Disrepair

Hey Motts, Did you get inside any of these Houses? Love to see the interiors!!

The angle is so upsetting and uncomfortable- a very nice effect.

These are nice respectable homes these MDs had. I wouldn't want to be a child growing up on the campus of a large mental hospital, but they are nice homes. Hopefully the developer could renovate them and develop more stately homes around them.

Your photos are wonderful you have a very dalented eye. Seeing all these wonderful homes abandoned just breaks my heart .I would do just about anything to being able to buy and restore just one of these beautiful homes. They just don't make them like this anymore and that's a real shame.

I think crime is more the word considering how much any one structure could help so many people and create jobs.

This hospital is in Suffolk Co. You can see the larger bldgs from the causway coming back from the beaches, Robert Moses and Jones Beach. As a kid I remember them and my Dad told me they were Pligram state. Didn't know anyone there however... ;-)

I grew up right near the hospital and my Grandfather was one of the WPA workers that built the facility. At the time there were only a few roads going into the area and my Grandfather once commented that you could hear the screams of the patients from a mile away.
My hubby later worker on one of the last buildiongs when they added a new phone system. He was allowed to observe an autopsy while there. He still remembers the poor guys name.

The pictures and the history fasinates me. I too would love to see inside these homes. It's an eerie but intriguing site.

Autumn Twin commented: "These are nice respectable homes these MDs had. I wouldn't want to be a child growing up on the campus of a large mental hospital, but they are nice homes." Actually, it was a fairly pleasant environment to grow up in, and as children of the hospital doctors we soon grew accustomed to being around mentally ill people. Back in the 1940's and early 1950's, before the discovery of really effective psychotropic drugs, the care that patients received at Pilgrim was pretty close to being State-of-the-Art Psychiatry at the time, and the buildings and grounds of every state hospital were very well maintained. Some of the milder schizophrenic patients even did work around the hospital grounds such as lawn mowing, pruning, gardening, or transplanting trees and shrubs (Pilgrim had a very large experimental nursery for many years), and some others worked in doctor's homes as cooks, nannies, or cleaning ladies. I still remember the various patients who worked in or near our home in the homes of my childhood friends as generally being very nice people, albeit a bit strange in their behavior on occasion.

Neal - I've been enthralled by your commentary. Thank you for joining us and sharing some of your most valuable memories. It's always nice to read first-hand accounts. Thank you again.

Neal,
Yes, thank you for the input about this huge facility. It makes it almost a complete package: Mott's wonderful photo expose' and your commentary combined are great. It's about as close as most of us will be to actually being there!

Neal, I never though that they would allow patientes to work in the doctors' homes, but in a way I suppose it's like having a job, and somewhat of a life again. Almost like your family is everyone in the hospital...:)

I spent a brief time working at hte Queens Centers for Progress.
It is sad to see that people are so quick to judge. Although the people that we care for are disabled they were still able to comunicate in their own way once you as your own person took the time to try to understand. QCP also has a work program, day treatment and in-house treatment facilities. It was by far the most rewarding job that I at 28 have had (I was also a Marine). I am not only lucky to have known the people and residents but will remember them forever.
Thank you Neal for bringing everyone closer to the truth. People are really just well, people.

Motts: Love your photography and the stories. Can you please help me locate a website which deals with a Colt's Neck Mansion, once saw it but cannot find it. Keep up the good work, rapatric@fccs.co.franklin.oh.us

dude. me and my friends were trying to find this place from the trails. we found the working hospital but we really wanted to find this. where the hell is it??

you can see the building for the long island express way. very facinating...i plan on going next week...

the abandon buildings are right near the worken hospital..just have to look around a little bit

During 1968-1970 I played in a garage band. My Dad had contacts at Pilgrim State and "voluntered" us to play at a couple of their social gathering during these years. I can remember driving my 61 Ford Falcon station wagon loaded with some equipment to their auditorium. We were isolated from the patients and the staff made sure we played decent music and kept the patients from too much socializing on the floor. It was a chance for us to play but very sad to watch how people reacted and the way they were treated.

