Editing Gardner State Hospital
From Asylum Projects
Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
The edit can be undone.
Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision | Your text | ||
Line 24: | Line 24: | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
β | At the beginning of the 20th century, the farm colony was quickly becoming the preferred model for institutional treatment of chronic cases in the Commonwealth. By 1901 farm colonies had been implemented by Fernald State School for the care of long term custodial residents as well as in Grafton by the Worcester Lunatic Hospital. | + | At the beginning of the 20th century, the farm colony was quickly becoming the preferred model for institutional treatment of chronic cases in the Commonwealth. By 1901 farm colonies had been implemented by Fernald State School for the care of long term custodial residents as well as in Grafton by the Worcester Lunatic Hospital. Gardner State Colony was established in 1902 for the treatment and custodial care of the chronic insane. The advantages of the colony model as compared to large single building or cottage plan institutions likely had to do with cost. By implementing large scale farming operations supported by residences built on a cheaper domestic scale, state colonies were expected to work towards self-sufficiency, while limiting the need for special appropriations by the legislature. The hospital served the North Worcester County area, and maintained both agricultural and livestock farm areas which were basically self- supporting. In 1970, a phase-down of in-patient facilities was instituted in the state of Massachusetts, and the Gardner facility was officially closed in 1975. |
The North Central Correctional Institution at Gardner, as it is now known, is located on twenty acres of hillside near the Gardner/Westminster town line. The dedication of this medium security facility was held on June 18, 1981, with the first ten inmates accepted into the prison two weeks later. Within the facility are eighteen buildings, with a perimeter consisting of two chain-linked fences topped with razor wire. The perimeter is manned by three towers and foot patrols of K9 teams. | The North Central Correctional Institution at Gardner, as it is now known, is located on twenty acres of hillside near the Gardner/Westminster town line. The dedication of this medium security facility was held on June 18, 1981, with the first ten inmates accepted into the prison two weeks later. Within the facility are eighteen buildings, with a perimeter consisting of two chain-linked fences topped with razor wire. The perimeter is manned by three towers and foot patrols of K9 teams. |