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| construction_ended =
 
| construction_ended =
 
| opened = 1828
 
| opened = 1828
| closed = 2015
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| closed =
 
| demolished =
 
| demolished =
 
| current_status = [[Closed Institution|Closed]]  
 
| current_status = [[Closed Institution|Closed]]  
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The two men worked zealously to sensitize their fellow lawmakers to the needs of the mentally ill, and on December 20, 1821, the South Carolina State Legislature passed a statute-at-large approving $30,000 to build the S.C. Lunatic Asylum and school for the deaf and dumb. This legislation made South Carolina the second state in the nation (after Virginia) to provide funds for the care and treatment of people with mental illnesses.
 
The two men worked zealously to sensitize their fellow lawmakers to the needs of the mentally ill, and on December 20, 1821, the South Carolina State Legislature passed a statute-at-large approving $30,000 to build the S.C. Lunatic Asylum and school for the deaf and dumb. This legislation made South Carolina the second state in the nation (after Virginia) to provide funds for the care and treatment of people with mental illnesses.
  
Original drawing of the S.C. Lunatic Asylum, Robert Mills a renowned architect, was chosen to design the new S.C. Lunatic Asylum.  In 1822 the cornerstone was laid for the Mills Building, which took six years to complete.  The building's many innovations included fire-proof ceilings, a central heating system, and one of the country's first roof gardens.  South Carolina's asylum was one of the first in the nation built expressly for the mentally ill and funded by a state government.
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Original drawing of the S.C. Lunatic AsylumRobert Mills, a renowned architect, was chosen to design the new S.C. Lunatic Asylum.  In 1822 the cornerstone was laid for the Mills Building, which took six years to complete.  The building's many innovations included fire-proof ceilings, a central heating system, and one of the country's first roof gardens.  South Carolina's asylum was one of the first in the nation built expressly for the mentally ill and funded by a state government.
  
 
Citizens were wary of sending their loved ones to the asylum, and so, it was not until December 12, 1828, that the first patient was admitted. A young woman from Barnwell County, she was accompanied by her mother who worked as a matron while her daughter was a patient at the hospital.
 
Citizens were wary of sending their loved ones to the asylum, and so, it was not until December 12, 1828, that the first patient was admitted. A young woman from Barnwell County, she was accompanied by her mother who worked as a matron while her daughter was a patient at the hospital.
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Men and women were housed separately, originally on different floors, but later in separate buildings. When a new building was completed in 1858, male patients moved into it, and the women remained in the Mills Building. Despite the new building, the asylum reached its capacity of 192 by 1860. Many families preferred to care for their mentally ill relatives at home, while others wanted them closer to home even if it were in the county jail or the poor house. Only after the state assumed direct responsibility for all mentally ill in 1871 did county jails readily give up their patients.
 
Men and women were housed separately, originally on different floors, but later in separate buildings. When a new building was completed in 1858, male patients moved into it, and the women remained in the Mills Building. Despite the new building, the asylum reached its capacity of 192 by 1860. Many families preferred to care for their mentally ill relatives at home, while others wanted them closer to home even if it were in the county jail or the poor house. Only after the state assumed direct responsibility for all mentally ill in 1871 did county jails readily give up their patients.
  
During the Civil War, funding problems grew worse. Dr. John W. Parker, the superintendent, opposed a plan to turn his complex into a prisoner-of-war camp. Although the Confederate Army did not get the asylum, the grounds were used as a prison camp for Union officers from October 1864 to February 1865. Despite worsening conditions late in the war, the asylum became a refuge for many Columbia residents when the city burned during Union General William T. Sherman's occupation in February 1865. With dwindling provisions, Parker did his best to provide for his patients and for the destitute citizens. Like the rest of the South, the asylum struggled to survive in the aftermath of the war. Despite the lack of funds, the superintendent accepted more patients and often used his own money to provide them with food and other necessities.
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Drawing of Asylum Camp 1864During the Civil War, funding problems grew worse. Dr. John W. Parker, the superintendent, opposed a plan to turn his complex into a prisoner-of-war camp. Although the Confederate Army did not get the asylum, the grounds were used as a prison camp for Union officers from October 1864 to February 1865.
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Despite worsening conditions late in the war, the asylum became a refuge for many Columbia residents when the city burned during Union General William T. Sherman's occupation in February 1865. With dwindling provisions, Parker did his best to provide for his patients and for the destitute citizens. Like the rest of the South, the asylum struggled to survive in the aftermath of the war. Despite the lack of funds, the superintendent accepted more patients and often used his own money to provide them with food and other necessities.
  