Neal, My family lived at Pilgrim on "The Circle" from 1948 -55. I am the youngest of three kids with two older brothers. Perhaps we played soccer, red rover, or statues in the Circle together on summer evenings before our mothers called us in for supper. Hide and seek in the "garbage bushes " near the garages was also popular.

I am still in close touch with my "best friend" Susan from Pilgrim. It may have been her TV you remember as I also remember assembling there in the afternoons.

We were probably also together at the bus stop every school morning waiting for the yellow bus to take us to Brentwood public school.

I, too, remember my "state hospital" days very fondly.Pilgrim was the third of the five at which we lived .Although difficult for outsiders to understand, life for the patients who were chronically ill, delusional at times, but not agitated, was a great deal more pleasant, safer, and much less threatening than conditions for the mentally ill are today where prisons, squalid nursing homes, and the streets have replaced the chronic care facilities.

The Sherman Tank was unearthed at Central Islip Psychiatric Center NOT Pilgrim or Edgwood.....I know.....I worked at Pilgrim for 38 yrs......1955 thru 1993. My first nine years were spent with direct patient care....The remaining 29 years I was a member of the Safety Department, Fire and Police, and retired at the rank of Sgt......The " Tank " was not found at Pilgrim / Edgwood .. It was found at Central Islip..and thats a fact...

Neal: I remember the parties in the staff residence, the old Coke machine, and the gatherings around the first TV in about 1948. I'm three years older than Judy and I think closer to being your contemporary---friend of Tommy, Herb, and Bubby. My passion was soccer; I grew up with the recent immigrants from Europe and they quickly brought me up to their standard of play. At least in my memorary that is so. Now, my youngest son plays with the same passion and dreams of the World Cup. You remind me that our world was pretty much like the norm in the 40s and 50s, from Howdy Doody to Coke. But, it was also more communal on the circle of houses than I ever found again. The physicians and staff from all I could tell were skilled, dedicated, and humane. Remember square dancing in the large room near the commisary?

i was employed at PSH from 1953-60, at Bldg.63, (Staff house) Also lived in the "circle" for a time. pilgrim was such a vastly beautiful place, some of the best days of my life spent there. Recently drove thru grounds and was moved to tears at the disgrace of condition it is in now. It was a wonderful time in my life.

hi, i see some of you employees of pilgrim's are here and maybe can enlighten me. i have a friend who was born there in 53 and adopted out. through intense research and god's will did we find to his mom's death record etc and even found her sister. the family was a jewish refugee family from austria with a lot of tragedy which may have driven anna to pilgrim's then. she was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in her mid 30s and died at pilgrims after her 16 years there from aspiration bronchopneumonia caused by gran mal seizures. contacting pilgrim a few weeks ago my friend was turned away that he cannot obtain any records or even contact the rabbi who worked there during her stay. code of silence. i did read here somewhere that it is possible to obtain medical records AND THE ADDRESS. her death record is so carelessly prepared we found plenty of errors on it and the lack of a SSN. as we do not have any substantial information yet about her life, to be learned nwo through her sister, we suspect she was pregnant and tried to get into a shelter and got into pilgrim's instead and got stuck there. the family made appeals to get her discharged and handed over to them, but to no avail. any information is so appreciated. this is a wonderful site and i enjoy reading all your posts. i worked in a group home during college and also have many memories of my clients. i witnessed and reported verbal and even physical abuse then leading into threats against me but the state finally closed the place down. i left, thank god for my internship coming up.

i have one more qiestion, where were the babies born? bob was told there were no records on him there. but he remained at pilgrims 31 days of his life before being adopted out by the luis wise agency. she was coerced into this adoption he was told.

