10 Abandoned Mental Asylums Worth Exploring for a Glimpse into History
Mental asylums have always been a subject of fascination for many people, and urban explorers are no exception. These abandoned facilities offer a glimpse into the history of mental health care and the conditions that patients endured during their stay. Here are ten abandoned mental asylums worth exploring.
1. Danvers State Hospital – Danvers, Massachusetts
Opened in 1878, this hospital was notorious for its overcrowding and inhumane treatment of patients. The hospital closed in 1992, but the main building still stands and has been redeveloped into apartments.
2. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum – Weston, West Virginia
This massive facility opened in 1864 and once housed over 2,400 patients at its peak. It closed down in 1994 due to changing attitudes towards mental health care. Today it operates as a museum offering tours to visitors interested in learning about its history.
3. Pennhurst State School and Hospital – Spring City, Pennsylvania
Pennhurst opened in 1908 with the aim to house individuals with intellectual disabilities who were deemed unfit to live with society’s norms at that time. The facility had high instances of abuse which led to an investigation by Geraldo Rivera which aired on national television bringing light to these issues resulting ultimately leading it’s closure.
4. Traverse City State Hospital – Traverse City, Michigan
This hospital opened in 1885 initially aimed at treating tuberculosis patients; however later became known primarily for treating those suffering from various forms of insanity including alcoholism until closing down completely around late-1980s.
5.Woodlawn Mental Health Center – Rochester New York
Woodlawn Mental Health Center is one of the most well-known abandoned locations within upstate New York state area although it wasn’t actually a asylum or sanatorium but rather a center where mentally ill were treated through different programs available on site such as therapy sessions along medication management.
6. Eloise Insane Asylum – Westland, Michigan
Eloise Asylum was established in 1839 as a poorhouse and later evolved into an asylum where patients were often subjected to cruel treatment including lobotomies until it eventually closed in the early 1980s.
7. Letchworth Village – Thiells, New York
Opened in 1911, Letchworth Village was initially created to house those who suffered from epilepsy; however, it quickly became overcrowded with children and people with disabilities. After multiple investigations revealed severe neglect and abuse of residents, it finally closed down for good in the late 1990s.
8. Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital – Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, New Jersey
Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital opened its doors in 1876 designed to hold over five hundred patients but soon grew out of control to accommodate thousands more than intended leading to various reports of mistreatment and even death due to overcrowding conditions.
9. Fergus Falls State Hospital – Fergus Falls Minnesota
The Fergus Falls State Hospital opened its doors on July 29th, 1890 under the name of The Third Minnesota State Insane Asylum for the purpose of housing mentally ill citizens within state grounds that had previously been living elsewhere at private facilities before becoming too much burden on families or communities nearby who couldn’t provide adequate care themselves.
10. Kings Park Psychiatric Center – Kings Park, New York
Kings Park is one of the largest abandoned mental health hospitals located near Long Island’s north shore area which first began operations back around mid-1885 during a time when there were very few available resources for people suffering from mental health conditions including depression or anxiety disorders.
In conclusion, these abandoned mental asylums offer a glimpse into our dark history regarding how society treated individuals suffering from various forms of illness decades ago while also providing insights into the evolution of mental health care today. While exploring these facilities may not be for everyone, it’s essential to acknowledge how far we’ve come in understanding and treating mental illness as a society. Urban exploration can bring light to the importance of preserving our history and learning from our past mistakes while also providing fascinating insights into our past.