The state lunatic hospital at danvers was a kirkbride hospital having been completed in 1878. I was in the tunnels, subtunnels, wards, the turrets, and even inside the water tower. Bradlee, it is a handsome and intact implementation of the nationally recognized kirkbride plan. The main thing i really enjoy about the book is that it took place at the danvers state mental hospital. From 1992 until 2007 it was abandoned, and served as a beacon to thrillseekers and ghost hunters. It tells the tale of six teens who break into the abandoned mental institution, the danvers state hospital. Danvers state hospital hauntings ghostly activities.
Danvers state hospital shared a post celebrating success at danvers state hospital. Danvers state hospital opened in 1878 as a mental health hospital, serving some 600 patients under its imposing gothic spires. Danvers state hospital ghosts, ma haunted rooms america. The decline of danvers state hospital mad in america. Most of the buildings on campus were connected by a labyrinth of tunnels. History and photos of the abandoned danvers state hospital, in danvers, ma. It fell victim to vandals and arsonists, graffiti artists and scrappers. It was built in 1874, and opened in 1878, under the supervision of prominent boston architect nathaniel jeremiah bradlee, on an isolated site in rural massachusetts. It would stand abandoned until 2005, when demolition began.
It had already pioneered by being the first massachusetts mental hospital to hire a woman doctor 1879. While it was built with a surprisingly caring and modern attitude. Danvers state hospital was left abandoned for years. Danvers state hospital was the inspiration for the notorious horror writer and occultist, h. Thomas story kirkbride, a physician and mental health. The death of sarah eustace in danvers state hospital unexplained death i was researching the origins of some creepy photos floating around on the internet when i came across this creepy pasta wiki outlining the death of sarah eustace, an alleged patient in the danvers state hospital outside boston. Lovecrafts arkham sanitarium in his 1933 story the thing on the doorstep, and the arkham asylum of batman fame is an identical replica. Danvers state hospital danvers, massachusetts atlas. Things changed in the 1920s and that horrible period formed the ghosts we know today. The ward of danvers state hospital, ma, is pictured auditorium. Danvers state gives an insiders view of what really went on at the state run insane asylum. Avalon danvers apartments nee danvers state hospital. Danvers state mental hospital was built by prominent architect nathaniel jeremiah bradlee from boston, in an extremely rural, outoftheway location called hathorne hill. Danvers state hospital in its current incarnation as avalon danvers.
See more ideas about psychiatric hospital, asylum and abandoned asylums. Danvers state hospital danvers state insane asylum dsh. J when you hear danvers state hospital come up in the news or when someone mentions it whats the first thing you think of. In 1875 when they were looking for a site to build danvers state mental hospital, they mightve been well advised to choose some other spot. There are many outside shots of danvers state in the movie, you guys should rent it. Danvers state hospital tunnels do any of you guys know if any of the tunnels are still accessible in one way or another.
Built in the 1880s, it served the noble purpose of helping mentally ill children. Danvers state hospital was originally called the state lunatic asylum at danvers a cheerful name, for sure. Interview danvers state hospital danvers state insane asyl. See more ideas about abandoned asylums, insane asylum and abandoned hospital. If it is not haunted, it definitely is eerie with the scrawling of troubled minds on the walls. The danvers state hospital came into being during the period when. Along with a dedicated group of private citizens, the danvers historical society. Beyond mental illness film, marie rose barbara balter, of danvers, coauthor of the awardwinning autobiography, nobodys child, danvers state hospital. In addition to visiting patients, they brought contributions of books, magazines, and. Danvers state hospital was one of many hospitals built in massachusetts. Project 17 is a young adult novel, written by laurie faria stolarz, published by hyperion books in 2007. The book takes place one night in danvers state hospital.
History of danvers state hospital history of massachusetts. Danvers state hospital tunnel exploration 2001 on vimeo. For the place they put it already had a dark history. Infamous, haunting, beautiful, a memory snuck in myself in 2003 he he he. Danvers state hospital by katherine anderson and robert duffy. Old massachusetts hospital records and patient files old hospital medical records or patient files are a common request we receive at the state library, usually from patrons who are researching their family history. Ghosts of danvers state hospital insane asylum said to be the inspiration for h. From numbers to names state hospital cemetery restoration film. Danvers state hospital was one of the most notorious asylums during its time. Danvers state hospital images of america 9781467127660. Mr gray was inspired to photograph the institutions after he began photographing danvers state hospital in 2000.
Avalon danvers apartments nee danvers state hospital june 8, 2008 once it was a place where lobotomized maniacs shuffled in white slippers down neverending corridors, the criminally insane drew caricatures of old victims on the walls with crayon stubs, and trembling lunatics gibbered alien syllables into slobberdrenched pillow cases. Danvers state hospital wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. It had been the homestead of john hathorne, one of the harshest judges at the salem witch trials. Bradlee, superintendents, image galleries, time lines, videos historic images maps, floor plans, patient artwork, records, files. See more ideas about insane asylum, abandoned asylums and psychiatric hospital. Two friends and i just randomly decided to check out a patch of woods in danvers where i heard the infamous danvers state mental hospital. Photographer captures haunting images of sights inside the. In 1873, the need for another psychiatric hospital to serve the boston population had risen once again. Also known as danvers state insane asylum, danvers state. To view more of this site click on an image in the gallery below. Danvers state insane asylum in massachusetts luxury living. Ive gone back a few times to where the cemetery was located i could have sworn i had seen an entrance around there years ago, but couldnt really find anything anymore.