I worked at Pilgrim for 3 years, 1987-1990 as a phone technician. I remember going into these houses every now and them to fix a problem. At this time, patients who were able enough lived here and destroyed most of thsse. I remember being fasinated with the dumb waiters and finding all sorts of goodies on the bottom, old beer and soda cans, tobbacco cans and just all sorts of things. I haven't seen Pilgrim in about 10 years now.

hay i have bin inside of theas houses; they left every thing (well most of it ) in side one house even has a fall out shelter

Howard, Judy Neal anyone with personal expericen on history of Pilgrim please contact me. hopefull_destiny@yahoo.com thank you

I, too, grew up on the staff circle at PSH. I remember Robby, Tommy, Herbie, Paul, Judy, Susan (and Howdy Doody on TV at 5PM) and a host of other kids and kid activities from that era. (Wow, you guys are old!). Last summer I went thru my old house pictured on this site; I actually stole a brick from my where my Dad's garden was. I remember putting that brick there with my dad when I was 7 or 8 years old. Very nostalgic... cathyo@cityofguthrie.com

Former Safety Officer (1975-1980) would like to hear from any former employees. Email address is em3611@optonline.net. Hope to hear from you soon.

Ah, pilgrim state....I live only a few town's away from it. Went to go sneak in one night...Pitch black, had the car parked up away from the road where the wannbe cop's made they're rounds...I went to open the door and get out, then suddenly I caught these glowing orb's out the side of my view. A bloody raccon! Dang thing came right up to the car and refused to be scared off. Needless to say I decided to leave....Spooky places I can handle....Bloody raccon's with no fear, eh...That is another story. : -(

I stumbled across this site today and I must say it is fascinating. One of the other posts mentioned wanting to see the inside of some of these buildings etc. Well you can try going to the site below and they have a huge assortment of photos of the various buildings, plus other buildings as well. Check it out.
http://www.lioddities.com

worked at psh 36 years, retired nov 06, anybody know me

My aunt (lula) and uncle (chicki) worked there in the 70's to 90's. My aunt was a nurses aid in the womans ward. my uncle was the ambulance driver. they both lived around the bend in bayshore. I once went to visit my aunt at the ward. Not a lovely place to be. it was echoey and noisey. Alot of the patients screaming and talking among themselves or to themselves. I was checking out the place because my aunt thought I could get a job there. but quite frankly, you have to be a special soul to work there. and have a huge tolerance, in addition, you might need a little wrestling experience, cuase when the patients got frisky or violent, you and the other nurses were the only one there, to calm them down until the "bouncers" came to help. most of the patients were or seemed normal and quiet. It wasn't for me.
At about 1971 my mother and her husband who could not handle my brother had him admitted to Pilgrim State. I never thought his condition was that bad, to send him to that type of hospital, but they did. My aunt and uncle tried getting him out. It took a long while for this to happen. it's very difficult to get them out, once they're in. They took custody of Billy Boy (william) once they got him out. Eventually the army took him for the next 20 years. They didn't think he was a crazy and he functions well today. Yup, he still has emotional problems, but today's medicines do well by him.
last month I drove past there,( I live in Jersey now) and saw it seemed a little abandoned and desolate. Now after seeing the photos I realize it is abandoned. I didn't know that. Yes it was a vast campus and very beautiful where the doctor homes where. it should be renovated and saved by the state. that would be a lot of work, but it can be done. it's done all over the country, and the neighborhood is still good. many improvements have been done. it was always very hispanic but I notice a lot of portuguese and columbians now as well. good foods and good shopping. I hope everything works out for my childhood neighborhood. I enjoyed reading all your comments about the old place.

omg. i went inside of this house in this picture. omg this brings back a lot of memories.

it felt really spooky in there.



cops came and showed up that day oh man. pilgrim is right around the corner for me

Neal Choudhary is that you? Maria & Raj's brother right? Anyway if its you, you'll remember me, Charlotte Long, Eileen'n daughter or Dr. Blazsiks daughter. I still get Xmas cards from Maria. I guess we did have some fun playing in the circle. It was literally a crazy place to grow up, but I guess it could have been worse. My email is bobcharlotte@optonline.net

