Built by Geniuses to be Run by the Inmates Introduction This page ( http://www.historicasylums.org/ ) is an attempt to catalog and present America's historic psychiatric hospitals ( state 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 buildings represented great ambition on the part of both psychiatric caregivers and architects. Known Kirkbride hospitals are indicated by a clickable Kirkbride 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 incarceration, 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 The treatments and philosophies seem rather outdated and quant today, but at the time were a considered to be great improvement in the treatment of people perceived in need of psychiatric care.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 longer psychiatric hospitals. What remains are the magnificent 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 since or recently demolished.

The largest and best�known institutions presented here ( including the majority of the Kirkbride hospitals) were started by and run by state governments. Well�known examples of this type include Danvers State Insane Asylum in Massachusetts and Fergus Falls State Hospital in Minnesota. This site also institutions run by city and county governments ( such as the numerous county asylums in Wisconsin, 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 Pennsylvania state hospitals, which in some cases 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 asylums that have not been added yet.

Architects: : The architects of these buildings include H. H. Richardson, George Kessler, Samuel Sloan, Gordon W. Lloyd, Stephen Vaughn Shipman ( who designed several) , state capitol architect Elijah E. Myers, Ward P. Delano, Isaac Perry, John Notman, Frederick Law Olmsted ( landscapes and grounds) , A. J. Davis, H. W. S. Cleveland, Edward O. Fallis, Warren Dunnell, 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: This site contains scores 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 vanishing from the American landscape.

The Kirkbride State Hospitals

This excerpt was based on

annual reports written by Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride, who served the Pennsylvania Hospital as superintendent from 1841�1883.

Dr. Kirkbride's progressive therapies and innovative writings onhospitaldesign and management became known as the "Kirkbride 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 senses. " � quoted from the Pennsylvania Hospital Newsletter of the Friends of the Hospital

Dr. Kirkbride spoke of his plan as linear. Buildings were arrangeden �chelons. The center building was more imposing 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 with more buildings, for patients, which were parallel to the original wings. Each 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 AmericanPsychiatry

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)

• Lunatic Hospital • Lunatic Asylum • Asylum for the Insane • Insane Asylum • State Hospital • Mental Health Center • Psychiatric Hospital • Regional Center • Retreat • Developmental Center • Center

Key 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.

time.

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Entries with this symbol are asylums that consist of a largerambling 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 in use as psychiatric hospitals, used for another purpose, or abandoned.

Entries with this symbol are in danger of demolition at this

Entries with this symbol are asylums of which little remai

Entries with this symbol are for asylums that have lost their most significant historic structures, but many of the other buildings and the grounds remain.

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 seeing, 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 prisons.

This symbol represents institutions which have now become colleges.

Alabama Asylums � � Bryce Hospital for the Insane, Tuscaloosa Type: Kirkride � Mt. Vernon Insane Hospital Sanitariums � � Belle Aire Sanitarium ( Mobile)

Alaska No listings at this time.

Arizona Asylums �

� Insane Asylum, Phoenix

Arkansas Asylums �

� Arkansas State Hospital ( Arkansas Insane Asylum) , Little Rock, 1883. No historic structures remaining ( ? ) Other State Institutions � � Arkansas Training School for Girls, Alexander

California Asylums �

� 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 Hospital, 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 Francisco Marine Hospital, 1853 � Sonoma State Hospital, Eldridge, 1891 � Stockton State Hospital, 1853

Colorado Asylums �

� Fort Logan Mental Health Center � Colorado State Hospital ( Colorado Insane Asylum) , Pueblo, 1879 Sanitariums � � Mount Airy Sanitarium

Connecticut Asylums �

� Fairfield State Hospital, Newtown, 1932 � Connecticut Retreat for the Insane, Hartford, 1823 � Connecticut State Hospital, Middletown � Norwich Insane Hospital, NorwichMR & DD, Disabled, State Homes, etc � � State School for Feeble�Minded, Lakeville Sanitariums � � Dr Given's ( Stamford) , Dr. Wadsworth ( South Norwalk)

Delaware Asylums �

� Deleware State Hospital, Farnhurst � Delaware State Hospital, Wilmington

District of Columbia ( Washington, D. C. ) Asylums �

� St Elizabeths Hospital Type: Kirkride Sanitariums � � Washington Sanitarium and Hospital

Florida Asylums �

� Florida State Hospital, 1877 � North East State Hospital, MacClenny

Georgia Asylums �

� Central State Hospital, Milledgeville 1837 State Homes, etc � � Georgia Retardation Center Sanitariums � � Blackman�Walton ( Atlanta)

Hawaii No listings at this time.

Idaho No listings at this time.

