Through photographs, history of hudson river state hospital unveiled. Jeanne vantassell wiley, class 74 created this page. Hudson river state hospital poughkeepsie, ny 2012, mar 24. Hudson river state hospital flyover abandoned hudson valley. What this book does really well is bring to life the lives of the patients, providers, and community members of the hudson river area and the hudson river state hospital. Mar 25, 2012 a few weeks ago, james, helena, bennett, and myself headed out north of poughkeepsie to visit the abandoned hudson river state hospital, a former psychiatric hospital designed by frederick clarke withers in 1867. Hudson river state hospital school of nursing hr psychiatric center, poughkeepsie, ny. The hospital, located in poughkeepsie, new york, is a former new york state psychiatric hospital that operated from 1871 until its closure in 2003. Hudson river state hospital the inmates of willard 1870 to. Hudson river state hospital adventure bible school. Updated june 2016 by matthew christopher for more history of hudson river state hospital and the images from my original trip there, visit this gallery. Apr 27, 2018 hudson river state hospital, administration building, july 2011. Hudson river state hospital school of nursing hr psychiatric.
The hudson river state hospital for the insane was the third new york state. I snuck into the hudson river state hospital many times when i was a teenager 10 years ago. Although it is a national historic landmark, its been declining as a ruin since the early 2000s. Hudson river state hospital poughkeepsie, new york. It was the familial ties that piqued her interest her grandparents worked there, and her grandfather graduated the nursing school in 1951. The commission is pleased to report an unusually small number of untoward occurrences at the state hospitals during the year. Jul 28, 2016 an aerial view that shows the hudson river state hospital and a portion of the former hudson river psychiatric center. Jan 27, 2016 hudson river state hospital for the insane, circa 1895. Building 51 is the clintondale residents new book, which is set at the hudson river state hospital.
The hospital by the river by catherine hamlin, 9781854246738, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Both rightmyer and galante are history curators with the hudson river state hospital nurses alumni association hrshnaa, from which many of the archival images in this book appear. Joseph galante, lynn rightmyer and hudson river state hospital nurses alumni association take a look at hudson river state. The hudson river state hospital, is a former new york state psychiatric hospital which operated from 1873 until its closure in the early 2000s. The hudson river state hospital, located outside of poughkeepsie, was once a psychiatric hospital run by new york state. Hudson river state hospital data sometimes interesting. Feb 14, 2018 hudson valley author jennifer place has turned her curiosity about a local landmark into a ghost story. Hudson valley author jennifer place has turned her curiosity about a local landmark into a ghost story.
The hospital by the river, a story of hope by catherine. The hudson river has been a source of inspiration and a means of livelihood to all who have lived along its shores. When it first opened, it was called the hudson river state hospital for the insane and admitted only 40 patients despite ongoing construction that would take another 25 years to complete. Joined a team of extreme explorers yesterday for the craziest exploration of my life to hudson river state hospital. The hospital opened on october 18, 1871 as the hudson river state hospital for the insane and admitted its first 40 patients. Hudson river state hospital served the counties of albany, columbia, dutchess, greene, putnam, richmond, rensselaer, washington, and westchester. Actually, the hillcrest school was set in the very back of the property, well away from the main entrance on route 9 and we had to take a car back and. Hudson river state hospital hrsh was known for its adventurous, erratic, and sometimes unruly employees and patients.
Staff in grand river hospitals operating room have come together to teach first year medical students how to scrub in the process of scrubbing, gowning, and gloving for a surgery to help them get ahead and have the best learning experience while observing at our hospital. National register of historic places registration form npgallery. At the utica state hospital a somewhat unusual case was that of a woman patient who, escaping from the institution, found means to reach albany where she obtained employment as a clerk in a department store. While there are instances of employees and patients of hrsh doing good things such as in september of 1919 when a hrsh patient saved a poughkeepsie citizen from drowning in the hudson river, on most occasions there was mischief. The hudson river state hospital was featured in the october 1886 issue of halls journal of health for its day school program. Hudson river state hospital image gallery asylum projects. Didnt quite know what i was getting into but it was such an amazing experience. Cheney building, pictured above, is a 10 story steel structure building that housed some patients, medical examination rooms. Inside the abandoned hudson river state hospital in poughkeepsie. Read more about hudson river state hospital in the forum hudson river psychiatric closing today although the hudson river kirkbride was abandoned many years ago, the hospital opened in 1871 continued operations until today when it will figuratively shut its doors for.
