Custer State Hospital
| Custer State Hospital | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Opened | 1911 |
| Closed | 1996 |
| Demolished | 2024 |
| Current Status | Demolished |
| Building Style | Cottage Plan |
| Architect(s) | Harry J. Manning |
| Location | Custer, SD |
| Alternate Names |
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History
In 1909 the state purchased 150 acres of land and the U.S. Forest Service donated another 800 acres for a sanatorium. This was in response to the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic in the late 1800s through the early 1900s. Located on Hwy. 385 south of Custer, Sanator had five large wards, a farm and gardens, staff housing, a post office, a school, a newspaper, occupational therapy and a radio station. The first patients were accepted in 1911. After the sanatorium ceased operations in 1963, it was remodeled and reopened as the Custer State Hospital and School for individuals with developmental disabilities.
It was later replaced by a modern, 11-bed critical access facility, now known as Monument Health Custer Hospital and Clinic. In 2016, the facility, then called the State Treatment and Rehabilitation (STAR) Academy, was closed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who wanted children to be served closer to home. In May 2023, the City of Custer took ownership of the former facility building.
