Last Look

It's so sad to think that companies have a total disregard for these historic and beautiful sites! They are such a part of our world and that they can just be demolished so that a Wal-Mart could be built...damn...or even an amusement part... [sigh...] It's upsetting...

very good gallery. you do very good work

Beautiful gallery and I look forward to seeing more! :0)

Did I miss something? Motts, I didn't see a single, solitary lonely chair in the whole gallery! Someone steal them all?

Another excellent tour, and a bit different than some of the others. Thank you!!!

Great gallery, Motts...Thank you! I couldn't go to bed until I finished...Can't wait to see more!

I ~was~ ready to go to bed, but just had to check the OJ forum once more, and that sent me here.

There were lonely beds, Twug...kinda like mine...but mine is more comfortable and I'm going to go visit it! Night! :0)

I just found out about the new pics on OJ as well.

This is a beautiful set, really touched me. I will appreciate my nice warm bed and soft pillows tonight, that is for sure.

Wow, thanks for the nice gallery. And it makes me ill that corporations want to tear down such beautiful structures. Clearly at least part of this building (the administration) could be re-used, rather than torn down. It would make a lovely bank! Of course, I like the state its in now, but I'd rather it be reused than torn down. I'm just absolutely sick over Danvers and Dixmont. These people make me want to puke.

Thanks for the new pics Mr. Motts, If they did turn this property into an amusment park, wait a few years....., more Pics of an "abandonned" amusement park for us to enjoy!!! ;-)

Great new gallery I dont usually post much but this one for some reason pulled the old heart strings you are welcome in the UK anytime Mr Motts come and visit soon

Thank you Mr. Motts for letting us see thru your camera, places that we may have never been able to see without your help!

wOOt thank you for the nice journey! : )))

It is sickening they want to build a money making place like an amusement park over the area where people suffered and died. That is like building one over top of a civil war battlefield. Absolutely no respect for the people who lived in these places.

Mr Motts, please do come and take pictures at the old Western Pennitentury here in Pittsburgh. It is over 100 yrs old and closed recently. Who knows how long it will be there. It would be a great find for you!

Another expedition well done.
On a side note, sir Motts, will you be providing us with any pictures of the tunnels that ran underneeth the place?

Thats terrible, so much to go to waste..

Yet again an awesome gallery, This is the first gallery ive posted on but ive been a fan for much longer

As Motts points out, the hospital is near a river. Boy, does that moisture take its toll. The place looks like it has been abandoned for twice as long as it has!

I'll take the park over &**(%$ WalThief any day of the week. At least it would pay its workers.
Great site - I'll be back to browse often. Thanks for saving what may be the last vestiges of these places. At least the future will have some frame of reference when speaking of "state institutions for the insane".

Motts, everytime you post a new gallery, I'm awestruck by your development as an artist. You've matured so greatly from your early shots, and you're continuing to mature. I am really inspired by you. In my own photography, I find you to be a great inspiration and influence. Really. Great job.

Btw... I typoed my name... how bloody embarassing.

Grace, mine was typoed for a long time before i caught it, so don't feel to bad.

It saddens me to hear another place like this will be leveled for something like an amusement park. As for Wally World (Wal Mart), I am happy to say I haven't shopped in there in over 4 years now.

from a new Mott head...wonderful site!

Screw Utopia, I hate that fat piece of Crap Joseph Gentile, hes just scum to this earth. They should put sumthing more practical there and recondition the hospital and ptu it to good use. Hes related to the Mob and hes also tried putting his shit amusememnt park from New York, New Jersey and he also tried putting the damn thing in THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC! for christ sake hes pathetic...

Mr Motts as a newcomer to this site can I ask the question have you ever captured anything on a photograph that you did not notice when taking it? Specificaly anything that could be seen as ghostly or the like? Thanks and good skills with the camera!

when I first started visiting this site, I thought the comments were ...ummm...well, frankly they came across as craven boot-licking. However, I do find it interesting how the images (which are very well done indeed) effect people in so many diffirent ways. Some see beauty, some see sadness, some are creeped out and others just enjoy something that few people will ever see. I have grown a new appreciation for the varied comments (though the "sycophants" can still be a bit much).
Anywho, thanks for sharing some great work Mr. Motts.

Re: Arasine's question

Der tote Spielraum fasten
(German for: "The dead travel fast")

Awesome. Just plain awesome.

