Utah State Hospital - Revision history

Squad546: Updated info

2026-02-03T23:42:51Z

Updated info

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:42, 3 February 2026
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	==History==		==History==
	On February 6, 1880, by a concurrent resolution of both houses of the Legislature, a committee, consisting of three members of the Council and five members of the House, was appointed for the purpose (inter alia) of taking into consideration the necessity of establishing a territorial asylum for the insane.		In Utah, the first mental health institution was opened at the mouth of Emigration Canyon in 1869, managed and funded by Salt Lake City. According to Chilton, those deemed violent because of mental illness were put in strong cells there, others housed in very small rooms. That facility would become the Utah Territorial Insane Asylum within a few years when Dr. Seymour Young, Brigham Young’s nephew, leased it. On February 6, 1880, by a concurrent resolution of both houses of the Legislature, a committee, consisting of three members of the Council and five members of the House, was appointed for the purpose (inter alia) of taking into consideration the necessity of establishing a territorial asylum for the insane. February 7 Councilor Smith introduced a bill " To establish a territorial insane asylum and to provide a fund therefor." On February 12 the joint committee reported that "It is the unan1mous opinion of this committee that the territory should provide a suitable place for the safekeeping of insane persons, and also to provide for their care and comfort as far as possible." The asylum moved to Provo in 1885.

	On February 7 Councilor Smith introduced a bill " To establish a territorial insane asylum and to provide a fund therefor."

	On February 12 the joint committee reported that "It is the unan1mous opinion of this committee that the territory should provide a suitable place for the safekeeping of insane persons, and also to provide for their care and comfort as far as possible."

	'By Daniel H. Calder, M. D., superintendent.		'By Daniel H. Calder, M. D., superintendent.
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	In February, 1896, Dr. Walter Pike, who had been superintendent of the asylum since its opening, tendered his resignation to take effect in 60 days, which the board reluctantly accepted, and appointed Dr. Milton H. Hardy his successor, who was succeeded, June 16, 1905, by Dr. D. H. Calder, who is still in the service. The assistant physician is Dr. C. M. Clark.		In February, 1896, Dr. Walter Pike, who had been superintendent of the asylum since its opening, tendered his resignation to take effect in 60 days, which the board reluctantly accepted, and appointed Dr. Milton H. Hardy his successor, who was succeeded, June 16, 1905, by Dr. D. H. Calder, who is still in the service. The assistant physician is Dr. C. M. Clark.

	The name of the institution was changed in 1902 to "State Mental Hospital."		The name of the institution was changed in 1902 to "State Mental Hospital." The hospital consists of an administration building, which has a frontage of 93 feet 4 inches, with a depth of 69 feet, and north and south wings, which have each a frontage of 152 feet 8 inches by 37 feet 8 inches, including the transverse sections, which extend to the rear 108 feet 8 inches by 37 feet 8 inches, making a total frontage of 398 feet 8 inches.

	The hospital consists of an administration building, which has a frontage of 93 feet 4 inches, with a depth of 69 feet, and north and south wings, which have each a frontage of 152 feet 8 inches by 37 feet 8 inches, including the transverse sections, which extend to the rear 108 feet 8 inches by 37 feet 8 inches, making a total frontage of 398 feet 8 inches.

	The walls of the main building are built of sandstone and pressed brick. The basement is entirely out of the ground, and is built of stone, 25 inches in thickness. There are seven other courses of stone encircling the building, used as sills, lintels and arches. Above the basement the brick walls are 17 inches thick; main partitions are the same. The main entrance to the building is entirely of stone, consisting of 27 steps. The building is fourstories high, with an attic, a center and two other towers. The total height of the building from grade to eaves is 68 feet; to top of center tower, 132 feet 6 inches. Construction, cornices, tower dormers and finials are galvanized iron; shingle roofs and bodine decks. The building is floored with polished Georgia pine. All walls and ceilings are hard finished; wood work, plain paint, bronze hardware.		The walls of the main building are built of sandstone and pressed brick. The basement is entirely out of the ground, and is built of stone, 25 inches in thickness. There are seven other courses of stone encircling the building, used as sills, lintels and arches. Above the basement the brick walls are 17 inches thick; main partitions are the same. The main entrance to the building is entirely of stone, consisting of 27 steps. The building is fourstories high, with an attic, a center and two other towers. The total height of the building from grade to eaves is 68 feet; to top of center tower, 132 feet 6 inches. Construction, cornices, tower dormers and finials are galvanized iron; shingle roofs and bodine decks. The building is floored with polished Georgia pine. All walls and ceilings are hard finished; wood work, plain paint, bronze hardware.

