What Is Left

Looks like the tower is falling forward:O

Call me crazy, but it looks like a growling, broad-shouldered cyclops.

Yes!!! More photos. Putting down my amendment, getting a strong cup of coffee and not working for a bit....Good lord, that tower is....sooo big...I can't stop looking at it. :))

Oh yaaaay new stufff. Very creepy looing building!

That's a snapping turtle's head coming out of its shell to snap at us. His mouth is open. :-)

Wow, this is one building I don't think I want to be near when there's an earthquake!

Mr. motts, this is aptly titled-I checked out Kirkbridebuildings.com and saw that THIS is incredibly and truely, ' what is left. ' Beautiful angle and subtle lighting to enhance what remains.
Thanks :-}

Damn Motts, do you wait till i'm offline to post new pics? Thanks for the new ones!!!! ;-) (at least give me a heads up on a scale pic)

great photos :)

I grew up in the shadows of these buildings .. truly, they might look a bit wobbly in the photos, but they're really still fairly stable. I had the blessing of being in the buildings before and after the fire .. as a third generation employee - I remember the day it burnt. :(

Snoopy is dancing!!!! New pics!!!!! I have seen all the other pictures (some more than others). Motts, you can not load these things in fast enough. It's like a form of deprivation.

It almost looks like the clock tower was added later

Ed, it wasn't added later. The balance of the photo is thrown off by what was removed later ( on it's north, west and east sides) Still, Motts captures the majesty of the remaining building after the bulk of it is gone.

I just meant, It looks like it was Added later, from most of the "Kirks" I've seen. (Thanks to Motts) ;-)

Oh goodie, new pics! **scurries off to get coffee and settle in for the ride**

ah, Ed, I was getting too wordy...does look like it was stuck on there...I'm thinking of adding on to my house :-)....

Mr Motts, I hate to say it, but it looks like the building is giving onlookers the finger, just an observation ( maybe I should've kept that one to myself )............

I agree Mikester, it's saying i'm rotting, empty, and abbanonned, but F_ _K YOU I'm still standing!!!! ;-)

Mikester, Don't keep anything to your self. You and I can share a muzzle.

Motts, Have you ever herd of a school out here in western Mass called the Belchertown State School??? It has been empty for about 12+ years its almost 100 years old and has many buildings on the 8oo+acre campus... you may wanna check it out. I think it would make a wonderful addition to your beautiful pictures

have any of you really thought what is the real meaning for the clock tower?

so is this place haunted or what?

Sorry Motts, it's pronounced Wuss-tah.

I once applied for a job at this hospital and at the time I felt the fortress like appearance and an overwhelming sense of sadness emanating from this acharic ediface.

Your photography is brilliant. I recently found another site that had a bunch of exterior pictures of this place which did this beatiful kirkbride building no justice at all. Their photos almost made the building appear like a low class dump. I am able to appreciate the artistic vision and detail of your photos more than I already did after finding that other website.

p.s there are many scans of old beautiful postcards of this place on the official worcester MA website - if anyone wants to go look at them.

Just came back to little old PEI, Canada from a trip to Worcester, MA . The clock tower was one of the first buildings I noticed and had to check it out.. really awesome looking. got home and started searching online for some info. cool site! know we know what we were checking out.

There are plans in the works, to build a "state of the art" facility, within the next decade, in Westborough. That will mean Worcester and Westborough State hospitals, will consolidate into one facility. The Worcester campus will most likely be taken over by UMASS medical center. The buildings will most likey be eventually demolished. I've been there a number of times over the years. It's a beautiful campus. The old buildings do not detract from the scenic grounds.

Wow!! I was born here in 1963. Im still trying to locate my real father. I was told my mom was raped as a patient here? Ofcourse no one can know for sure but I very interested in visiting this place. ANy one wanna join me?
dmcmoonbeam@yahoo.com

As scary as it can look on the inside and out , everytime I pass by there I think how beautiful the grounds are.

Crazy Looking Structure -- cant believe they invested so much into Architecture for crazy people

Beautiful, lovely architecture. And I can't believe Adam A made that last comment.

These asylums were, for the most part, designed with the public, not the patients, in mind. It was a desperate attempt at using the architecture to mitigate the poor living conditions.

