Difference between revisions of "Woodville State Hospital"

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(Updated history, added references & links, added images.)
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{{infobox institution
 
{{infobox institution
 
| name = Woodville State Hospital
 
| name = Woodville State Hospital
| image =
+
| image = WoodvilleSH 04.jpg
 
| image_size =
 
| image_size =
 
| alt =
 
| alt =
 
| caption =  
 
| caption =  
| established = Sept 29, 1938 (As a PA State Hospital)
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| established = 1939 (As a PA State Hospital)
| construction_began = 1854
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| construction_began =
 
| construction_ended =
 
| construction_ended =
| opened =
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| opened = 1854
 
| closed = 1992
 
| closed = 1992
 
| demolished =
 
| demolished =
| current_status = [[Closed Institution|Closed]]
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| current_status = [[Demolished Institution|Demolished]]
 
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]]
 
| building_style = [[Cottage Planned Institutions|Cottage Plan]]
 
| architect(s) =
 
| architect(s) =
| location =
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| location = Collier, PA
 
| architecture_style =
 
| architecture_style =
| peak_patient_population = 2,428 in 1947
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| peak_patient_population = 3,200
 
| alternate_names =
 
| alternate_names =
 
*Allegheny Hospital for the Insane
 
*Allegheny Hospital for the Insane
 +
*Allegheny County Home for the Poor
 
}}
 
}}
  
Originally founded as the Allegheny Hospital for the Insane in 1854, this institution did not come under state ownership until 1941. As one of the state's earliest mental hospitals, Woodville reflected of the influence of Thomas Kirkbride who advocated the use of one large structure to house both male and female patients who were segregated into blocks located to either side of a central administration building. His system of setback wings promoted maximum access of light and air to patient living areas. When the state took control of the hospital, alonmg with of all other county mental hospitals, in 1941 the Allegheny County Institutional District continued to manage the "poor" section of this facility. This arrangement continued until 1958 when the state assumed complete control of all administrative duties. The hospital was closed by the state in 1992.
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== Hospital History ==
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Originally founded as the Allegheny County Home for the Poor in 1854, the hospital was owned and operated by the county government until May 31, 1939 when it was taken over by the state of Pennsylvania along with 11 other county owned mental hospitals.<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pkkqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N0wEAAAAIBAJ&dq=woodville%20state%20hospital&pg=1813%2C5815190</ref> When the state took control of the hospital the Allegheny County Institutional District continued to manage the "poor" section of this facility. This arrangement continued until 1958 when the state assumed complete control of all administrative duties. The hospital was closed by the state in 1992. At the time of it's closing the hospital still cared for 460 patients. Each patient was evaluated and either sent to [[Mayview State Hospital]] or were put into community care programs.<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xXMdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_mMEAAAAIBAJ&dq=woodville%20state%20hospital&pg=6222%2C208009</ref> Soon after the closing many of the hospital buildings were torn down as land was divided up and sold. PennDot was the first to build on the former hospital property. Their new 4 million dollar District 11 Headquarters, built on the front lawn of the hospital, was completed the same year the hospital closed.<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B_cjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B2QEAAAAIBAJ&dq=woodville%20state%20hospital%20penndot&pg=2333%2C2710189</ref> PennDot received scrutiny for spending money on a new building rather than using hospital buildings for it's new headquarters.<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y1kNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SG8DAAAAIBAJ&dq=woodville%20state%20hospital%20penndot&pg=2621%2C54307</ref> Former hospital land is also home to a school, shopping mall, and residential developments. As of 2009 the only remnant of the hospital is the power plant smoke stack.
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== Cemetery Information ==
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the cemetery remains in a wooded area of the property. A memorial, erected in 1987, stands at the entrance to the cemetery, showing the dates of the cemetery as 1867-1949. The graves do not have names, but are numbered with markers approximately 10" tall, in neat rows in numerical order. We found up to 692 graves numbered this way. In addition, there are some graves with other numbering sequences - these may be patient numbers. One grave also has the tombstone of John Nayder - 1868-1932. One additional marker contains initials only of TNDW and CH. All of the photos were taken in March 2008.<ref>http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njm1/08Woodville-Collier.html</ref>
  
  
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<gallery>
 
<gallery>
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File:WoodvilleSH 01.jpg
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File:WoodvilleSH 02.jpg
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File:WoodvilleSH 05.jpg
 
File:Woodville aerial.jpg
 
File:Woodville aerial.jpg
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File:WoodvilleSH 03.jpg
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File:WoodvilleSH News1.jpg
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File:WoodvilleSH News2.jpg
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File:WoodvilleSH News3.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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 +
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== Links & Additional Information ==
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*[http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njm1/08Woodville-Collier.html Cemetery Information]
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 +
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==References==
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<references/>
  
  
 
[[Category:Pennsylvania]]
 
[[Category:Pennsylvania]]
 
[[Category:Cottage Plan]]
 
[[Category:Cottage Plan]]
[[Category:Closed Institution]]
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[[Category:Demolished Institution]]

Revision as of 09:12, 6 April 2010

Woodville State Hospital
Established 1939 (As a PA State Hospital)
Opened 1854
Closed 1992
Current Status Demolished
Building Style Cottage Plan
Location Collier, PA
Peak Patient Population 3,200
Alternate Names *Allegheny Hospital for the Insane
  • Allegheny County Home for the Poor



Hospital History

Originally founded as the Allegheny County Home for the Poor in 1854, the hospital was owned and operated by the county government until May 31, 1939 when it was taken over by the state of Pennsylvania along with 11 other county owned mental hospitals.[1] When the state took control of the hospital the Allegheny County Institutional District continued to manage the "poor" section of this facility. This arrangement continued until 1958 when the state assumed complete control of all administrative duties. The hospital was closed by the state in 1992. At the time of it's closing the hospital still cared for 460 patients. Each patient was evaluated and either sent to Mayview State Hospital or were put into community care programs.[2] Soon after the closing many of the hospital buildings were torn down as land was divided up and sold. PennDot was the first to build on the former hospital property. Their new 4 million dollar District 11 Headquarters, built on the front lawn of the hospital, was completed the same year the hospital closed.[3] PennDot received scrutiny for spending money on a new building rather than using hospital buildings for it's new headquarters.[4] Former hospital land is also home to a school, shopping mall, and residential developments. As of 2009 the only remnant of the hospital is the power plant smoke stack.


Cemetery Information

the cemetery remains in a wooded area of the property. A memorial, erected in 1987, stands at the entrance to the cemetery, showing the dates of the cemetery as 1867-1949. The graves do not have names, but are numbered with markers approximately 10" tall, in neat rows in numerical order. We found up to 692 graves numbered this way. In addition, there are some graves with other numbering sequences - these may be patient numbers. One grave also has the tombstone of John Nayder - 1868-1932. One additional marker contains initials only of TNDW and CH. All of the photos were taken in March 2008.[5]


Images of Woodville State Hospital


Links & Additional Information


References