Editing Embreeville State Hospital
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| construction_ended = | | construction_ended = | ||
| opened = 1938 | | opened = 1938 | ||
| − | | closed = | + | | closed = 1980 |
| − | | demolished = | + | | demolished = |
| − | | current_status = [[ | + | | current_status = [[Closed Institution|Closed]] |
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]] | | building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]] | ||
| architect(s) = | | architect(s) = | ||
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On September 29, 1938 the commonwealth took total control of the facility as part of their new state-wide legislation, known as the "Full State Care Act". The legislature (Act #53) assumed responsibility for eight of the thirteen existing county public mental hospitals, the other five hospitals were closed. This same piece of legislation would transform sites like Philadelphia City Farms into [[Philadelphia State Hospital]]. It was designated that Embreeville would serve Lancaster and Chester County in Pennsylvania as part of their catchment area. Embreeville was cited by the [[American Psychiatric Association]] as one of three "model hospitals" in the country. Dr. Arthur Hecker, the hospital superintendent, upon hearing this honor stated "We're naturally quite proud to be so honored by our peers... but we're even more pleased about a fact that helped make it possible. We have 100 percent turnover of beds each year." | On September 29, 1938 the commonwealth took total control of the facility as part of their new state-wide legislation, known as the "Full State Care Act". The legislature (Act #53) assumed responsibility for eight of the thirteen existing county public mental hospitals, the other five hospitals were closed. This same piece of legislation would transform sites like Philadelphia City Farms into [[Philadelphia State Hospital]]. It was designated that Embreeville would serve Lancaster and Chester County in Pennsylvania as part of their catchment area. Embreeville was cited by the [[American Psychiatric Association]] as one of three "model hospitals" in the country. Dr. Arthur Hecker, the hospital superintendent, upon hearing this honor stated "We're naturally quite proud to be so honored by our peers... but we're even more pleased about a fact that helped make it possible. We have 100 percent turnover of beds each year." | ||
| − | In 1971, a juvenile detention center was place within a few buildings at the hospital site, before finally moving on to better physical accommodations | + | In 1971, a juvenile detention center was place within a few buildings at the hospital site for six years, before finally moving on to better physical accommodations. By 1979, the total statewide state hospital census was reduced to 10,573 patients, and resulted in the closure of several smaller state hospitals. Embreeville was the second state facility in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to close its doors, in 1980, following that of [[Hollidaysburg State Hospital]]. |
| − | In the wake of its closure, outpatient clinics were established through | + | In the wake of its closure, outpatient clinics were established through Fewllowship Human Resrouces in Phoenixville, PA (BSU# 151), Human Services Inc. in Downingtown, PA (BSU# 152), and Creative Health Services in Spring City, PA (BSU# 153). These clinics are largely county funded, and are intended to treatment the mentally ill on an outpatient basis, in lieu of the former regional state hospital. |
== Fate of the Property == | == Fate of the Property == | ||
| − | For the better part of the three decades the site of Embreeville stood abandoned, the physical site slowly | + | For the better part of the three decades the site of Embreeville stood abandoned, and the physical site slowly deteriorated because of the commonwealth's neglect. The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. As of December 2012, Hellings Holdings LLC was awarded the 225-acre former hospital property in for an asking price of $950,000. According to the developer, plans for the land include residential development with some commercial zoning. However, because of the property’s location, commercial development plans call for certain necessary amenities. |
| − | The potter's field (now part of the Cheslen Preserve and clearly noted on hiking trails), where impoverished patients were buried, is outside of the hospital grounds and has a sign marked by the local government. The wooden sign there on the site bears the inscription " | + | The potter's field (now part of the Cheslen Preserve and clearly noted on hiking trails), where impoverished patients were buried, is outside of the hospital grounds, and has a sign marked by the local government. The wooden sign there on the site bears the inscription "Known but to God, respected by us", in clear reference to the anonymity of the graves on-site. Two-hundred and four lonely charcoal grey stone tablets remain there in the field, honoring the lives of the forgotten poor, which left this life unknown to the rest of humanity. |
== Images of Embreeville State Hospital == | == Images of Embreeville State Hospital == | ||
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*[http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20120930/LIFE01/120939998/living-history-embreeville--yesterday-and-today Living History: Embreeville -- Yesterday and today] | *[http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20120930/LIFE01/120939998/living-history-embreeville--yesterday-and-today Living History: Embreeville -- Yesterday and today] | ||
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19680821&id=xTkmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cP4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=839,1053060 Embreeville State Hospital Cited As Model Hospital For Mental Care] | *[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19680821&id=xTkmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cP4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=839,1053060 Embreeville State Hospital Cited As Model Hospital For Mental Care] | ||
| − | *[ | + | *[http://cdm16038.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p268001coll13/id/460/rec/19 Embreeville State Hospital (Star Gazer Stone) - 1970 Helicopter Photo] |
| − | |||
[[Category:Pennsylvania]] | [[Category:Pennsylvania]] | ||
[[Category:Cottage Plan]] | [[Category:Cottage Plan]] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Closed Institution]] |
| − | |||
