Difference between revisions of "Lakin State Hospital"

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{{infobox institution
 
{{infobox institution
 
| name = Lakin State Hospital
 
| name = Lakin State Hospital
| image =  
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| image = Lakin1942 .jpg
 
| image_size = 250px
 
| image_size = 250px
 
| alt =  
 
| alt =  
 
| caption =  
 
| caption =  
| established =
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| established = 1919
| construction_began = 1924
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| construction_began =  
| construction_ended =
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| construction_ended = 1926
| opened =  
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| opened = 1926
| closed =  
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| closed = late 1970s
| demolished =  
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| demolished = Partially
 
| current_status = [[Closed Institution|Closed]]
 
| current_status = [[Closed Institution|Closed]]
| building_style = [[Single Building Institutions|Single Building]]
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| building_style = [[Rambling Planned Institutions|Rambling Plan]]
 
| architect(s) =  
 
| architect(s) =  
| location =  
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| location = Lakin, WV
 
| architecture_style =   
 
| architecture_style =   
| peak_patient_population =  
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| peak_patient_population = 502 (1960 pop.)
 
| alternate_names =<br>
 
| alternate_names =<br>
*Lakin Industrial Home for Colored Boys
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*Lakin Hospital (1970)
*Lakin Industrial School for Colored Boys
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*Lakin Hospital Nursing Home
 
}}
 
}}
  
==History==
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== History ==
The Lakin Industrial School for Colored Boys was founded by T.G. Nutter, Harry Capehart and T.J. Coleman, three African American legislators that created several state-funded reform institutions for blacks between 1919 and 1921. This led to several structures being constructed west of WV 62 in rural Mason county. It lies just north of Lakin State Hospital. The familiar red brick building, built in 1924, was constructed of fireproof materials and is very sturdy, was the first building to be erected. A gymnasium was built in the 1940's; several smaller structures followed soon after.
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The Lakin State Hospital was created under the same legislation proposed by T.G. Nutter, Harry Capehart and T.J. Coleman, three African American legislators that created several state-funded reform institutions for African Americans between 1919 and 1921, that also created the [[Lakin Industrial Home for Colored Boys]] across WV 62 from the hospital. Like the industrial school that also bore the name of the town of Lakin, the state hospital was for African Americans only during segregation.
  
The Lakin Industrial School closed in 1956, only two years after the Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas decision that led to the gradual desegregation of many public schools and colleges in West Virginia. Those who remained before its closure were transfered to the Industrial School at Pruntytown.
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In 1950, Lakin was visited along with the [[Barboursville State Hospital]] and [[Spencer State Hospital]] by Dr. William Freeman, sometimes called the "Father of the American Lobotomy".  During July and early August Dr. Freeman performed 228 lobotomies on patients at those facilities, including twenty 'very dangerous Negroes' at Lakin.<ref>[http://www.graveaddiction.com/lakin.html Brief history of Lakin]</ref>
  
It was owned by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services, the same owners of Lakin State Hospital across the state road that slides between the two. The school property was deeded over to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture in 1976.
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In 1954, Lakin State Hospital began the process of integrating it's staff and patient population.  It also assumed the duty of district hospital for Jackson, Mason, Putnam, and Wood counties in West Virginia.  In 1960 the facilities consisted of two three story main buildings (separated by gender), a two story office building, cannery, a new office/dietary complex constructed in 1959, two staff dormitories, physician housing, and a short term treatment medical center.  Along with those buildings, there were six older buildings that had been renovated structures serving as laundry, workshops, and recreation hall.  By 1960 psychosurgical procedures were no longer practiced, replaced by group and recreational therapy and psychotherapy.<ref>Meyers, J. Howard, ed. "West Virginia Bluebook" 44th ed. Charleston: Jarrett Printing Company, 1960. Print.</ref>
  
A fire in 2000 did very little damage to the main building; it is a testament to the brute strength of the building, even after 50 years of abandonment.
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It's use  as a mental hospital persisted into the late 1970s, until the State of West Virginia de-institutionalized mental healthcare. <ref>[http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1287 WV Encyclopedia Entry]</ref>  Today the former Lakin State Hospital property is still owned by the Department of Health the Lakin Nursing Home, while many of the buildings constructed by the state have now been demolished
  
In November 2006, Lakin Industrial School for Colored Boys was demolished. The property is expected to become part of American Electric Power's River Operations.
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<gallery>
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File:Lakin state hospital up medium.jpg
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File:Lakin2.jpg
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</gallery>
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== See Also ==
 +
 
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[[Lakin Industrial Home for Colored Boys]]
 +
 
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== References ==
 +
 
 +
<references/>
  
 
[[Category:West Virginia]]
 
[[Category:West Virginia]]
 
[[Category:Closed Institution]]
 
[[Category:Closed Institution]]
[[Category:Single Building Institutions]]
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[[Category:Rambling Planned Institutions]]

Revision as of 22:29, 21 October 2011

Lakin State Hospital
Established 1919
Construction Ended 1926
Opened 1926
Closed late 1970s
Demolished Partially
Current Status Closed
Building Style Rambling Plan
Location Lakin, WV
Peak Patient Population 502 (1960 pop.)
Alternate Names
  • Lakin Hospital (1970)
  • Lakin Hospital Nursing Home



History

The Lakin State Hospital was created under the same legislation proposed by T.G. Nutter, Harry Capehart and T.J. Coleman, three African American legislators that created several state-funded reform institutions for African Americans between 1919 and 1921, that also created the Lakin Industrial Home for Colored Boys across WV 62 from the hospital. Like the industrial school that also bore the name of the town of Lakin, the state hospital was for African Americans only during segregation.

In 1950, Lakin was visited along with the Barboursville State Hospital and Spencer State Hospital by Dr. William Freeman, sometimes called the "Father of the American Lobotomy". During July and early August Dr. Freeman performed 228 lobotomies on patients at those facilities, including twenty 'very dangerous Negroes' at Lakin.[1]

In 1954, Lakin State Hospital began the process of integrating it's staff and patient population. It also assumed the duty of district hospital for Jackson, Mason, Putnam, and Wood counties in West Virginia. In 1960 the facilities consisted of two three story main buildings (separated by gender), a two story office building, cannery, a new office/dietary complex constructed in 1959, two staff dormitories, physician housing, and a short term treatment medical center. Along with those buildings, there were six older buildings that had been renovated structures serving as laundry, workshops, and recreation hall. By 1960 psychosurgical procedures were no longer practiced, replaced by group and recreational therapy and psychotherapy.[2]

It's use as a mental hospital persisted into the late 1970s, until the State of West Virginia de-institutionalized mental healthcare. [3] Today the former Lakin State Hospital property is still owned by the Department of Health the Lakin Nursing Home, while many of the buildings constructed by the state have now been demolished

See Also

Lakin Industrial Home for Colored Boys

References

  1. Brief history of Lakin
  2. Meyers, J. Howard, ed. "West Virginia Bluebook" 44th ed. Charleston: Jarrett Printing Company, 1960. Print.
  3. WV Encyclopedia Entry