Editing Manteno State Hospital

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The Illinois Legislature in 1927, under the administration of Len Small, voted to build a new institution for the mentally ill as Kankakee and Chicago State Hospitals were becoming overcrowded. Appropriations for the land and original buildings for a new "insane" hospital were handled by the State Department of Public Welfare. Having in mind that a large proportion of people committed to asylums came from Cook county, a location was chosen close to Chicago and yet outside of the area of high-priced land. A site was chosen near the village of Manteno. 1,000 acres were acquired in a location near the town. Plans were drawn for construction of an administration building first, followed by 100 patient cottages. The contracts were awarded December 8th, 1928.
 
The Illinois Legislature in 1927, under the administration of Len Small, voted to build a new institution for the mentally ill as Kankakee and Chicago State Hospitals were becoming overcrowded. Appropriations for the land and original buildings for a new "insane" hospital were handled by the State Department of Public Welfare. Having in mind that a large proportion of people committed to asylums came from Cook county, a location was chosen close to Chicago and yet outside of the area of high-priced land. A site was chosen near the village of Manteno. 1,000 acres were acquired in a location near the town. Plans were drawn for construction of an administration building first, followed by 100 patient cottages. The contracts were awarded December 8th, 1928.
  
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The fact that an Illinois Central depot was located in the village of Manteno and highway 50 was completed near the site had a great deal to do with the location. In his Biennial message of 1929, Governor Len Small announced in his building report that the hospital was under construction. The cost of the administration building and 8 2-story cottages at the time was $1,172,073. The 8 two-story cottages at Manteno State Hospital were part of the original architectural plan and were the first cottages built for patients in 1928. At this time it is unclear as to when or why the architecture of the additional cottages was changed to the one-story "H" plan after 1929. Dedication ceremonies were led by the Governor on November 21st, 1929. The two-story cottages were used as alcoholic and voluntary wards in the 50s and 60s, but were closed by the 1970s. There are many contributing factors as to why these buildings were eventually closed. It may have been too easy for suicidal patients to leap from the top of the inner staircases, access may have been too difficult for the elderly or infirm or that interior access to their basements (eventually leading to the tunnel system) proved to be too dangerous.
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The fact that an Illinois Central depot was located in the village of Manteno and highway 50 was completed near the site had a great deal to do with the location. In his Biennial message of 1929, Governor Len Small announced in his building report that the hospital was under construction. The cost of the administration building and 8 2-story cottages at the time was $1,172,073. Dedication ceremonies were led by the Governor on November 21st, 1929. On the morning of December 27th, 1930, a train arrived in Manteno carrying 100 male patients from Kankakee and Chicago State Hospitals. Fifteen staff members from the hospital were there to greet them.
  
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On the morning of December 27th, 1930, a train arrived in Manteno carrying 100 male patients from Kankakee and Chicago State Hospitals. Fifteen staff members from the hospital were there to greet them. Dr. Ralph Hinton was the first administrator and many people who lived in Manteno rushed to apply to work at the newly built institution. Manteno State Hospital gave jobs to many people during the Great Depression.
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Dr. Ralph Hinton was the first administrator and many people who lived in Manteno rushed to apply to work at the newly built institution. Manteno State Hospital gave jobs to many people during the Great Depression.
  
 
By 1939 Manteno State Hospital had grown to twice the size of Kankakee State Hospital. There were 5,385 patients on the census for that year. In the late spring a typhoid epidemic swept through the hospital causing 60 deaths and over 400 seriously ill. Despite the news of the epidemic, the patient population continued to grow. Dr. Hinton introduced a concept, also used by Kankakee State Hospital; where patients were used to work the hospital farmland. Working the farm as part of their on-going therapy was crucial to their rehabilitation. The idea was used throughout the US at other hospitals with success.
 
By 1939 Manteno State Hospital had grown to twice the size of Kankakee State Hospital. There were 5,385 patients on the census for that year. In the late spring a typhoid epidemic swept through the hospital causing 60 deaths and over 400 seriously ill. Despite the news of the epidemic, the patient population continued to grow. Dr. Hinton introduced a concept, also used by Kankakee State Hospital; where patients were used to work the hospital farmland. Working the farm as part of their on-going therapy was crucial to their rehabilitation. The idea was used throughout the US at other hospitals with success.
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New admissions went directly to the Diagnostic building, aka the Singer building. Here they would go through a process of showering, new clothes treatment for vermin if needed. They would then spend days or sometimes weeks there for a psychological assessment before being transferred via underground tunnels, to either one of the cottages or the farm colony for those with less needs or concerns.
 
New admissions went directly to the Diagnostic building, aka the Singer building. Here they would go through a process of showering, new clothes treatment for vermin if needed. They would then spend days or sometimes weeks there for a psychological assessment before being transferred via underground tunnels, to either one of the cottages or the farm colony for those with less needs or concerns.
  
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Over the next 3 decades the hospital changed greatly. Patient population declined rapidly and new therapies were introduced. Most of the 1960s Manteno State Hospital found itself in many scandals and investigations. Some found to be true, others false. In 1983 it was suggested that the hospital be closed due to budgetary reasons and in 1985 it closed it's doors for good. The north half of the campus was turned over to the Veterans Administration (VA) for housing elderly veterans, and remains in use by them today. The southern half now has a mix of light industrial, single family homes, and a group recovery home for troubled youth. The redevelopment has being bought by private groups, most by the Diversatech group. Diversatech group demolishing many of the 1 & 2-story cottages due to public safety concerns and disrepair.
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Over the next 3 decades the hospital changed greatly. Patient population declined rapidly and new therapies were introduced. Most of the 1960s Manteno State Hospital found itself in many scandals and investigations. Some found to be true, others false. In 1983 it was suggested that the hospital be closed due to budgetary reasons and in 1985 it closed it's doors for good. The north half of the campus was turned over to the Veterans Administration (VA) for housing elderly veterans, and remains in use by them today. The southern half now has a mix of light industrial, single family homes, and a group recovery home for troubled youth. The redevelopment has being bought by private groups, most by the Diversatech group. Diversatech group demolishing many of the 1 & 2-story cottages due to public safety concerns and dissrepair.
  
 
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