This is a shame. These were built well and shouldn't be left in this kind of shape.

my nieghbor worked there as a nurse. She lived in Bay Shore.

sometimes you heard sirens coming from there

they should close the place down, what a waste of your tax money, most should be in prison not at ppc hotel. between abuse, and deaths, and all the over paid ,do nothing jobs, and yes i have one of those jobs, it's just a crime what goes on here

these houses are loaded with lead and asbestous

i work at pilgrim presently and this place sucks, overpaided, underworked, abuse, and a complete waste of your tax money, but thank you, will collect a nice pension in a few years, thanks taxpayers

The Mansions or "The Circle" was home to doctors and administrators, later some of the buildings were used to house community based or transitional serviced programs. This area was always considered dangerous at night. It is South of G Road and isolated from the former main campus. It opens up onto hundreds of acres of undeveloped state land along Crooked Hill Road/Fifth Avenue. The tract of land adjacent to these particualr buildings was home to packs of ferral dogs which attacked several folks in the area. There was at least one murder of a young patient there who was a gang member from the Bronx. He was lured out by some rival gang members and stabbed to death in that area of the campus. The neighborhood's drug trade was a factor in getting a number of staff busted (4 I think) a providers of dope to staff and occassionally patients in the 90's. The ghost stories are pretty interesting as urban myth,, but a lot of folks died there and in my day, as we were closing down Central Islip and Kings Park, the big problems were wild dogs roaming the grounds and drug gangs out of los Centranos.. I would imagine if someone were to actually look, they might find an awful lot of bodies buried in the "Pine Barrens" South of the campus. Local gansters have probably been stashing frames there since the 50's. That wooded area runs, or at least used to run, for miles down between Commack Road and Crooked Hill/Brentwood Road. Lots of scary stories, but the scariest are the one's about all of the human and civil rights abuses which happened damned near everyday in mental hospitals here and abroad. They still happen everyday here and abroad..

can people go i nhere and look around?

Catherine, I'm no expert and sorry I only found your question today, but No, I would imagine that one could NOT just go in there and look around. Too much of a liability. And some of the posters above warned of police and security, not to mentuion ferral dog packs, gangsters and ghosts. I wouldn't go in on a bet.......(at least not uninvited and not with out taking T.A.P.S- The Atlantic Paranormal Society, Kibbles N' BIts and a stun-gun or 2 in tow with me!) G'day.

I meant "mention" not "mentution' or what ever that was, so sorry!

hey taxpayers you should see the waste of YOUR money being spend on mental health, and brentwood all the child molesters being released in your town, if you only knew, please watch your children closely, we place them right on crooked hill rd, right under your noses

i went there today in the day lite ,went inside took some pix ,got the chills but i am going back tomorrow to take some nice pix ,,i just so shock how the place use to look and what they use to do

SO DID I ..I ADMIT I WENT ON PROPERTY AND WAS INSPIRED BY IT FORM B4 AND NOW..AND IT HISTORY AND STORIES OF ALL EMPLYEES AND PEOPLE LIVING ON/ OFF SITE...I HOPE THE REST GETS PRESREVED!INHO..THIS IS HISTORY!!!!

WE HAVE TO PETITON!!!

SAVE THE EVER LASTING BUILDINGS ON PILGRIM STATE AND IT'S BURIAL GROUNDS..

ANY MORE PICS COMING....?????


1- GINAMARIE

i was inside the mansion buildings in 2010, i have a few pic on my phone (had 2 get out landscapers buzzing around) I just heard they are about 2 demolish these buildings. I don't know 4 sure but i truly hope not

They demolished all but one...

http://sickitten.com/2...ur-outdoor-oven.aspx

Inside pics of the old "Headquarters Building'

WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS PLACE IN PERSON...LOOKS SCARY AS HELL!