The archictecture was designed expressly for the people who were to live there. http://www.cbmh.ca/arc...chm_v5n2edginton.pdf
http://jdh.oxfordjourn...nt/abstract/16/2/103
http://www.findarticle...7/ai_n13592461/pg_12
http://www.findarticle...7/ai_n13592461/pg_13
http://www.mdx.ac.uk/WWW/STUDY/asyarc.htm
See:
**Functions of architecture in the therapeutic period of asylums
**Extracts from Jacobi, C.W.M. 1841 On the construction and management of Hospitals for the Insane

As Lynne posted ,with links, the architecture was specifically designed with the well-being of the resident's in mind. Adam A, I can only imagine the A stands for ass, to make such an ignorant, callous remark.
So I suppose in your fine estimation all the "crazies" should have been put in sterile looking buildings, perhaps like military barracks? Hmmmmm, yes, I can see where THAT would be therapeutic!
Believe it or not, they are people who feel, just like you and me. Ok, well, more like me I suppose but there you are.

This type of architecture should be invested in for anyone - sane or insane. I've been thinking about it a lot since I stopped there about a month ago. I think if/when it's finally gone, I won't be able to stop myself from grieving like a living, breathing person has died. :(

i personally find it a waste of decent architecture for some asylum

=8-o

Thank you for the Links Lynne, I thought the articles were very interesting. Kind of made me look at some of these structures differently!

I've heard from a very unofficial source, that this building is going to be saved, when others are demolished.

Let's hope so, Big Ed. This place is too beautiful to destroy

I hope your source is 100% right Big Ed, would hate to see this beauty go too.

I have asked my source to do more digging and find the truth of the matter. The rumor I'd heard prior is that a new "state of the art" hospital was going to be built on the grounds of Westborough State Hospital. The source say no it's Worcester. I'm checking.

i happened on this site looking for pics of
it. my father worked there, as a young man an attendant, older as a fireman[ keeping the huge boilers running. he worked there for 30 yrs.
i used to play there as a young girl or visit while dad worked. the tunnels & sub tunnels fascinated all us kids. As did the patients over the years. later when i was older i worked as an attendant when they tried de-institutionalizing the ppatients. the older people were patients my father and mother had also taken care of when they worked there.
as did several of my family members.
rich in history this place is, good in some ways not so pleasant in others
as to the nature of why they may have been there. it for me was a pleasure and a mystery, and sad all at once.
a beautifull place all in all, structurally and placement. a good deal of people
there did make it back to the world,
so many stories , so many lives affected.
it was an honor for me to assist in any small way i did. i do hope they keep whats left. so many stories to tell.....

p. s. Grafton state was quite interesting
in how it worked also.

id like to know if anyone else has been in any of the buildings and their expiriences.

I was in WSH a couple of years ago. What I saw was not too interesting, except the room with Snoopy and the Red Barron painted on the wall. That was creepy, also a carrige was in the hall way and a small childrens rocking chair. Cribs in the basement that kind of stuff

In the summer of 1972 I was lucky enough to intern at WSH. My room was on the top floor just to the left of the tower. It's still visible on the picture. It seemed as haunted on the inside as it does on the outside. What a great experience.

From that Clock tower you have the best view of the entire City of Worcester. I'm glad you brought one of the greatest architechtual feats in Massachusetts to this site Bravo!

So I'm confused, was there another asylum in Quinsigmond lake in Worchester too? Because I hear a lot about old & new. Or is this just the old one rennovated and is on the lake?
::Sigh:: Oh confusion

I'm confused about that too...but I've been under the impression that the new hospital is part of the UMass complex that's slowly encroaching onto the old WSH campus. But the "new" one is actually in danger of closing as well.

So is UMASS medical taking ot over?

Not that I know of. It was a rumour but a lot of people still want to save the hospital as a hospital (not necessarily the Kirk). The proposed plan right now is to consolidate Worcester and Westboro and build a new hospital on these grounds.

There's a hospital in Westboro?

Evidently.

Hello, Poisonous, dahlink. Long time no see! :-)

http://i47.photobucket...spitalWestboroMA.jpg
http://i47.photobucket...InsaneAsylum1909.jpg
http://i47.photobucket...e/4NursesonStepc.jpg

Thanks, Lynne!

haha thanks Lynne. I'm not working right now so Ive got pleanty of time on my hands to do research and photograph things!

