Chester State Hospital
| Chester State Hospital | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Construction Began | 1889 |
| Opened | 1891 |
| Current Status | Active |
| Building Style | Cottage Plan |
| Location | Chester, IL |
| Alternate Names |
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History
In 1889, the legislature established the Asylum for Insane Criminals, and it received its first patients on November 2, 1891. W.T. Patterson transferred from the staff of Elgin State Hospital to become its first Superintendent. Control of the institution was placed with the Commissioners of the Southern Penitentiary at Menard. The original building on the penitentiary grounds was poorly constructed and was eventually torn down. A replacement was built on a separate campus near Chester, Illinois.
The Department of Public Welfare assumed responsibility for the hospital from 1917 until 1961 when the Department of Mental Health was created. In 1976 new buildings were constructed 1 mile away to replace the aging facility. Many are placed in Chester because they are unfit to stand trial or have been deemed not guilty for various violent crimes by reason of insanity. The original building has been demolished and the hospital moved a short distance to a new campus.
Images
Main Image Gallery: Chester State Hospital
