Difference between revisions of "Portal:Featured Article Of The Week"

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|Title= Worcester State Hospital
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|Title= Jesse Lee Home
|Image= Worcester01.png
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|Body= Also once known as the Worcester Lunatic Asylum and the Bloomingdale Asylum, this psychiatric facility's history dates back to before the main building was built. On January 12, 1833, the old Worcester Insane Asylum opened, and was the first of its kind constructed in the state of Massachusetts. When overcrowding became a problem, a new hospital was to be built - a massive structure laid out in the Kirkbride plan, which is the one featured in these photographs.
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|Body= The Jesse Lee Home, begun by the Methodist Church, had its beginnings as an orphanage in Alaska in 1890. In 1925, the home was moved to Seward, where it eventually grew to several buildings on a 100-acre site. The home offered housing, education, and health care to resident children until 1964 when it sustained severe damage in the Good Friday Earthquake. Goode Hall, one of the original dormitories, was demolished after the earthquake due to extensive damage.
  
Construction began in 1870 and the newly built Worcester State Hospital opened seven years later. Designed by architect Ward P. Delano of the firm Fuller & Delano of Worcester, the flagstone and brick building stood four stories tall, and between the 500 foot wings stood a beautiful clock tower, looming above the central administration building. On an interesting note, Sigmund Freud visited the hospital in 1909 during his only trip to America.
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Many Alaska Native children lived in the home, often sent there as a result of the ravages of epidemics of influenza and tuberculosis that hit villages for years throughout Alaska. Among its more famous residents were Benny Benson, designer of Alaska’s flag; Peter Gordon Gould, founder of Alaska Methodist University; and Simeon Oliver, pianist, composer, and writer. Another former resident, James Lewis Simpson, said he arrived at the home in 1929 when he was four years old. He remained there until he graduated from high school at age 17.
  
A massive fire engulfed the Kirkbride building on July 22, 1991, destroying almost all of the roof and floors, save for the right most wing and the administration building. The burned out shells of the other areas were bulldozed and the extra stone was used to seal up the gaping holes left by the connections to the remaining sections. A new hospital building was built behind the remains of the Kirkbride building and is still in operation as of 2008.  [[Worcester State Hospital|Click here for more...]]
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Simpson, who is Ahtna Athabascan, spent his earliest years in Chickaloon, his mother’s home. When his family ran into difficulties and was not able to care for him, he was put on the train in Anchorage and sent to the home in Seward. He doesn’t recall being frightened when he arrived late in the day, but rather very amazed and curious about his new surroundings. He said he amazed his caregivers to nearly the same degree when he told them he needed to say his prayers before getting into bed.  [[Jesse Lee Home|Click here for more...]]
 
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Revision as of 04:52, 9 October 2016

Featured Article Of The Week

Jesse Lee Home


Balto.jpg

The Jesse Lee Home, begun by the Methodist Church, had its beginnings as an orphanage in Alaska in 1890. In 1925, the home was moved to Seward, where it eventually grew to several buildings on a 100-acre site. The home offered housing, education, and health care to resident children until 1964 when it sustained severe damage in the Good Friday Earthquake. Goode Hall, one of the original dormitories, was demolished after the earthquake due to extensive damage.

Many Alaska Native children lived in the home, often sent there as a result of the ravages of epidemics of influenza and tuberculosis that hit villages for years throughout Alaska. Among its more famous residents were Benny Benson, designer of Alaska’s flag; Peter Gordon Gould, founder of Alaska Methodist University; and Simeon Oliver, pianist, composer, and writer. Another former resident, James Lewis Simpson, said he arrived at the home in 1929 when he was four years old. He remained there until he graduated from high school at age 17.

Simpson, who is Ahtna Athabascan, spent his earliest years in Chickaloon, his mother’s home. When his family ran into difficulties and was not able to care for him, he was put on the train in Anchorage and sent to the home in Seward. He doesn’t recall being frightened when he arrived late in the day, but rather very amazed and curious about his new surroundings. He said he amazed his caregivers to nearly the same degree when he told them he needed to say his prayers before getting into bed. Click here for more...