. Paul Wi nona General Hospi tal, Wi nona
Mi s s ouri As ylums
Fulton State Hospital Ne vada State Hos pi tal Type: Kirkride St. Vincent's Insane Asylum, St. Loui s. State Hospital #4, Farmington St. Joseph State Hospital Type: Kirkride Marshall State Hospital, or State Home ( Marshall, Missouri) State Home, St. Louis St Louis County Insane Asylum SWGNA Are a Landmarks
Mississippi
Jackson State Hospital Type: Kirkride East State Hospital ( Meridian) Type: Kirkride East Mississippi State Hospital ( Meridian), 1885 Mississippi State Hospital ( Whitfield) North Mi s s i s s i ppi Re gi onal Ce nte r ( Oxford) South Mississippi State Hospital ( Laurel) Kuhn Memorial State Hospital ( Vicksburg)
Montana As ylums
Montana State Hospital ( at Anaconda) Montana State Hospital ( at Warm Springs)
Other Montana Developmental Center, Boulder
Ne bras ka As ylums
Has ti ngs State Hos pi tal State Lunati c As ylum at Li nc oln, 187 0 Norfolk Hospital for the Insane, 1885
Ne vada As ylums
Nevada Mental Health Institute, 1882
Ne w Hamps hi re As ylums
State Hospital in Concord
Ne w Je rs e y State Asylums
Ancora State Hospital State Asylum for the Insane at Morristown ( Morris Plains, Greystone) Type: Kirkride Marlboro State Hospital Trenton State Hospital Type: Kirkride County As ylums Atlanti c County Ins ane As ylum Camden County Insane Asylum Hudson County Asylum, New Jersey Sale m Alms hous e and I ns ane As ylum Burli ngton County I ns ane As ylum Insane Asylum, Pleasantville
Ne w Me xi c o No listings at this time.
Ne w York As ylums
Ne wvi lle State Hos pi tal Bi nghamton State Hos pi tal Creedmore State Hospital Harlem Valley State Hospital Hudson River State Hospital ( Poughkeepsie) Type: Kirkride Gowanda State Hospital Utica State Hospital Buffalo State Hospital Type: Kirkride Dannemora State Hospi tal King's Park State Hospital Middletown State Hospital Matteawan State Hospital ( now Fishkill Correctional Facility) Pilgrim State Hospital Willard State Hospital Type: Kirkride ( 4) Willowbrook State School ( Staten Island) We s te rn Ne w York I ns ti tuti on for De af Mute s ( Ne w York) St. Lawrence State Hospital in Ogdensburg, 1890 Roc kland Asylum on Blackwell's Island, 1839 Bloomington Lunatic Asylum, 1808 New York Asylum for Idiots, at Syracuse
Sanitariums: Loomis Sanitorium, ( Liberty) Interpines
North Carolina As ylums
Appalachi an Hall, Asheville Broughton Hos pi tal, 1874 ( Morganton) Type: Kirkride Cherry Hospital, 1880 Dorothe a Di x Hos pi tal Goldsboro State Hospital
North Dakota As ylums
Grafton State Hospital Jamestown State Hospital
Ohio As ylums Fai rhi ll Ps yc hi atri c Hos pi tal Mt Ve rnon State Hos pi tal Toledo State Hospital , 1888 Dayton State HospitalType: Kirkride Columbus Hospital for the Insane Type: Kirkride Cleveland State Hospital, 1855 Athens State Hospital Type: Kirkride Longvi e w As ylum Massillon State Hospital Lima State Hospital
State Homes, Other Springfield K. P. State Home Dayton Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home
Oklahoma As ylums LI Ce ntral State Hos pi tal, Norman
Eastern State Hospital, Vinita We s te rn State Ps yc hi atri c Ce nte r, Fort Supply
Oregon As ylums
Dammas c h State Hos pi tal, Wi ls onvi lle Eastern Oregon State Hospital at Pendleton State Insane Asylum at Salem
Penns ylvani a As ylums
Allentown State Hospi tal Blossburg State Hospital Bybe rry Hos pi tal Danville State Hospital Type: Kirkride Friends Hospital Harri s burg State Hos pi tal Mayview State Hospital, 1818 Nanti c oke State Hos pi tal Norri s town State Hos pi tal ( near Philadelphia) Pennhurst State Hospital, Spring City Pennsylvania Hospital ( Philadelphia) Type: Kirkride Scranton State Hospital Chester County Home and Hospital for the Insane Warren State Hospital Type: Kirkride Woodville State Hospital Sc huylki ll County Alms hous e and Hos pi tal for the I ns ane Farview State Hospital Western Pennsylvani a Hospi tal for the Insane at Di xmont Type: Kirkride Lanc as te r County As ylum