Yes there is a hospital in Worcester, also 2 in Waltham, 1 in belchertown, 1 in northhampton, I have a few others from one night's worth of research. shoot me an email if you are interested in their locations.
natelowe@gmail.com

anyone know how to get into the clock tower or any building other than the big one that is featured in all these pictures with the fountain in the backyard? There are a couple other buildings that i want to try to get into and would appreciate some advice if any.

Athanks

"Comments pertaining to real location names, methods of entering the property, promotions or advertisements, off-topic discussion and general flaming, as well as those submitted under various aliases are subject to immediate deletion and your ip address being banned from this website. By submitting your comment you agree to these terms. "

The "new" Worcester state hospital is to the left of photos of the clocktower. If you've ever driven around the campus- it's the building attached to the "neuro diagnostic" building. They house quite a few pt's- one floor dedicated to housing inmates that are being evaluated for psychiatric disorders/problems. It is not as large as others may think- a few floors are left unused. UMASS also operates an acute psych unit on the 8th floor.

get pics when it was all connected

The 'new' building is big and boxy looking and it is to the left of the tower. I would say it was built in the late 1940s maybe early 50s. Even though you can see them in any of Motts photos, the land near the hospital is used for BioTech and there are many new buildings that surround it.

Before the fire in the 1990s it was an amazingly huge, and all the bars were on the window. Talk about creepy!

Lets hope they incorporate and restore these buildings for the new hospital that is going to be built.

Word on the street is that the saving of Worcester State Hospital isnt looking as good as it was before.

They say that it would be cost prohibitive to restore the Admin building, the cost being tacked onto the cost of the new hospital. It isnt thought that we'll be able to get the money for it.

I say we, not as anyone who has anything to do with funding, but as a Worcester resident, someone who cares deeply for this hospital and its history. My mother used to work there before the fire, working with children. Alot of people's parents used to work there I guess, but there's something about the place that speaks to me, and I have been going up for looks since I was 13. You should see it at Night!

There were a few other buildings around here that are on the edge of loss.

I am hoping that it works out. I gotta go up there with my camera and collect some memories just in case tho.

To whom it may concern: There is NO way to get into this building. First it is unsafe. The floors are crumbling, I wouldnt want to fall in there and die. Second the U-Mass campus police drive through about every 10 minutes along with the Mass State Police it is a Mass property building after all.
The "new" hospital is right next door it is a big boxy ugly hospital. U-Mass medical is across the street. Westboro State is still in operation.

I've been trying to dig through my old photo albums, they didnt put that fence up around the front steps until I was in high school.

And of course while a front porch is just a front porch, that is one of the coolest front porches I have ever been on.

As to the fellow above, Jan, I'm not going to argue with you flat out, because this is the web, you're probably not going to see this, and you are not all together wrong.... but then again...

I go to the Blvd Diner probably 3 nights a week on average, in the wee small hours, and every time I go down I do a drive by of the Hospital, because frankly, I LOVE the place at night. There is no place like it in the city.

They do not drive by every 10 minutes, its quite a large campus and they mostly patrol down around the ER and such... I've never seen more than one Statey there. The "new" hospital as you put it might be next door, but I wouldnt say Right next door. Not next door in the way a city person would think, yes you can see the new hospital while standing in front of the old one, but its not RIGHT there.

Yes, UMASS is across the street... but not the street in front of it. No no no, down that hill, is a hotel. If you were parked in front of the porch looking down at the city in front of WSH, you'd have to turn left, drive for a bit, then take a right, drive down a descent road, then take a left, drive down even farther, then you'd hit the main street (want me to name it?) then cross THAT street, and you get onto the campus campus, now drive down a ways, past 2 lots on the right and then you reach the new parking garage and THAT by the way is home base for the Campus cops....

*sigh* I hope I dont get banned for this, I didnt mention anything too specific... just it gets to me, people who list off all these unrelated facts, half of which have no substance to them.

I have been visiting this place regularly for about 9 years to just go see it. I have friends who work at UMASS, I am an outpatient at UMASS.... I KNOW the place cold. Most of my friends know the place cold. I am so excited to see it get so much attention on here, and that you took such quality pictures.

Bah, they hit a nerve, I should get some sleep. Wahoo.

ps: when I say outpatient I mean UMASS MED, not Worcester State Hospital. Nothing against the mentally ill, I just happen to not be one of them. hahahahaha, documented anyways.

