Editing Grafton State Hospital

From Asylum Projects
Jump to: navigation, search

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision Your text
Line 14: Line 14:
 
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]]
 
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]]
 
| architect(s) =
 
| architect(s) =
| location = Grafton, MA
+
| location =
 
| architecture_style =
 
| architecture_style =
 
| peak_patient_population = 1,700 in 1945  
 
| peak_patient_population = 1,700 in 1945  
Line 21: Line 21:
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
Grafton State Hospital was established in its present location in 1901 (Chapter 434) as a farm colony for "chronic insane patients" of the 'Insane Hospital' in Worcester. In 1912 it was administratively separated from Worcester (Chapter 679). By 1945 the number of patients had risen to 1,730, with a total staff of 250 with 241 vacancies. By this time the institution had grown to 1,200 acres with buildings scattered widely over an area covering three towns. After 72 years of operation Grafton State Hospital was closed in 1973 as the first of a series of institutions to close in Massachusetts. The campus is now occupied by the Tufts University Veterinary School, the Federal Job Corps Program, and various state agencies. Most structures have been renovated and altered for re-use, some have been demolished. A graveyard remains on a nearby hilltop with 1,041 numbered, nameless graves of persons who died in this institution. A handwritten list of their names survives in various archives.
+
'''INTRODUCTION''' Grafton State Hospital was established in its present location in 1901 (Chapter 434) as a farm colony for "chronic insane patients" of the 'Insane Hospital' in Worcester. In 1912 it was administratively separated from Worcester (Chapter 679). By 1945 the number of patients had risen to 1,730, with a total staff of 250 with 241 vacancies. By this time the institution had grown to 1,200 acres with buildings scattered widely over an area covering three towns. After 72 years of operation Grafton State Hospital was closed in 1973 as the first of a series of institutions to close in Massachusetts. The campus is now occupied by the Tufts University Veterinary School, the Federal Job Corps Program, and various state agencies. Most structures have been renovated and altered for re-use, some have been demolished. A graveyard remains on a nearby hilltop with 1,041 numbered, nameless graves of persons who died in this institution. A handwritten list of their names survives in various archives.
  
 
This and the following information was assembled from various texts of the Massachusetts Historical Commission, National Register of Historic Preservation Registration Form, 1993. Grafton State Hospital was nominated as one of fifteen institutions for the 'State Hospital and School System' nomination. All fifteen sites were accepted and are group-listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
 
This and the following information was assembled from various texts of the Massachusetts Historical Commission, National Register of Historic Preservation Registration Form, 1993. Grafton State Hospital was nominated as one of fifteen institutions for the 'State Hospital and School System' nomination. All fifteen sites were accepted and are group-listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
  
The former Grafton State Hospital is located at the juncture of the Grafton, Shrewsbury, and Westborough town lines one the eastern edge of the Central Massachusetts uplands. State Route 9 is located several miles north of the campus, with I-90 to the south and State Routes 20 and 140 to the west. The original site of 700 acres was expanded to over 800 acres by 1908 with purchase of portions of Green Hill to expand the water supply. By 1945 it encompassed 1200 acres. The campus is roughly bisected by Westborough Road and a former Boston & Worcester Raiload line. Pine Street provides access to the north campus (Pines Group) while Willard Street (farm group) and Institute Road (Oaks Group) lead south off Westborough Road. Green Hill, which forms the northern edge of the campus, is the primary topographic landmark. The surrounding area remains very rural and sparsely populated despite the proximity of North Grafton (SW), Grafton Center (S), Westborough Center (NE) and Shrewsbury Center (NW). The campus occupies a hilly scenic site surrounded by woodlands, wetlands, and agricultural fields which are still used for hay and corn. The campus was originally developed as a farm colony for the old downtown 'Worcester State Hospital' of 1830 (demolished). Most of this land had been allowed to go fallow by private owners in the late-ninetheenth century, and was only gradually reclaimed for productive use by the hospital.
+
'''LOCATION''' The former Grafton State Hospital is located at the juncture of the Grafton, Shrewsbury, and Westborough town lines one the eastern edge of the Central Massachusetts uplands. State Route 9 is located several miles north of the campus, with I-90 to the south and State Routes 20 and 140 to the west. The original site of 700 acres was expanded to over 800 acres by 1908 with purchase of portions of Green Hill to expand the water supply. By 1945 it encompassed 1200 acres. The campus is roughly bisected by Westborough Road and a former Boston & Worcester Raiload line. Pine Street provides access to the north campus (Pines Group) while Willard Street (farm group) and Institute Road (Oaks Group) lead south off Westborough Road. Green Hill, which forms the northern edge of the campus, is the primary topographic landmark. The surrounding area remains very rural and sparsely populated despite the proximity of North Grafton (SW), Grafton Center (S), Westborough Center (NE) and Shrewsbury Center (NW). The campus occupies a hilly scenic site surrounded by woodlands, wetlands, and agricultural fields which are still used for hay and corn. The campus was originally developed as a farm colony for the old downtown 'Worcester State Hospital' of 1830 (demolished). Most of this land had been allowed to go fallow by private owners in the late-ninetheenth century, and was only gradually reclaimed for productive use by the hospital.
  
