Anna State Hospital

Anna State Hospital
Construction Began	1869
Opened	1875
Current Status	Active
Building Style	Kirkbride Plan
Location	Anna, IL
Peak Patient Population	2,431 in 1953
Alternate Names	Clyde Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center Southern Illinois State Hospital Choate State Hospital

History

Southern Hospital for the Insane, located at Anna, Union County, founded by act of the Legislature in 1869. The original site comprised 290 acres and cost a little more than $22,0000, of which one-fourth was donated by citizens of the county. The construction of buildings was begun in 1869, but it was not until March 1875, that the north wing (the first completed) was ready for occupancy. Other portions were completed a year later. The Trustees purchased 160 additional acres in 1883. The first cost (up to September, 1876) was nearly $635,000. In 1881 one wing of the main building was destroyed by fire, and was subsequently rebuilt; the patients being, meanwhile, cared for in temporary wooden barracks.

The total value of lands and buildings belong to the State, June 30, 1894, was estimated at $738,580, and, of property of all sorts, at $833, 700. The wooden barracks were later converted into a permanent ward, additions made to the main buildings, a detached building for the accommodations of 300 patients erected, numerous outbuildings put up and general improvements made. A second fire on the night of Jan. 3, 1895, destroyed a large part of the main building, inflicting a loss upon the State of $175,000.00. Provision was made for rebuilding by the Legislature of that year. The institution has capacity for about 750 patients.

By the early 1900s the facility had approximately 1,100 patients and 300 staff. In 1920, the Nurses Home was built. By 1923 the facility consisted of 35 buildings on 720 acres of land. In the 1950s and 1960s, the wings of the main building were removed and replaced with the residential units which exist today: Cedar, Cypress, Sycamore, Redbud, Dogwood and Magnolia. By 1968 the facility began providing services for individuals with developmental disabilities. That then turned the hospital into two separate hospitals. This resulted in the name change for the facility in 1975 to the Anna Mental Health and Developmental Center. In 1988 the facility underwent its last name change to the Clyde L Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center. Clyde Choate received a World War II Medal of Honor for his heroism. Clyde was also a long-time Southern Illinois legislator and was known as the “Guardian Angel of Southern Illinois.”

Choate received a lifetime achievement award in 1995 for his countless accomplishments and compassion in life. Clyde L. Choate passed away in 2001. As of August 2008 part of the original Kirkbride building still remains. The remaining sections are only the first two floors of the administration and a piece of wing off either side. The upper floors were destroyed by fire. The facility provides jobs to approximately 600 employees and provides services and treatment for mental health, developmental disabilities, dual diagnosis, forensics and forensics step down.

Images of Anna State Hospital

Main Image Gallery: Anna State Hospital

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Videos

• The following is a video presentation on Anna State Hospital by Darrel Dexter of Jonesboro, which was sponsored by the Daniel H. Brush Chapter of the DAR and hosted by the Carbondale Public Library.

Cemetery

The cemetery was used from 1872 to 1939, unfortunately only some of the graves have markers and the number of graves is not known.

Links

• Photos & info on remaining part of the Kirkbride