	The building is thoroughly ventilated and heated with the plenum system, together with direct radiation. The floor space is 30,100 square feet.		The building is thoroughly ventilated and heated with the plenum system, together with direct radiation. The floor space is 30,100 square feet. The buildings of the patients' department are to the north and south of the administration building. They are four stories high, with tower and cupola on each; the basements of rubble masonry (limestone) ; thickness of wall, 25 inches; walls above the basement of brick, with white stone trimmings; height of wings from grade to eaves, 31 feet 9 inches ; transverse sections from grade to eaves, 43 feet.

	The buildings of the patients' department are to the north and south of the administration building. They are four stories high, with tower and cupola on each; the basements of rubble masonry (limestone) ; thickness of wall, 25 inches; walls above the basement of brick, with white stone trimmings; height of wings from grade to eaves, 31 feet 9 inches ; transverse sections from grade to eaves, 43 feet.

	The construction is fireproof, consisting of steel I-beams and hollow tile arches; Georgia pine floors (polished) ; window sash and transoms of cast iron; walls and ceilings, hard finish; wood work, plain paint.		The construction is fireproof, consisting of steel I-beams and hollow tile arches; Georgia pine floors (polished) ; window sash and transoms of cast iron; walls and ceilings, hard finish; wood work, plain paint.

	In 1902 the cottage system was adopted to a limited extent; and in 1906 the open-door system was adopted in the cottages and various wards.<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=aPssAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:UOM39015005122398&client=firefox-a#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>		In 1902 the cottage system was adopted to a limited extent; and in 1906 the open-door system was adopted in the cottages and various wards.<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=aPssAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:UOM39015005122398&client=firefox-a#v=onepage&q&f=false</ref>

			Perhaps most startling in its history are the reasons people could be committed to the state’s mental health facility, including having epilepsy. The supposed “causes of insanity,” a 67-entry list taken from admission records, is odd by modern standards. It included things like financial embarrassment, disappointment, softening of the brain, death of a child, poverty, jealousy, unreciprocated love, studying prize fighting, ovarian trouble, reading novels, solar heat exposure, overwork, litigation, sedentary life, hypnotism, girl trouble, sheep herder and using cigarettes. For 85 years, the asylum was the only facility providing mental health treatment in Utah, guided early on by the “Utah State Board of Insanity.” But in 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Comprehensive Mental Health Center Act creating robust community centers to treat mental illness. In 1969, Weber Mental Health Center became Utah’s first community mental health center; 13 centers now serve clients statewide.

			Many patients were also released back into the community, nearly halving the census from its peak of 1,500 in 1955 to about 800 by the 1960s. Heninger introduced a patient council, ways for patients to earn privileges, a patient newspaper and a family day. The Utah State Hospital today has 154 forensic, 152 adult and 72 pediatric beds. Many patients are there for months, while very complex patients may stay a long time. Forensic patients are committed by criminal courts because they require secure inpatient care. They are people accused of crimes who also have mental health or substance use issues. One of the state hospital’s tasks is restoring competency, which means providing treatment to court-ordered adults who need it in order to stand trial.


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	1300 East Center Street<br>		1300 East Center Street<br>
	Provo, Utah<BR>		Provo, Utah<BR>
	~~[http://www.ush.utah.gov/historical_museum.html Museum website]~~

M-Explorer at 11:14, 13 April 2014

2014-04-13T11:14:23Z

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	==Links & Additional Information==		==Links & Additional Information==
	*[http://www.ush.utah.gov Official Hospital Website]		*[http://www.ush.utah.gov Official Hospital Website]
			*[http://www.ush.utah.gov/dvd_history_of_the_utah_state_hospital.html A short video on the history of Utah State Hospital]


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	[[Category:Active Institution]]		[[Category:Active Institution]]
	[[Category:Institution With A Museum]]		[[Category:Institution With A Museum]]
			[[Category:Articles With Videos]]
	[[Category:Past Featured Article Of The Week]]		[[Category:Past Featured Article Of The Week]]

Soldat251 at 06:09, 9 December 2011

2011-12-09T06:09:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:09, 9 December 2011
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	==Images==		==Images==
			{{image gallery\|[[Utah State Hospital Image Gallery\|Utah State Hospital]]}}

	<gallery>		<gallery>
	File:Provosh.jpg		File:Provosh.jpg

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2011-11-14T10:28:16Z

Images

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	File:Utahsan.png		File:Utahsan.png
	File:Utah State Hospital PC.jpg		File:Utah State Hospital PC.jpg
			File:Provo State Hospital.jpg

