Editing Pilgrim State Hospital
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| alt = Pilgrim State Hospital | | alt = Pilgrim State Hospital | ||
| caption = | | caption = | ||
− | | established = | + | | established = |
| construction_began = 1929 | | construction_began = 1929 | ||
| construction_ended = | | construction_ended = | ||
− | | opened = | + | | opened = |
| closed = | | closed = | ||
| demolished = | | demolished = | ||
| current_status = [[Active Institution|Active]] | | current_status = [[Active Institution|Active]] | ||
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]] | | building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]] | ||
− | | architect(s) = | + | | architect(s) = |
− | | location = | + | | location = |
| architecture_style = | | architecture_style = | ||
| peak_patient_population = 13,875 in 1954 | | peak_patient_population = 13,875 in 1954 | ||
− | | alternate_names = | + | | alternate_names = |
− | + | Pilgrim Psychiatric Center | |
}} | }} | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
− | At the time it was opened, it was the largest hospital of any type in the world | + | At the time it was opened, it was the largest hospital of any type in the world, its size has never been exceeded by any other facility, although today Pilgrim is far smaller than it used to be. |
By 1900, overcrowding in city asylums was becoming a major problem that many tried to resolve. One answer was to put the mentally ill to work farming in a relaxing setting on what was then rural Long Island. The new state hospitals were dubbed "Farm Colonies" because of their live-and-work treatment programs, agricultural focus and patient facilities. However, these farm colonies, the Kings Park State Hospital (later known as the Kings Park Psychiatric Center) and the Central Islip State Hospital (later known as the Central Islip Psychiatric Center), quickly became overcrowded, just like the earlier institutions they were supposed to replace. | By 1900, overcrowding in city asylums was becoming a major problem that many tried to resolve. One answer was to put the mentally ill to work farming in a relaxing setting on what was then rural Long Island. The new state hospitals were dubbed "Farm Colonies" because of their live-and-work treatment programs, agricultural focus and patient facilities. However, these farm colonies, the Kings Park State Hospital (later known as the Kings Park Psychiatric Center) and the Central Islip State Hospital (later known as the Central Islip Psychiatric Center), quickly became overcrowded, just like the earlier institutions they were supposed to replace. | ||
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===Pilgrim Today=== | ===Pilgrim Today=== | ||
− | Pilgrim is today the last of the state asylums still operating on Long Island. However, it is no longer what it used to be. The farming section of the hospital was sold off, renovated, and became the Western Campus of the Suffolk County Community College in 1974. A large part of the Pilgrim campus was sold to a developer, and numerous abandoned structures on those lands were demolished in recent years. However, rebuilding has not begun. Other abandoned structures, like the former administration building, medical/surgical building, doctor's residences | + | Pilgrim is today the last of the state asylums still operating on Long Island. However, it is no longer what it used to be. The farming section of the hospital was sold off, renovated, and became the Western Campus of the Suffolk County Community College in 1974. A large part of the Pilgrim campus was sold to a developer, and numerous abandoned structures on those lands were demolished in recent years. However, rebuilding has not begun. Other abandoned structures, like the former administration building, medical/surgical building, doctor's residences and utilities section remain standing for the time being (those parts of the campus are owned by the developer as well). Only about a third of the original Pilgrim campus is still in operation, though its future is also cloudy. |
Pilgrim also hosts a museum on site, which displays items from Kings Park, Central Islip, Pilgrim, and Edgewood such as pictures, old newsletters, relics from abandoned and/or demolished buildings, and other historical information that hint back to a largely forgotten era. | Pilgrim also hosts a museum on site, which displays items from Kings Park, Central Islip, Pilgrim, and Edgewood such as pictures, old newsletters, relics from abandoned and/or demolished buildings, and other historical information that hint back to a largely forgotten era. | ||
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==Books== | ==Books== | ||
− | *''The | + | *''The farm colonies: Caring for New York City's mentally ill in Long Island's state hospitals'', by Leo Polaski |
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==Videos== | ==Videos== | ||
− | The following | + | The following was a video filmed for 20/20's report on Lobotomy, but primarily focuses on Pilgrim state. |
− | + | <youtube v="gucei5PU_NY" /> | |
− | + | <youtube v="qoDddwwmv6o" /> | |
==Links & Additional Information== | ==Links & Additional Information== | ||
− | *[ | + | *[http://www.omh.state.ny.us/omhweb/facilities/pgpc/facility.htm Official hospital website] |
*[http://www.opacity.us/site23_pilgrim_state_hospital.htm Pilgrim State Hospital at Opacity] | *[http://www.opacity.us/site23_pilgrim_state_hospital.htm Pilgrim State Hospital at Opacity] | ||
*[http://libn.com/blog/2009/04/24/though-new-life-is-planned-for-the-site-the-ghosts-of-pilgrim-state-linger/ Though new life is planned for the site, the ghosts of Pilgrim State linger] | *[http://libn.com/blog/2009/04/24/though-new-life-is-planned-for-the-site-the-ghosts-of-pilgrim-state-linger/ Though new life is planned for the site, the ghosts of Pilgrim State linger] | ||
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*[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/realestate/20lizo.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1294337068-PUyKUX09zCC/gsicFEWO5g ‘Walkable Community’ Is a Hard Sell] | *[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/realestate/20lizo.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1294337068-PUyKUX09zCC/gsicFEWO5g ‘Walkable Community’ Is a Hard Sell] | ||
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[[Category:Active Institution]] | [[Category:Active Institution]] | ||
[[Category:Cottage Plan]] | [[Category:Cottage Plan]] | ||
+ | [[Category:New York]] | ||
[[Category:Asylum Books]] | [[Category:Asylum Books]] | ||
[[Category:Articles With Videos]] | [[Category:Articles With Videos]] | ||
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