It is so sad to see the pictures of the run down
condition of the place where I spent my youth.
My father was the chief supervisor of the male
side of the hospital. I lived in the house at 269
belmont st it was called prospect cottage
from 1922 to 1940 I knew every inch of the
place I was one of the alter boys for sunday
mass, attended the movies on monday
nights ,roamed the acres of land witnessed
the good that was accomplished there at the
time. ( very,very,sad)........M Scannell

I've lived in Worcester my entire life and I had never been up to the old asylum until yesterday. I had heard stories abut it all through school and had never been to see. Now that I am a photography student, I have started a project attempting to record the few remaining landmarks that haven't changed in my hometown during my lifetime (as I remember them, anyway). I am so insanely curious about the insides of this amazing piece of eerie history. Just walking around the grounds with my 35mm in the warm (for March!) evening got me all excited thinking about the potential shots in the abandoned darkness....I'm also curious how you had managed to get into the place, since the building is condemned. I know it's breaking a few rules and certainly isn't safe, but that's what art pretty much is.

*sigh*

wish I could explore.

whoa cooool

I have a fairly large and old york air compressor made in york pennsylvania,that has a model number and shop number on it,but i cant find any info on it.Does anyone know anything about these compressors?

was this hospital bigger than danvers

i lived in worc. 52-56. off of belmont st -4 blocks down rt 9 on dustin st. i worked WSH 54-56 on male service. one pic shows ward I worked on (salisbury 1-admission ward ) the bldgs left I can identify every one and where they were located, I know every inch of male side. all the bldgs to the right of admin. bldg. as u face it I know each ward and its purpose. there were open wards-closed wards. a violent ward on 3rd fl. 2 fl.above salisbury 1. there were 4 stories. the top fl housed female patients. have a world of stories about things that happended 54-56 one story made national head lines about superentendant of WSH>big scandle have been on every floor including sub tunnel. morgue was located there. u wont belive what was in a cabnet in morgue. (human in nature ) there were 9 refrigated containers for bodies there was another scandle involving a doctor ( female ) that involved selling bodies. want to know more ? i am retired and have a lot of time to talk. ww1acepilot@yahoo.com

if u would like to see photo of worc state hosp as it once looked in all its glory when it was open go to www.kirkbridebuildings.com look up pictures enlarge photo of post card

yo kid this shits fucked up dude..
lol my mom ceriously went there b4 before it was abandoned cuz shes cyco.no lie

Took a drive-by over the weekend and checked it out. Creepier then ever. Looking at the architecture which is incredible, I am really hoping these magnificent buildings get saved when the new hospital is built. Because of the fire back in the 1990s, a portion of a wing or two of the Kirkbride is gone, but the rest was saved. Driving by the newer building gave me the creeps too. It does not look very well cared for. There is a nice new gazebo out front for the patients to sit, that was the object that I seen that gave a bit of comfort to the patients.

the building is neat, but it looks like its looking at you. Like daring you too come in creepy, but beautiful photo Motts.

Heading up for one of my last looks pretty soon. I'm sad that we are loosing more of Worcester History, but I have to say that I am pleased that we are getting a new hospital in it's place.

I have a family member who works for the construction company slated to build the new facility. On one hand I'm upset that they're tearing it down, but on the other hand I'll probably get to see some great photos of areas of the inside where most people wouldn't be able to go.

wow, that building makes a statement... one that scares me.

Van GoGo (about your post from 2 years ago lol) I agree with A.Adam about it being a waste of magnificent architecture.

Worcester as a whole is one of the ugliest poorest looking places I have ever seen, with absolutely nothing worth saving. Except for this hospital and a few other church's.

To purposefully make one of the most controversial buildings in worcester, the most beautiful is a waste, considering its now a pile of rubble, hidden by several newer buildings for the past 20 years.

I do think that the "crazies" should have had a nice place, but they literally got the nicest place in this hideous city.

i was there when what was seen here in thise picture was still standing...sad to say the only building left is the clock tower :(

The only true building standing now is the clock tower. The building off to the right has/ is being demolished. The only thing they're actually leaving up is the clock tower because it's being preserved. Everything else is being torn down after many of the buildings were declared structurally unsound. Any attempts to go onto or in the buildings are prohibited , and if you go inside, you'll most likely be arrested by police when you come out. Neighbors watch the area closely, so there's really no way to sneak in. The clock tower itself is falling apart, so it would be unwise to venture inside. I attend Worcester Technical High School and the remenants of the asylum are visible from our top floor library. As a resident of Worcester, I'm sad to see the original hospital destroyed. However, it would have cost much more money to renovate the place than to tear it down.

