Kentucky State Hospital
| Kentucky State Hospital | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Construction Began | 1941 |
| Opened | 1942 |
| Current Status | Active |
| Building Style | Cottage Plan |
| Location | Danville,KY |
| Peak Patient Population | 2,400 |
| Alternate Names |
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History
The institution was originally constructed as a state mental hospital. Beginning in 1941, the United States Army assumed control of the facilities to provide care for soldiers suffering from psychiatric illness. While operated by the Army from 1941 to 1946, the Darnell Hospital had the capability to house approximately 880 ill soldiers and was also utilized to contain German prisoners of war. In 1946, the hospital was returned to state control for the sum of $1. Interestingly, employees desiring to be a part of the transaction contributed 100 pennies for the purchase price. The facilities were operated as the Kentucky State Hospital from 1946 until 1977 when phased to the control of the Bureau of Social Services. For five years, from July 1977 through February 1983, the Danville Youth Development Center was utilized as a youth center for juvenile offenders.
The Department of Corrections received control of the property, consisting of 551 acres and approximately 50 structures, in January 1983. Northpoint Training Center was initially conceived as a minimum-security institution for fewer than 500 inmates, but the mission rapidly changed to a medium-security institution with a proposed population of approximately 700 inmates. Today, the institution operates as a medium-security institution with a current bed capacity of 1,256 inmates. The institution currently consists of 1,108 general population medium-security beds, 60 special management beds, and 40 minimum-security beds. In 2009 the prison was the scene of a riot destroying several of the original buildings.
Cemetery
An unknown number of patients are buried in 2 cemeteries on the property. It is suspected some graves are those of German POWs that were housed here during WW2. A Cremation Oven stood near the grave yard at least until 1982 when it became a state prison.
Images of Kentucky State Hospital
Main Image Gallery: Kentucky State Hospital
