Camden County Hospital for the Insane

Camden County Insane Asylum
Established	April 13, 1878
Opened	January 27, 1879
Demolished	1890s (Original Structures)
Current Status	Active
Building Style	Single Building
Architect(s)	Enoch Allen Ward (1879 building)
Location	Blackwood, NJ
Alternate Names	Camden County Hospital for the Insane Camden County Insane Asylum at Blackwood Camden County Insane Hospital at Lakeland Camden County Health Services Center

Origins

Camden county admitted it's first mental patient to county care in 1803. As was usual at the time the insane were cared for in the county almshouse, usually in separate cells or small separate buildings. Originally in Camden the insane were maintained in the almshouse building, however a dozen years after this first admittance the County Freeholders decided it was prudent to erect a separate building for the insane, still under administration of the almshouse. This building was a two story wood framed structure comprised of individual cells and was referred to as the "mad house". After her 1839 visit Dorothea Dix referred to it as "populous with imbecile, insane and epileptic patients -- 25-30 individuals. [It] contains ranges of small cells altogether unfit for the individuals they house."

Also recorded at this time is the apparent use of "Ravine Cells". According to first person accounts some of the earliest Blackwood facilities were "barn-like" cells running along the ravine and fitted with small doors;