Anyone have any contact information to get on the grounds legally for Worcester State Hospital? I am interested in going. Blznrds28@yahoo.com Please email me with any info. Thanks

I saw it when the buildings were being torn down and it sucks because the buildings have been around for so many years. Not only that but they look antique and worn down to the point where I think they should have left them up so people could enjoy the sites. Even though looking at it is kinda creepy, but beautiful at the same time.
I am glad that at least something important is staying in one piece...

it is an historical statement of what stone masons can do i am so sorry my crew of three guys were responsible for the fire in 1999 we did not mean to and we had permission from the state to be there however i fell bad that i was responsible for the 9nine alarmer late fall 1999

we as adults had the permishion from the state politions to converge on all floors one to five with acetalene torches to cut stainless steel our boss is since deceaced we got the fire started by accident at 4 p m roughley give or take

i was flabber gasted my lead man was vomiting and the boss did not care he was gettin on in ag e his name was palker d o b 1910 i am 51 years old now and still canott forget that my crew of three was responsibl for the nine alarmer in broad daylight

John, Lisa, Adam...I don't understand your consternation at the quality of architecture devoted to hospitals for persons with mental illness. Why are patients with this kind of illness less deserving than any other group? Should their home look like a jail, as if the patients are convicted criminals? If a person you loved required this type of care, would you still complain about the "waste?" What about the employees--were they also undeserving of an attractive place to work? I am troubled by the idea that only certain types of people are worthy of beauty or attention or care.

This is a beautiful building with an amazing history. I sadden to hear that most of the hospital was demolished, however, I appreciate the efforts of Perservation Worcester organization and their success in preserving the Clock Tower and Hooper Turret.

John, Lisa, Adam...Shame, shame, shame
You display such grotesque ignorance, and I hope you NEVER step foot on WSH grounds. You don't deserve to be there. What kind of person makes the comments you did...Hopeless.

My great grandfather was a patient here in the 30s & 40s. He probably died here in the mid 1940s. Anybody know how to find out information on former patients or inmates?

my mom's sister was savagely raped at the franklin park area of dorchester. she suffered a nervous breakdown.she was then commited to worcester state.my mom is 80 and it is possible that her sister is still alive. since the closing we don't know if she was transfered or has passed on. i do understand that a lot of the patients were transfered to westborough wich i heared is also closing, any info on how to get info please e-mail me masterjack.808.@gmail.com (2 dots) 1 after masterjack and 1 after 808 thanx

Nice picture. It has this sinister vibe about it but then a lot of these old building facades do.

Ive been heree aha i used to goo here all the time and look around.. your not alloweed to go inside or within like 10 yeard of the place but you can see it very cleary , its really creepy, i swear one time i saw a girl lookinq out the window and we were looking at eachother and then i turned around to call my mom and when my mom looked the girl was gone..

Interesting how tax credits meant to stimulate the restoration of this structure could be diverted and sold as if they were an open market commodity. It appears that somebody's pockets have become well lined in that situation and this structure will now meet its demise.

Interesting how tax credits meant to stimulate the restoration of this structure could be diverted and sold as if they were an open market commodity. It appears that somebody's pockets have become well lined in that situation and this structure will now meet its demise.

wow people's story's are incredible i am fascinated with old abandoned buildings and researching them. i believe all the horrible things that occured in their should be brought to light to give the victims justice. they were not crazy but were probably driven to have a tiny chemical imbalance in their brain by the horrible acts commited in places like this. architecture is beautiful though.

This place is so freaking scarey, I seen inside there blood all over the walls and could hear the screams of the patients who died there and tortured by these people who thought they knew how to traet mental illnesses back then, I would advise people to stay clear of this place, an PS the worcester police patrol this place heavly..!!!!! also there is shadow figures that move throughout this place an have seen orbs in there white lights and etc.

inkeyeslikeafox@yahoo.com
I'm dying to get over here and see this place. E-mail me if you have any tips or if you know if this place is even still standing because I can't seem to find any information on whether it is or isnt..