Illinois Asylums �

� Alton State Hospital � Anna State Hospital ( Southern Illinois) Type: Kirkride

� Bartonville State Hospital, Peoria, 1885 ( aka Peoria State Hospital) � 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 � Watertown Asylum / East Moline State Hospital � Fox River Asylum ( Fictional) MR & DD, State Homes, etc � � Institute for the Feeble Minded, Lincoln

Indiana Asylums �

� Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane Type: Kirkride ( 2) � Evansville State Hospital ( Woodmere) � Logansport State Hospital ( Northern Insane Asylum) , Logansport � Madison State Hospital ( Southeastern Insane Hospital) , Madison � Richmond State Hospital 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 Hospital ( in Woodward) County Asylums � � Des Moines County Infirmary and Asylum for the Insane � Hospital for the Insane, Dubuque � County Asylum, Elkader � 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

Kansas Asylums �

� 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)

Kentucky Asylums �

� Central Insane Asylum, Lakeland � Western State Hospital ( Western Kentucky Asylum) , Hopkinsville, 1848 � Eastern State Hospital, 1824 MR & DD, Disabled, State Homes, etc � � Kosair Hospital for Crippled Children, Louisville Sanitariums �

� Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanitarium

Louisiana Asylums �

� State Hospital at Alexandria � Jackson State Hospital ( East Louisiana State Hospital) � Central Louisiana State Hospital ( Pineville) Sanitariums � � Fenwick Sanitarium ( Covington)

Maine Asylums �

� Augusta Mental Health Institute ( Augusta Insane Hospital) , 1848 � Bangor Insane Hospital MR & DD, Disabled, State Homes, etc � � Valley Farm ( Maine School for Feeble�Minded) , West Ponwal

Maryland Asylums �

� Bay View Asylum. Highlandtown � Eastern Shore State Hospital, Cambridge � Sheppard�Enoch Pratt Hospital, Towson � Spring Grove State Hospital, Catonsville Type: Kirkride � Willmar State Hospital Sanitariums � � Wabasha Sanitarium � State Sanitarium at Walker Medical Hospitals � � Mayo Hospital, Rochester � St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud � St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Wabasha � St. Gabriel's Hospital, Little Falls

� St. Luke's Hospital, St. Paul � Winona General Hospital, Winona

Missouri Asylums �

� Fulton State Hospital � Nevada State Hospital Type: Kirkride � St. Vincent's Insane Asylum, St. Louis. � 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 Area Landmarks

Mississippi

� Jackson State Hospital Type: Kirkride � East State Hospital ( Meridian) Type: Kirkride � East Mississippi State Hospital ( Meridian) , 1885 � Mississippi State Hospital ( Whitfield) � North Mississippi Regional Center ( Oxford) � South Mississippi State Hospital ( Laurel) � Kuhn Memorial State Hospital ( Vicksburg)

Montana Asylums �

� Montana State Hospital ( at Anaconda) � Montana State Hospital ( at Warm Springs)

� Other � � Montana Developmental Center, Boulder

Nebraska Asylums �

� Hastings State Hospital � State Lunatic Asylum at Lincoln, 1870

� Norfolk Hospital for the Insane, 1885

Nevada Asylums �

� Nevada Mental Health Institute, 1882

New Hampshire Asylums �

� State Hospital in Concord

New Jersey 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 Asylums � � Atlantic County Insane Asylum � Camden County Insane Asylum � Hudson County Asylum, New Jersey � Salem Almshouse and Insane Asylum � Burlington County Insane Asylum � Insane Asylum, Pleasantville

New Mexico No listings at this time.

New York Asylums �

� Newville State Hospital � Binghamton State Hospital � 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 Hospital � 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) � Western New York Institution for Deaf�Mutes ( New York) � St. Lawrence State Hospital in Ogdensburg, 1890 � Rockland � Asylum on Blackwell's Island, 1839 � Bloomington Lunatic Asylum, 1808 � New York Asylum for Idiots, at Syracuse Sanitariums: � Loomis Sanitorium, ( Liberty) � Interpines

North Carolina Asylums �

� Appalachian Hall, Asheville � Broughton Hospital, 1874 ( Morganton) Type: Kirkride � Cherry Hospital, 1880 � Dorothea Dix Hospital � Goldsboro State Hospital

� North Dakota Asylums �

� Grafton State Hospital � Jamestown State Hospital

Ohio Asylums �

� Fairhill Psychiatric Hospital � Mt Vernon State Hospital � Toledo State Hospital , 1888 � Dayton State HospitalType: Kirkride � Columbus Hospital for the Insane Type: Kirkride � Cleveland State Hospital, 1855 � Athens State Hospital Type: Kirkride � Longview Asylum � Massillon State Hospital � Lima State Hospital State Homes, Other � � Springfield K. P. State Home � Dayton Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home

