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Featured Article Of The Week
Wood County Asylum
Norwood Health Center got its beginning in 1909 when the Wood County Board passed a resolution to build a "County Insane Asylum" at a cost not to exceed $130,000. After reviewing several sites, the County Board approved a site in Marshfield. The city's newspaper announced with pride that Marshfield was indeed fortunate to be awarded the site. The site, located along County Highway A, adjacent to the current industrial park, was awarded "due largely to the fact that it is located on two lines of railroad..." The Marshfield News, November 25, 1909.
It included 640 acres of prime farm land. Work began on the County Asylum on June 10, 1910 and was completed the following year.
Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Gilson were appointed the first Superintendent and Assistant. The building, which had a capacity of 250 mental patients, was staffed with 19 employees. Much of the care in the early days could be viewed as "protective" in nature. In addition, "work therapy" was utilized to a great extent as psychiatric medicines had yet to be developed. Many patients were expected to work at the facility performing daily farm chores. They were not paid. Over the years, this farm became one of the more respected operations in the county.
As the field of mental health progressed, psychiatrists, psychologists, and nurses became more prominent caregivers. As such, the name of the "Wood County Asylum" was changed to "Wood County Hospital" in 1938. The number of patients cared for at the facility remained relatively stable for the first fifty to sixty years. Many were transported via the railroads from other counties who did not have a county hospital. Click here for more...