 
J.F. Ensor, a Maryland native and former Union Army surgeon, became superintendent in 1870 and tried hard to find adequate funds for the institution. Several citizens from around the state contributed, and he received a $10,000 subscription from some Philadelphia Quakers, which helped repair the buildings. More than once, when local businesses could no longer give him credit, Ensor supplemented the institution's meager budgets with his own funds.
 
J.F. Ensor, a Maryland native and former Union Army surgeon, became superintendent in 1870 and tried hard to find adequate funds for the institution. Several citizens from around the state contributed, and he received a $10,000 subscription from some Philadelphia Quakers, which helped repair the buildings. More than once, when local businesses could no longer give him credit, Ensor supplemented the institution's meager budgets with his own funds.
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The council determined that the services necessary for the successful transition of patients into the state's communities did not exist and needed to be developed. It was also clear that some patients could not be safely discharged into the community and would continue to be cared for in S.C. Department of Mental Health facilities until appropriate services could be created.
 
The council determined that the services necessary for the successful transition of patients into the state's communities did not exist and needed to be developed. It was also clear that some patients could not be safely discharged into the community and would continue to be cared for in S.C. Department of Mental Health facilities until appropriate services could be created.
  
Some communities are struggling to develop community-care programs. They have a shortage of appropriate residences and sometimes face opposition to these from neighborhood residents, have no crisis-care center to handle short-term acute situations, lack employment opportunities, and, particularly in rural areas, lack good basic medical services. However, many areas are successfully developing mental health services. An example of the success of the program occurred between May and November 1993 when 127 patients from the S.C. State Hospital and Crafts-Farrow State Hospital moved into seven creative, customized programs in Aiken, Charleston, Columbia, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Sumter. These patients were provided with appropriate residences, medication monitoring, psychiatric and medical services, supportive community services, meaningful activity, and employment assistance.
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Some communities are struggling to develop community-care programs. They have a shortage of appropriate residences and sometimes face opposition to these from neighborhood residents, have no crisis-care center to handle short-term acute situations, lack employment opportunities, and, particularly in rural areas, lack good basic medical services.
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However, many areas are successfully developing mental health services. An example of the success of the program occurred between May and November 1993 when 127 patients from the S.C. State Hospital and Crafts-Farrow State Hospital moved into seven creative, customized programs in Aiken, Charleston, Columbia, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Sumter. These patients were provided with appropriate residences, medication monitoring, psychiatric and medical services, supportive community services, meaningful activity, and employment assistance.
  
 
In two separate waves of programs from 1992 to 1995, 265 patients were discharged from inpatient facilities to Toward Local Care projects that have a total budget of $4 million. In the first Toward Local Care wave, 193 clients entered the community from hospitals to nine community mental health center programs. In a second wave, 44 clients were discharged to programs in six community mental health centers (Anderson, Charleston/ Dorchester, Columbia, Greenville, Pee Dee and Piedmont).
 
In two separate waves of programs from 1992 to 1995, 265 patients were discharged from inpatient facilities to Toward Local Care projects that have a total budget of $4 million. In the first Toward Local Care wave, 193 clients entered the community from hospitals to nine community mental health center programs. In a second wave, 44 clients were discharged to programs in six community mental health centers (Anderson, Charleston/ Dorchester, Columbia, Greenville, Pee Dee and Piedmont).
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*Hidden Columbia Series on the hospital: [http://www.wolo.com/article.php?id=2844&page=index Part 1], [http://www.wolo.com/article.php?id=2931&page=index Part 2], [http://www.wolo.com/article.php?id=3007&page=news Part 3], [http://www.wolo.com/article.php?id=3108&page=news Part 4], [http://www.wolo.com/article.php?id=3272&page=index Part 5]
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**Hidden Columbia Alternative Link (see the above videos on Facebook in HD): [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=391033696480&ref=mf Part 1], [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=393646651480&ref=mf Part 2], [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=394741901480&ref=mf Part 3], [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=397341761480&ref=mf Part 4], [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=400276771480&ref=mf Part 5]
  
 
== Links & Additional Information ==
 
== Links & Additional Information ==
*Hidden Columbia Alternative Link (see the above videos on Facebook in HD): [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=391033696480&ref=mf Part 1], [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=393646651480&ref=mf Part 2], [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=394741901480&ref=mf Part 3], [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=397341761480&ref=mf Part 4], [http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=400276771480&ref=mf Part 5]
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*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/takecareanna/sets/72157622296422620/ Flickr photo set of the Babcock Building]
 
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/takecareanna/sets/72157622296422620/ Flickr photo set of the Babcock Building]
 
*[http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/richland/S10817740004/index.htm Photo set of the Mills Building]
 
*[http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/richland/S10817740004/index.htm Photo set of the Mills Building]
  
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The Architecture of Madness-Insane Asylums in the United States, Yanni, Carla, University of Minnesota Press (2007)
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

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