The school education was planned as a diversion to the patients and to act as a. The facility, overlooking the hudson river, was closed down in 2001 and since then has fallen into a state of disrepair. I filled out the form and sent in payment and had my death certificate in about 2 weeks. Discover hudson river state hospital in poughkeepsie, new york. This was a common layout for asylums built during the second half of the 19th century.
Heres the info they sent me with the form to fill out. Photo book unveils life, history of hudson river state. May 24, 20 hudson river state hospital served the counties of albany, columbia, dutchess, greene, putnam, richmond, rensselaer, washington, and westchester. As eerie as it is spectacular, hudson river state hospital is a maze of collapsing wards. The expansive campus was build as a part of the kirkbride plan, which practiced a new method called moral treatment, pioneered by thomas story kirkbride. In 1866, or 11 years after the strong memorial presented to the legislature by county superintendents of the poor setting forth the neglected condition of the insane and recommending the establishment of two additional state hospitals for their care and treatment, governor fenton. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The hudson river state hospital opened in poughkeepsie, new york, in 1871, and was still operating as recently as 2003.
Photo book unveils life, history of hudson river state hospital. It follows the format of the series, making history accessible with interesting imagery and succinct captions. Please find the form with instruction and prices attached please mail back to. Hudson river state hospital inspired clintondale author to. The campus is notable for its main building, known as a kirkbride, which has been designated a national historic landmark due to its exemplary high victorian gothic architecture, the first use of that style for an american institutional building. Its architecture followed the lead of thomas kirkbride, who designed psych hospitals around the theory of moral treatment, a progressive philosophy at the time. Jan 25, 2012 in 1866, eleven years after the strong memorial presented to the legislature by county superintendents of the poor setting forth the neglected condition of the insane and recommending the establishment of two additional state hospitals for their care and treatment, governor fenton appointed five commissioners to secure a suitable site on or near the hudson river below the city of albany, upon. The campus is notable for its main building, known as a kirkbride, which has been designated a national historic landmark due to its exemplary high victorian gothic architecture, the first use of that. A very significant demolition and preservation update was recently released for the hudson river state hospital outlining both those buildings that are to be preserved and those to be demolished. This mouldering abandoned mental hospital was once a center for progressive healing. Even walmart has shown interest in acquiring this land, but todd tancredi, a poughkeepsie town supervisor, says he cannot imagine such a large estate 296 acres used for a single store.
Withers planned the hudson river state hospital hrsh in observance of the kirkbride plan, a model popularized in an 1854 publication by pennsylvania physician thomas story kirkbride. Welcome to the hudson river state hospital located in the united states in poughkeepsie, new york. For 141 years, hudson river state hospital was home to tens of thousands of individuals suffering from mental illness. The hospital was founded under moral treatment a movement that was spearheaded by mental health activist dorothea dix. The administration building, which included male and female wards, wasis a kirkbride, a style of architecture designed specifically for asylums in the 1800s, and is one of the few remaining kirkbrides today, but possibly not for long.
I lived on a sailboat for 2 years, with my husband and our cat. The hospital, located in poughkeepsie, ny, is a former new york state psychiatric hospital that operated from 1871 until its closure in 2003. In it, the torrid story of a man who claimed his civil rights were violated as a result of unlawful detainment at northern state hospital for 18 years. Galante, joseph, rightmyer, lynn, hudson river state hospital nurses alumni association. Jun 25, 2014 a photographic exploration of the abandoned hudson river state hospital in poughkeepsie, ny.
Today the hudson river state hospital remains closed to the public due to dangers of falling roof and floors. Hudson river state hospital storied conduct blog home. Building 51 is the clintondale residents new book, which is set at the hudson river state. As the name suggests, it focused on providing patients with fair and humane treatments. An aerial view that shows the hudson river state hospital and a portion of the former hudson river psychiatric center.