Pennsylvani a State Hospi tals general/medi cal hospi tals and NOT mental asylums: Philipsburg State Hospital Shamokin State Hospital. Hamburg State Hospital
Puerto Ri c o As ylums
Insane Asylum
Rhode I s land As ylums
Butler Hospital for the Insane, 1847 De xte r Hos pi tal for the I ns ane Asylum for the Incurable Insane at Howard, 1870
South Carolina As ylums
Columbia State Hospital
South Dakota As ylums Yankton State Hospi tal Hiawatha Insane Asylum for American Indians, 1902 Re dfi e ld State Hos pi tal and Sc hool
Tennessee As ylums
Bolivar State Hospital Nas hvi lle State Hos pi tal
Texas As ylums
Austin State Hospital San Antoni o State Hospi tal Rus k State Hos pi tal Terrell State Hospital Wichita Falls State Hospital
Other La Lomi ta Mi s s i on Tropical Texas Center, Mission
Utah As ylums
Utah State Hospital
Ve rmont As ylums
Brattleboro Retreat, 1838 Type: Kirkride Wate rbury State Hos pi tal
Virginia As ylums
Eastern State Hospital, Williamsburg ( Original) Eastern State Hospital, Williamsburg ( Current) Western State Hospital, Staunton Central State Hospital, Petersburg Augus ta County As ylum Southwestern State Hospital, Marion
Washington ( State) As ylums
State Insane Asylum near Tacoma ( Steilacoom) Eastern State Hospital at Medical Lake Type: Kirkride
West Virginia As ylums
Fairmont State Hospital We s ton As ylum Type: Kirkride 1858 Spencer State Hospital Type: Kirkride Lakin State Hospital ( Colored Insane) , near Point Pleasant Hunti ngton State Hos pi tal
Wisconsin State Asylums
Mendota State Hospital Type: Kirkride Wi nnebago State Hospi tal, aka Northern Asylum for the Insane, Winnebago Mental Health Institute, 1873 ( Oshkosh) Type: Kirkride
County As ylums Brown County Asylum, Green Bay Chippewa County Asylum, Chippewa Falls Clark County Insane Asylum Columbua County Asylum, Wyocena Dodge County As ylum, June au Dane County As ylum for the Cri mi nally I ns ane , Verona Douglas County Asylum for the Chroni c Insane, Dunn County Asylum, Menomoni e Fon du Lac County As ylum, Fon du Lac Green County Asylum, Monroe I owa Couty As ylum, Dodge vi lle Jefferson County Asylum, Jefferson La Cros s e County As ylum, We s t Sale m Grant County Asylum, Lancaster Mani towoc County As ylum, Mani towoc Marathon County Asylum, Wausau County As ylum, Mari ne tte Milwaukee County Asylum, Wauwatosa Outagami e County As ylum, Apple ton Monroe County Asylum, Sparta Raci ne County Asylum, Racine Richland County Asylum, Richland Center Rock County Insane Asylum St. Croix County Asylum, New Richmond Sauk County Poor Farm and I ns ane As ylum, Reedsburg, 1871 Sheboygan County Asylum, Sheboygan Trempealeau County Asylum, Whitehall Vernon County Asylum, Veroqua Walworth County Asylum, Elkhorn Was hi ngton County As ylum, We s t Bend Waukesha County Poor House and Asylum for the Insane Waupaca County Asylum Winnebago County Asylum, Wi nnebago Wood County As ylum, Mars hfi e ld. Othe r Waldhe i m As ylum, Oc onomowoc
Medical Hospitals Wi sconsi n State General Hospi tal ( Madi son)
Other Tomah Indian Industrial School / VA Hospital
Wyomi ng As ylums
Casper State Hospital Evanston State Hospital Sheridan State Hospital
Other Lander State Trai ni ng School
Canada As ylums
Asylum, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Type: Kirkride Asylum for the Insane, London, Ontario, Canada Type: Kirkride As ylum, Hami lton, Ontari o, Canada Asylum, Orillia, Ontario, Canada Asylum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Other ( including foreign, non US/Canada) As ylums
Rozelle Hospital, Callan Park, Sydney, Australia Type: Kirkride St Agnes Hospital for the Chronically Insane ( US)