Timberlawn Sanitarium
| Timberlawn Sanitarium | |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1917 |
| Closed | 2018 |
| Demolished | 2019 |
| Current Status | Demolished |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Location | Dallas, TX |
| Alternate Names |
|
History
Timberlawn mental hospital was founded in 1917. In the beginning, it was a prestigious institution where rich, private-pay patients came for psychoanalysis and long-term stays. “Timberlawn is for the maladjusted wealthy bourgeoisie,” as stated in a Texas Monthly article in 1976. The hospital was acquired by UHS in 1997. Many comments indicate the place was problematic long before and not the place for the ‘maladjusted wealthy’ people anymore.
In 2016 a patient killed psychiatrist Dr. Ruth MarDock due to lack of security. There were also claims that patients were given psychoactive medication without showing signs of aggression or agitation in order to silence them. Violent fights among patients, dirty conditions and medical records issues were not helping the situation either. In the end, Timberlawn was closed down in early 2018 after the license was revoked due to safety issues.
