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Welcome to Asylum Projects, A historic asylum wiki anyone can edit. 2,369 articles and counting

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Mission Statement

The Mission

The mission of this site is to archive both historical and current information on asylums across the United States and around the world.

The Statement

This site is dedicated to the history of asylums in all forms. The term of asylum is applied to not only what is commonly thought of: mental hospitals, but can also be applied to sanatoriums, state training schools, reform schools, almshouses, and orphanages. These institutions have and continue to play a major part in today's society.

Everyone throughout the United States and in many other countries has in one way or another felt the touch of these institutions. These places have both directly and indirectly affected people and their families. They have shaped lives and created many popular myths about them.

With all that in mind, this site was created to help in the historical research of any institutions that can be classified as an asylum. It was created for both serious researchers, those who are doing genealogical research, and people with an interest in asylums.

Featured Article Of The Week

Norwich State Hospital

he Norwich State Hospital opened its doors in 1904 to the insane with ninety-five patients in one building on over 100 acres.

One of the hospital’s first superintendents believed that mechanical restraint of patients was preferable to medication and believed in hydrotherapy as a treatment measure. The hospital's board quickly realized the population was exceeding what was safe. In 1905, two patient buildings were built, with a third opening in 1907.

Thirteen buildings were erected for patients during the next eight years. In 1913, with a population of 998, an administration building, three cottages for physicians, a carpenter and maintenance shop, the main kitchen, garage, laboratory, staff house, and an employees’ clubhouse had been erected, and the inebriate farm and the Colony had been established.

Seven new buildings were built between 1920 and 1930; another was purchased for patients’ use. In 1929, the hospital peaked with 1,115 patients, while in 1930, the average daily census reached 2,422. In addition to new patient facilities, two more cottages were erected for physicians, a female employees’ home, a paint shop, a greenhouse, a superintendent’s residence, and two garages were built. Click here for more...

Archive, Future Featured Articles.

Featured Image Of The Week

Over the years of the hospital's operation many more buildings were built. Some time during the 20th century the administration section of the Main Building was modified pretty extensively. An additional floor was added to the building, and as a result, the decorative roof line was removed, causing the administration section to stand out from the rest of the building. The ground in front of the building was excavated and lowered, and a new entrance was built. Half of the north wing of the Main Building has also been removed.

Archive, Future Featured Images.

Featured Video

The following fifteen-minute video documentary, created by SBS Dateline, is about New York City's Hart Island, the history of the structures on it, and its massive potter's field, where over 700,000 people have been buried since 1868. It also features a few women who have worked to visit their stillborn children buried on the island. These women and others have been working to make the island more accessible to those visiting the grave site.

Other Articles With Videos, Future Featured Videos.

Recent Message Board Posts

For everyone asking genealogical questions, please read this message from the administrators.

Hello,

In this space you normally would see our forum. This had been a hold over from earlier days before we had a Facebook page. Just prior to our server issues regular users had been barely using the forum with the majority of new posts from anonymous users asking genealogy questions or spammers. The old forum software does not work with our new version while the new forum software does not carry over old comments to the new forum. As a result, the forum will be discontinued in favor of our Facebook page. If you have questions or comments you can ask them there.

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If you have genealogical question here is an information page to help you.