	</gallery>		</gallery>


	==Museum Information==		==Museum Information==

M-Explorer at 11:35, 1 March 2011

2011-03-01T11:35:01Z

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	[[Category:Active Institution]]		[[Category:Active Institution]]
	[[Category:Institution With A Museum]]		[[Category:Institution With A Museum]]
			[[Category:Past Featured Article Of The Week]]

Thomasp94 at 19:49, 27 January 2011

2011-01-27T19:49:56Z

Show changes

Thomasp94 at 19:08, 27 January 2011

2011-01-27T19:08:08Z

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	File:Utahsh.jpg		File:Utahsh.jpg
	File:Utahsan.png		File:Utahsan.png
			File:Utah State Hospital PC.jpg
	</gallery>		</gallery>

Squad546 at 01:56, 2 June 2010

2010-06-02T01:56:38Z

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	\| architecture_style =		\| architecture_style =
	\| peak_patient_population =		\| peak_patient_population =
	\| alternate_names =		\| alternate_names =<br>
	Territorial Insane Asylum		*Territorial Insane Asylum
	}}		}}

			==History==
	The Utah State Hospital began as the Territorial Insane Asylum in 1885 at Provo, Utah (which at the time was a days’ travel from Salt Lake City). The particular site in Provo was some eight blocks from the nearest residence and was separated from the city by swampland and the city dump. The message this reveals about the prevailing attitudes regarding mental illness is unmistakable.		The Utah State Hospital began as the Territorial Insane Asylum in 1885 at Provo, Utah (which at the time was a days’ travel from Salt Lake City). The particular site in Provo was some eight blocks from the nearest residence and was separated from the city by swampland and the city dump. The message this reveals about the prevailing attitudes regarding mental illness is unmistakable.

Squad546 at 04:49, 6 May 2010

2010-05-06T04:49:29Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:49, 6 May 2010
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	File:Utahsan.png		File:Utahsan.png
	</gallery>		</gallery>

			==Museum Information==
			'''Utah State Hospital Museum'''<br>
			1300 East Center Street<br>
			Provo, Utah<BR>
			[http://www.ush.utah.gov/historical_museum.html Museum website]

	[[Category:Utah]]		[[Category:Utah]]
	[[Category:Cottage Plan]]		[[Category:Cottage Plan]]
	[[Category:Active Institution]]		[[Category:Active Institution]]
			[[Category:Institution With A Museum]]

M-Explorer: Created page with '{{infobox institution | name = Utah State Hospital | image = Provosh.jpg | image_size = 250px | alt = | caption = | established = | construction_began = 1885 | construction_en…'

2010-01-19T12:34:34Z

Created page with '{{infobox institution | name = Utah State Hospital | image = Provosh.jpg | image_size = 250px | alt = | caption = | established = | construction_began = 1885 | construction_en…'

New page

{{infobox institution
| name = Utah State Hospital
| image = Provosh.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| alt =
| caption =
| established =
| construction_began = 1885
| construction_ended =
| opened =
| closed =
| demolished =
| current_status = [[Active Institution|Active]]
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]]
| architect(s) =
| location =
| architecture_style =
| peak_patient_population =
| alternate_names =
Territorial Insane Asylum
}}

The Utah State Hospital began as the Territorial Insane Asylum in 1885 at Provo, Utah (which at the time was a days’ travel from Salt Lake City). The particular site in Provo was some eight blocks from the nearest residence and was separated from the city by swampland and the city dump. The message this reveals about the prevailing attitudes regarding mental illness is unmistakable.

The intervening years, however, have brought many changes: the swamp has been drained, the dump converted into a municipal park, and the city has expanded to the point that there is no longer a stark demarcation of where the "Asylum" begins

From its origin the purpose of the Hospital was to treat the mentally ill and to return them to a normal level of functioning. In spite of their best efforts, however, in its early days the facility was little more than a human warehouse. In fact, by 1955 the population at the hospital was over 1,500 patients.

Over the years, tremendous advances in psychiatric medicine have changed the role of the Hospital to one of very active (and successful) treatment and rehabilitation. Today, it is truly a Hospital in every sense of the word.

Furthermore, the Hospital is no longer the primary deliverer of mental health services in Utah; this role changed with the creation in l969, of community mental health centers. Now residents throughout Utah can receive mental health services in their own community. The Hospital has changed its role from the only mental health treatment facility into a supporting roll for the community mental health centers.

==Images==

<gallery>
File:Utahsh.jpg
File:Utahsan.png
</gallery>

[[Category:Utah]]
[[Category:Cottage Plan]]
[[Category:Active Institution]]