Difference between revisions of "Laconia State School"

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| alt =  
 
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| established = 1901
 
| construction_began = 1903
 
| construction_began = 1903
 
| construction_ended =
 
| construction_ended =
| opened =
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| opened = 1903
| closed =
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| closed = 1991
 
| demolished =
 
| demolished =
 
| current_status = [[Closed Institution|Closed]]
 
| current_status = [[Closed Institution|Closed]]
 
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]]
 
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]]
 
| architect(s) =
 
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| location = Meredith, NH
 
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The buildings, many of them built in the 19th century, had been vacant and in disrepair. An inmate labor force was responsible for nearly all of the major renovations. Consequently upon completion, both male and female inmates would be housed at LRF to participate exclusively in substance abuse, educational, self-improvement and other programs.<ref>From the New Hampshire Department of corrections web site</ref>
 
The buildings, many of them built in the 19th century, had been vacant and in disrepair. An inmate labor force was responsible for nearly all of the major renovations. Consequently upon completion, both male and female inmates would be housed at LRF to participate exclusively in substance abuse, educational, self-improvement and other programs.<ref>From the New Hampshire Department of corrections web site</ref>
  
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==Cemetery==
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Over the years some residents were buried in unmarked graves at random locations near the school before this cemetery was opened in 1941. As before, the burials were unmarked graves until the parents organized and asked that all the unmarked graves be identified. In 1976, marked gravestones, purchased by the parents, were laid over each of the graves.
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
 
  
 
==Links and Addition Information==
 
==Links and Addition Information==
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*[http://video.nhptv.org/video/1946560648/ Documentary of the hospital, NH Public Television]
 
*[http://www.nhchallenge.org/article.asp?ID=31 More history of the hospital can be found here]
 
*[http://www.nhchallenge.org/article.asp?ID=31 More history of the hospital can be found here]
*[http://iod.unh.edu/Self-Determination/newsletter1249/newsletter_show.htm-doc_id=3513.htm An account/submission from a person who lived at the school: Proving Them Wrong]
 
 
*[http://www.nhchallenge.org/article.asp?ID=56 Post Laconia State School: Life in the Community]
 
*[http://www.nhchallenge.org/article.asp?ID=56 Post Laconia State School: Life in the Community]
 
*[http://www.nhchallenge.org/article.asp?ID=35 Once there was a place called Laconia...]
 
*[http://www.nhchallenge.org/article.asp?ID=35 Once there was a place called Laconia...]
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*[http://www.nhchallenge.org/article.asp?ID=42 Today what used to be the Laconia State School is now a state prison.]
 
*[http://www.nhchallenge.org/article.asp?ID=42 Today what used to be the Laconia State School is now a state prison.]
  
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[[Category:New Hampshire]]
 
[[Category:Closed Institution]]
 
[[Category:Closed Institution]]
 
[[Category:Cottage Plan]]
 
[[Category:Cottage Plan]]
[[Category:New Hampshire]]
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[[Category:Institution With A Cemetery]]

Revision as of 21:11, 16 July 2013

Laconia State School
Established 1901
Construction Began 1903
Opened 1903
Closed 1991
Current Status Closed
Building Style Cottage Plan
Location Meredith, NH
Alternate Names
  • New Hampshire School for Feeble Minded Children



History

Inmate overcrowding issues of the 1980's and the need to develop goal-orientated programs resulted in the opening of the Lakes Region Facility in Laconia in October 1991.

The site of the new facility was the recently closed Laconia State School for the Developmentally Disabled. There were multiple buildings on the state-owned property laid out in a campus style setting. The infrastructure was already in place, thus the need to use additional state funding was drastically reduced. Negotiations with the City of Laconia proved to be a challenge for the NH-DOC, as local residents and city officials were reluctant to accept a prison. The institution was approved as a temporary measure. However, a series of stipulations including implementing a cap of 300 inmates and restrictions on the types of crimes committed by inmates to be housed there were embraced to allow for the facility to open.

In 1997, LRF became a permanent facility. The 300 cap was increased to 500 with the capability of expanding to 600 beds in the future.

The buildings, many of them built in the 19th century, had been vacant and in disrepair. An inmate labor force was responsible for nearly all of the major renovations. Consequently upon completion, both male and female inmates would be housed at LRF to participate exclusively in substance abuse, educational, self-improvement and other programs.[1]


Cemetery

Over the years some residents were buried in unmarked graves at random locations near the school before this cemetery was opened in 1941. As before, the burials were unmarked graves until the parents organized and asked that all the unmarked graves be identified. In 1976, marked gravestones, purchased by the parents, were laid over each of the graves.

References

  1. From the New Hampshire Department of corrections web site

Links and Addition Information