Grafton State Hospital was based on the so-called 'satellite colony system'. Four fully developed and geographically isolated colonies for the "chronic insane" are dispersed over the campus. These colonies and their component buildings are linked by tree-lined internal roadways, many of which display acorn globe streetlights. The colonies developed around the nuclei of pre-existing farmsteads (encompassing the farms of Samuel Knowlton, Lyman Rice, the Ashley family, and the Sinclair family). The colonies were named according to their location: Pines, Elms, Oaks, and Willows. Most of Willows was demolished in the 1970s.
+
'''CAMPUS LAYOUT''' Grafton State Hospital was based on the so-called 'satellite colony system'. Four fully developed and geographically isolated colonies for the "chronic insane" are dispersed over the campus. These colonies and their component buildings are linked by tree-lined internal roadways, many of which display acorn globe streetlights. The colonies developed around the nuclei of pre-existing farmsteads (encompassing the farms of Samuel Knowlton, Lyman Rice, the Ashley family, and the Sinclair family). The colonies were named according to their location: Pines, Elms, Oaks, and Willows. Most of Willows was demolished in the 1970s.
  
 
The three colonies served separate 'classes of patients' (my quotes) with distinct needs. Pines was primarily intended to serve "excited" female patients and was thus developed with large-scale brick wards that provided locked confinement for large numbers of inmates. Similarly, Elms was developed with masonry buildings for "excited" male patients. A few wood-frame dormitories provided a transition for more stable patients. As the center of agricultural activities, Oaks was developed with unlocked cottages for male patients who had proved themselves trustworthy and industrious. (All of this is transcibed verbatim from the National Register of Historic Places nomination forms by the Historical Commission.) The Willows, which was developed somewhat later during the 1910s campus expansion, seems to have been similar to Oaks. It is important to note that the 'classes of patients' were defined in terms of behavior rather than diagnosis, e.g. "excited", "violent", "quiet", "peaceful", etc. The building and landscape elements of the Elms, Oaks, and Pines colonies are described in greater detail below.
 
The three colonies served separate 'classes of patients' (my quotes) with distinct needs. Pines was primarily intended to serve "excited" female patients and was thus developed with large-scale brick wards that provided locked confinement for large numbers of inmates. Similarly, Elms was developed with masonry buildings for "excited" male patients. A few wood-frame dormitories provided a transition for more stable patients. As the center of agricultural activities, Oaks was developed with unlocked cottages for male patients who had proved themselves trustworthy and industrious. (All of this is transcibed verbatim from the National Register of Historic Places nomination forms by the Historical Commission.) The Willows, which was developed somewhat later during the 1910s campus expansion, seems to have been similar to Oaks. It is important to note that the 'classes of patients' were defined in terms of behavior rather than diagnosis, e.g. "excited", "violent", "quiet", "peaceful", etc. The building and landscape elements of the Elms, Oaks, and Pines colonies are described in greater detail below.
Line 40: Line 40:
 
'''CENSUS OF GRAFTON STATE HOSPITAL'''
 
'''CENSUS OF GRAFTON STATE HOSPITAL'''
  
*Year 1908: over 500 patients
+
*Year 1908: over 500 patiens
 
*Year 1912: 650 patients
 
*Year 1912: 650 patients
 
*Year 1916: over 800 patients
 
*Year 1916: over 800 patients
Line 68: Line 68:
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
[[Category:Massachusetts]]
+
 
 
[[Category:Closed Institution]]
 
[[Category:Closed Institution]]
 
[[Category:Cottage Plan]]
 
[[Category:Cottage Plan]]
 +
[[Category:Massachusetts]]
 
[[Category:Institution With A Cemetery]]
 
[[Category:Institution With A Cemetery]]

Please note that all contributions to Asylum Projects may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Asylum Projects:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

To edit this page, please answer the question that appears below (more info):

Cancel | Editing help (opens in new window)