The complete history and architecture of the danvers state hospital, danvers state insane asylum, the state lunatic hospital at danvers, danvers insane hospital including nathaniel j. The danvers state hospital, also known as the state lunatic hospital at danvers, the danvers. One of the patients told me about how they filmed at danvers state hospital 1958. Old massachusetts hospital records and patient files. The main character in the book references the groups actions as reminding him of. The grounds here held one of the most horrific state hospitals in america history, the danvers state hospital. Danvers state insane asylum, danvers state hospital, preston interview. If i could pick any horror book this would be the one.
Danvers was built in the mid1800s and operated until 1992. History page 2 danvers state hospital danvers state. Some of the campus tunnels, the cemetery, and facades of a couple of the other buildings remain, but the modern ruins version of danvers state now exists only in photographs and videos. A site called hawthorne hill also known as hathorne hill in danvers was chosen for the new hospital. Haunted salem danvers state hospital cemetery youtube. Lovecrafts arkham sanatorium, danvers has a gothic design that has captured the imagination of horror aficionados. It is known as the birthplace of one the most controversial and troubled procedures in medical history. Preston yes and he admitted in the book that he stabbed someone and tried to. The death of sarah eustace in danvers state hospital.
The hospital was a mental health facility built in the year 1874 that consisted of seventeen buildings used to house male and female patients, some of whom were suffering from extreme mental health conditions. It was part of the countrywide concept at least in the late 1800s that people with psychological problems needed to be cured inside specially made facilities. A group of teens spend the night to film a movie, and encounter supernatural events much like the psychological aspect of this movie. Through the years the area was settled by europeans and became known as the town of salem.
Danvers state hospital may 1, 20 admin hauntings leave a comment the danvers state hospital, also known as the state lunatic hospital at danvers, the danvers lunatic asylum, and the danvers state insane asylum, was a psychiatric hospital located in danvers, massachusetts. Like i mentioned before, the tremendous things they could do there was simply amazing. Many would venture through the various tunnels on the property which were so scary that hells angels have been know to run out of it. Danvers state hospital was one of many hospitals built in massachusetts during the industrial revolution danvers state hospital was a psychiatric hospital built in 1874 on hathorne hill, where the salem witch trials judge john hathorne once lived the hill is a 257feethigh glacial drumlin located in danvers, which was originally known as salem village until its official name change in 1752.
Danvers state hospital, originally known as the state lunatic hospital at danvers, is significant in both architectural and social history. The most haunted places in massachusetts haunted rooms. Danvers state hospital images of america paperback february 26, 2018. It brings to light the harsh treatment of mental illness in decades past. Most of the buildings on campus were connected by a confusing labyrinth of underground tunnels. Norwich state hospital is a chapter in my book, abandoned america. Apr 1, 2019 danvers state hospital was a psychiatric hospital, originally known. Danvers had previously been called salem village and was the site of the famous salem witch trials of 1690, the name having been changed to distance itself from the events of the past. It was a multiacre, selfcontained psychiatric hospital and is rumored to be the birthplace of the prefrontal lobotomy.
Videos danvers state hospital danvers state insane asylu. The book provides details about the facilitys dark past and the melancholy lives of her inhabitants. Based on a woman who was from marblerock marblehead ma and her insanity. Now abandoned and graffiticovered, this railroad tunnel was once the longest in massachusetts. Danvers state hospital abandoned, used in session 9, then. Danvers state hospital, also known as the state lunatic hospital at danvers and the danvers state insane asylum, was a psychiatric hospital located in danvers, massachusetts it was built in 1878 and opened in the spring of that year under the supervision of prominent boston architect nathaniel jeremiah bradlee, on an isolated site in rural massachusetts. The danvers state hospital had been a mysterious place for many years, even after its demolition in 2006. The danvers state hospital was one of the most notorious institutions in massachusetts history. October 23, 2019 danvers, ma after more then a decade in the works the danvers state hospital memorial is finally finished and was presented to the public today.
Soon after its closure, danvers state hospital would become the haunted house on the hill where kids dared one another to sneak in. The book gives so many chills throughout the whole story and actually makes you think and feel that youre really there. Apparitions of former patients who died at the hospital are fairly common in the building and the grounds. It was designed to be selfcontained and somewhat selfsufficient in wintertime, thanks to its own steam power plant at the bottom of the hill. In the book project 17 by laurie faria stolarz, the plot involves six teens breaking into danvers to investigate. Probably the scariest place you could ever visit in my opinion. Later, the town of salem would be broken into smaller towns and the city of danvers was established. Danvers state hospital an abandoned psychiatric hospital.
Nov 8, 2016 the state lunatic hospital at danvers built in 1874 and opened in 1878 on an isolated site in rural massachusetts. Buy a signed copy via this link or get it on amazon using the link below to read more. Danvers state hospital established the second nursing school in massachusetts 1889 and the second nurses home in the state gray gables1898. In short, there was a great deal of pain and suffering here and the patients were subjected to some brutal conditions so it is really no surprise that danvers state hospital is considered to be one of the most haunted places in massachusetts. Bonner medical photo of the abandoned danvers state hospital. The danvers state hospital, also known as the state lunatic hospital at danvers, the danvers lunatic asylum, and the danvers state insane asylum, was a psychiatric hospital located in danvers, massachusetts. Walter jackson freeman ii an american physician conducted numerous lobotomy procedures in the hospital. Danvers state hospital sits on land that once was inhabited by native americans.
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