Oklahoma Asylums �� LI�Central State Hospital, Norman

� Eastern State Hospital, Vinita � Western State Psychiatric Center, Fort Supply

Oregon Asylums �

� Dammasch State Hospital, Wilsonville � Eastern Oregon State Hospital at Pendleton � State Insane Asylum at Salem

Pennsylvania Asylums �

� Allentown State Hospital � Blossburg State Hospital � Byberry Hospital � Danville State Hospital Type: Kirkride � Friends Hospital � Harrisburg State Hospital � Mayview State Hospital, 1818 � Nanticoke State Hospital

� Norristown State Hospital ( 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 � Schuylkill County Almshouse and Hospital for the Insane � Farview State Hospital � Western Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane at Dixmont Type: Kirkride � Lancaster County Asylum Pennsylvania State Hospitals general/medical hospitals and NOT mental asylums: � Philipsburg State Hospital � Shamokin State Hospital. � Hamburg State Hospital

Puerto Rico Asylums �

� Insane Asylum

Rhode Island Asylums �

� Butler Hospital for the Insane, 1847 � Dexter Hospital for the Insane � Asylum for the Incurable Insane at Howard, 1870

South Carolina Asylums �

� Columbia State Hospital

South Dakota Asylums �

� Yankton State Hospital � Hiawatha Insane Asylum for American Indians, 1902 � Redfield State Hospital and School

Tennessee Asylums �

� Bolivar State Hospital � Nashville State Hospital

Texas Asylums �

� Austin State Hospital � San Antonio State Hospital � Rusk State Hospital � Terrell State Hospital � Wichita Falls State Hospital Other � � La Lomita Mission � Tropical Texas Center, Mission

Utah Asylums �

� Utah State Hospital

Vermont Asylums �

� Brattleboro Retreat, 1838 Type: Kirkride � Waterbury State Hospital

Virginia Asylums �

� Eastern State Hospital, Williamsburg ( Original) � Eastern State Hospital, Williamsburg ( Current) � Western State Hospital, Staunton

� Central State Hospital, Petersburg � Augusta County Asylum � Southwestern State Hospital, Marion

Washington ( State) Asylums �

� State Insane Asylum near Tacoma ( Steilacoom) � Eastern State Hospital at Medical Lake Type: Kirkride

West Virginia Asylums �

� Fairmont State Hospital � Weston Asylum Type: Kirkride 1858 � Spencer State Hospital Type: Kirkride � Lakin State Hospital ( Colored Insane) , near Point Pleasant � Huntington State Hospital

Wisconsin State Asylums �

� Mendota State Hospital Type: Kirkride � Winnebago State Hospital, aka Northern Asylum for the Insane, Winnebago Mental Health Institute, 1873 ( Oshkosh) Type: Kirkride County Asylums � � Brown County Asylum, Green Bay � Chippewa County Asylum, Chippewa Falls � Clark County Insane Asylum � Columbua County Asylum, Wyocena � Dodge County Asylum, Juneau � Dane County Asylum for the Criminally Insane, Verona � Douglas County Asylum for the Chronic Insane, � Dunn County Asylum, Menomonie � Fon du Lac County Asylum, Fon du Lac � Green County Asylum, Monroe � Iowa Couty Asylum, Dodgeville

� Jefferson County Asylum, Jefferson � La Crosse County Asylum, West Salem � Grant County Asylum, Lancaster � Manitowoc County Asylum, Manitowoc � Marathon County Asylum, Wausau � County Asylum, Marinette � Milwaukee County Asylum, Wauwatosa � Outagamie County Asylum, Appleton � Monroe County Asylum, Sparta � Racine County Asylum, Racine � Richland County Asylum, Richland Center � Rock County Insane Asylum � St. Croix County Asylum, New Richmond � Sauk County Poor Farm and Insane Asylum, Reedsburg, 1871 � Sheboygan County Asylum, Sheboygan � Trempealeau County Asylum, Whitehall � Vernon County Asylum, Veroqua � Walworth County Asylum, Elkhorn � Washington County Asylum, West Bend � Waukesha County Poor House and Asylum for the Insane � Waupaca County Asylum � Winnebago County Asylum, Winnebago � Wood County Asylum, Marshfield. Other � � Waldheim Asylum, Oconomowoc Medical Hospitals � � Wisconsin State General Hospital ( Madison) Other � � Tomah Indian Industrial School / VA Hospital

Wyoming Asylums �

� Casper State Hospital � Evanston State Hospital � Sheridan State Hospital Other �

� Lander State Training School

Canada Asylums �

� Asylum, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Type: Kirkride � Asylum for the Insane, London, Ontario, Canada Type: Kirkride � Asylum, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada � Asylum, Orillia, Ontario, Canada � Asylum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Other ( including foreign, non�US/Canada) Asylums �

� Rozelle Hospital, Callan Park, Sydney, Australia Type: Kirkride � St Agnes Hospital for the Chronically Insane ( US)