Difference between revisions of "Portal:Featured Article Of The Week"

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|Title= Buffalo State Hospital
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|Title= Adams County Almshouse
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|Body= The Henry Hobson Richardson Complex, or the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, as it was originally called, started construction in 1870 and was completed almost 20 years later. It was a state-of-the-art facility when it was built, incorporating the most modern ideas in psychiatric treatment. The design of the buildings as well as the restorative grounds, designed by famed landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted, were intended to complement the innovations in psychiatric care practiced at this facility.
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|Body= The Adams County Almshouse was built in 1820 to care for the poor of Adams County one mile from Gettysburg on the Harrisburg Turnpike. The almshouse property included 270 aces of land which was worked for the institutions benefit. The original almshouse complex consisted of three buildings, the almshouse proper, the infirmary, and the old insane hospital. The main building was a two story brick structure with a basement, measuring 70 by 40 ft. The old insane building was also was a two story brick structure with basement, measuring 95 by 20 ft. The infirmary, which housed the counties sick measured 60 by 32 feet and was also a two story structure of brick. The capacity of these structures was 125 people.
  
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At the time Richardson was commissioned to design the complex he was still relatively unknown, but he was later to become the first American architect to achieve international fame. The complex was ultimately the largest building of his career and the first to display his characteristic style - what came to be known as Richardsonian Romanesque – and is internationally regarded as one of the best examples of its kind. Among many others, his genius also yielded the New York State Capital, the Albany City Hall, Trinity Church in Boston, and the Glessner House in Chicago.
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During the Battle of Gettysburg the Almshouse property was located in close proximity to the battle, its location being just northeast of Gettysburg and along the initial Union Line on the first day of fighting. Just north of the Almshouse was a knoll, which the Almshouse's cemetery was located on. General Barlow's division, part of the Union XI Corps took position on the Knoll. However their location on the edge of the Union line and the knoll's position further forward of supporting divisions created a salient. Barlow's position was hit from both flanks and overrun, leading to the collapse of the Union right flank and the confederate lines moving past the Almshouse by the end of the first day. This area is know called Barlow's Knoll. From the beginning the Almshouse was utilized by both armies as a field hospital to care for the wounded.
  
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The complex and grounds were originally built on 203 acres of largely undeveloped farmland. The V-shaped design consisted of the central tower building with five buildings flanking on each side, connected by curved corridors, branching out in a “flock of geese” formation. This design was representative of what was then known as the Kirkbride system, named after the physician who developed it. As a stage of development in the classification and treatment of mental illnesses, Kirkbride’s system was designed with a central administration building flanked by patient wards in a V-formation. This enabled patients to be gathered according to the type and level of their illness. Rooms were arranged along both sides of the corridor and the buildings were designed for maximum light, ventilation, and privacy, and a home like atmosphere. [[Buffalo State Hospital|Click here for more...]]
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After the Civil War an 1886 report was made on the hospital. According to the report the three buildings were found to be in poor repair and all described as unsuitable for use as either an almshouse or a hospital. The provisions for separating the sexes was found to be inadequate and management of the almshouse poor as a whole. [[Adams County Almshouse|Click here for more...]]
 
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Revision as of 03:48, 9 April 2012

Featured Article Of The Week

Adams County Almshouse


Adams County Almshouse (2).jpg

The Adams County Almshouse was built in 1820 to care for the poor of Adams County one mile from Gettysburg on the Harrisburg Turnpike. The almshouse property included 270 aces of land which was worked for the institutions benefit. The original almshouse complex consisted of three buildings, the almshouse proper, the infirmary, and the old insane hospital. The main building was a two story brick structure with a basement, measuring 70 by 40 ft. The old insane building was also was a two story brick structure with basement, measuring 95 by 20 ft. The infirmary, which housed the counties sick measured 60 by 32 feet and was also a two story structure of brick. The capacity of these structures was 125 people.

During the Battle of Gettysburg the Almshouse property was located in close proximity to the battle, its location being just northeast of Gettysburg and along the initial Union Line on the first day of fighting. Just north of the Almshouse was a knoll, which the Almshouse's cemetery was located on. General Barlow's division, part of the Union XI Corps took position on the Knoll. However their location on the edge of the Union line and the knoll's position further forward of supporting divisions created a salient. Barlow's position was hit from both flanks and overrun, leading to the collapse of the Union right flank and the confederate lines moving past the Almshouse by the end of the first day. This area is know called Barlow's Knoll. From the beginning the Almshouse was utilized by both armies as a field hospital to care for the wounded.

After the Civil War an 1886 report was made on the hospital. According to the report the three buildings were found to be in poor repair and all described as unsuitable for use as either an almshouse or a hospital. The provisions for separating the sexes was found to be inadequate and management of the almshouse poor as a whole. Click here for more...

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