Have you had any luck in getting information from hudson river state hospital. Hudson river state hospital for the insane, circa 1895. The hudson river state hospital for the insane the other. The beautiful buildings sit stopped in time between a busy river road and marist college. Built for civil war soldiers the hudson river state. See more ideas about abandoned hospital, abandoned asylums and abandoned places. Hudson river state hospital, administration building, july 2011. Most but not all of the existing buildings on the 156acre parcel will be razed.
Construction, however, was far from over and would continue for another 25 years. Threatened with closure of the hospital in 2000, a group of concerned citizens formed a task force to appeal to the new york state department of health to become an independent institution. The following are various images of hudson river state hospital. A photographic exploration of the abandoned hudson river state hospital in poughkeepsie, ny. The hudson river state hospital for the insane was considered the pinnacle of ethical treatment at its opening. It played a key role in the settling of the new world and the outcome of the revolutionary war, and was the birthplace of the environmental movement. Originally named hudson river state hospital for the insane, hudson river psychiatric center has been treating and caring for mentally ill men and women since october 21, 1871.
Blocks a and c are two stories high with day rooms in front. A few weeks ago, james, helena, bennett, and myself headed out north of poughkeepsie to visit the abandoned hudson river state hospital, a former psychiatric hospital designed by frederick clarke withers in 1867. Her father and uncles played baseball and golf on the hospital grounds. Nov 23, 2009 i snuck into the hudson river state hospital many times when i was a teenager 10 years ago.
Through their efforts, the hospital is reborn as an independent facility and named river hospital on april 15, 2003. I have bits and pieces of information, but not enough to make sense of the. The school education was planned as a diversion to the patients and to act as a palliative for the monotony of asylum life. This is a great addition to the images of america series. The hudson river state hospital for the insane was designed in 1867 by frederick clarke withers, following the kirkbride plan. This book has amazing pictures and great little tidbits of the past. Each wing is connected with the central building through a onestory corridor, to which a.
We are extremely saddened to share news that the central administration building at the former hudson river state hospital is suffering what appears to be a devastating fire this morning, friday, april 27, 2018. The hudson river state hospital, located outside of poughkeepsie in the hudson valley, is a national landmark but has been abandoned since the early 2000s. Hudson river state hospital, located in poughkeepsie, ny, was built in 1868, and closed in 2003. Horror story of an actual lobotomy performed at northern. River state hospital images of america 9781467129695.
Set against the vivid backdrop of ethiopia, it is a moving and utterly compelling account of an extraordinary life. Growing up in the hyde parkpoughkeepsie area ive always been fascinated by the psych center. Ground broken for development at former hudson river. New yorks historic hudson river state hospital abandoned. Jan 0116 aerial footage of hudson river state hospital in poughkeepsie, ny. Aug 30, 2014 the hudson river state hospital for the insane was considered the pinnacle of ethical treatment at its opening. Out of rightmyers 43year tenure as a nurse, 19 years were spent on the wards at hudson river. Inside the abandoned hudson river state hospital in. Grand river hospital grh is celebrating their first same day hip replacement surgery and discharge, marking innovation in surgery to improve a patients recovery and quality of life while more effectively using hospital resources. This gigantic hospital has overlooked the hudson river for 6 years since its initial construction in 1871. Jan 19, 2015 joined a team of extreme explorers yesterday for the craziest exploration of my life to hudson river state hospital. Kirkbride buildings the buildings hudson river state hospital photo. It called for a central administration block with two adjoining wings to house patients. His design enabled institutions to practice moral treatment, an eighteenth and nineteenth century approach to patient care that removed shackles and primitive instruments and focused on humane.
They dont have actual hospital records, however they have death records if you believe your relative died at the hospital. Jul 02, 2015 the hospital, located in poughkeepsie, ny, is a former new york state psychiatric hospital that operated from 1871 until its closure in 2003. Jan 27, 2005 the hospital by the river by catherine hamlin, 9781854246738, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Hudson river state hospital poughkeepsie, new york atlas. The facility grew from a 208acre parcel in 1871 with seven patients to 752 acres with five dozen separate buildings containing nearly 6,000 patients in 1954.
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