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Main Building, Northampton State Hospital, 1993. |
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THE
LIFE AND DEATH OF NORTHAMPTON STATE HOSPITAL |
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When its doors were first opened in 1858,
the Northampton Lunatic Hospital was a model
therapeutic community for its time, combining work
and treatment in a peaceful rural atmosphere among
beautiful woods high on a hill. As times changed,
"lunatic" was replaced by "state," reflecting
changes in the understanding and treatment of mental
illness. With the advent of drug therapy and
deinstitutionalization, the patient population
shriveled to a handful. When the Northampton State
Hospital closed its doors in 1993, its passing was
grieved by its employees, some of whom had worked
there all their lives. The history of this hospital
is told by its former employees and patients. This
project was funded by the Massachusetts Foundation
for the Humanities. Text: J. Michael Moore |
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Main Building, Northampton State Hospital, 1993. |