I have to say I have mixed feelings about the demolition of some of these sites.

On the one hand, it will be a shame to lose them. On the other hand, however - many of them have outlived their usefulness.

I think the true sin in this isn't the demolition of abandoned and decayed buildings - but the abandonment to begin with. Allowing such treasures to rot away until there isn't much left that can be done aside from tearing them down is the true "crime."

Again thank you Motts, for your beautiful artistry. And thanks to Lynne, Anna, Tony C, Puddleboy, and all the other "kindered" folk for your comments. Also welcome all newcomers!

Brilliant! TY Motts =]

Thank you Motts for opening up a side of life to us that we have only heard 'whispers' about. You are a true artist in every respect!

I know whats going on I love 5 minutes away from the site of this place i really dont want it to go i think it should be a musem

hey i is me agian ok i really do and they are making it an amusment park but not yet there are reallly not shure my twon has to vote on it and then it may go through but the town needs the monney for skools and other crap so well i would hate to see it go and what some people wrote about some of it well first the need to see if for them self and i see ifever day and i am now in 9th grade it closed when i was in kindergaredn and i can reamber going there and singing to the people there it was creppy and i have 2 of the chiars that were ones in the hospital and i have a desk to i have it in my room ok well it really pisses me off when ppl try to hurt what history leaves behind i have been looking at pictures for the last 4 or 5 years of this place and there are some pretty nice pictures MOTTS is there a way you can emial me at Nikkict13@yahoo.com thanks

Motts, thank you so much for sharing these pictures of this beautiful place. My husband & I drove by it a few months ago and only recently found out that it was Norwich S.H. I have to agree with "Deranged" that it is a shame to allow these beautiful places to fall into disrepair. It's a pity a developer doesn't turn places like this into apartments or condos such as they are doing to our old mills in R.I. Thank you again so much.

thank you, Motts for these galleries of yours. It is true, each photo speaks in different way to different people because we all are unique. I love these galleries and all the comments, as the people who comment seem like a family members and I have not even been in this site all that long and I can feel the comradship (spelling?) in these comments. Thanks for let me be part!

DeafAngel - please contact me at
xtees@earthlink.net.

I know MOST of the people from Norwich,when
the hospital was open,wanted it closed.The typical "Not in my backyard" attitude.They wanted
the insane taken care of,just not here.To them,if
the place was torn down,and rebuilt on,it would be fine.I'm kinda surprised the local Casino's haven't acquired the property,I do
know they tried very hard to get it for parking.

I wish there was a way to keep it from being demolished. It is a beautiful piece of history, and I loved seeing the grounds on my walks.

Dixmont and all the other old beautiful buildings still seem alive to me. But one day they will disappear, to bad.

I'll say this about Utopia...they do want to preserve the oldest buildings (this one, the main administration, Awl (which is a mirror image of salmon) and a couple more. While the thought of an amusment park seems unbelievable - especially since there is a separate jewish cemetary that runs onto the camps - i hope something does happen so these buildings won't decay any further.

why do they always want to demolish everything?

dear quicksilverrider please contact me at kim58803@adelphia.net. thanks

Great photography! I would imagine that this place is also very haunted and all I can say is; Utopia beware! It is best sometimes to leave the past to roam alone.

I don't see this building as beautiful. Alot of people suffrered there, and I know this because my mother was forced there, she didn't even need to be there., but anyways, the things my mother told me is just awful and I can't beleive that they were allowed to do most of what they did for so long! I am glad that they shut down and for the building to become an amusement park-PLEASE DO!!! We need some form of entertainment here in Norwich!!!!! As for another walmart, I hope not, we already have one of them.

History is not about right or wrong, good or evil, it is the past and is just that :History. I feel History needs to be preserved and learned from.
The Norwich State Hospital was founded on good intentions. People corrupt good intentions, it is the way life is. Sadly.
Utopia apparently won the contract and rights to the land, they will start "cleaning" the site for use soon.
Side note: VH1 just filmed a Hush Hush paranormal reality show on the site, go to the norwichbulletin.com for more info: Search Norwich State Hospital VH1 in the story archive.

Being in the mental health field, and being married to someone who is in the construction trades, and in love with these building - with said - it is unfair to blame the developers of these beautiful buildings when they need to be torn down. I feel the blame should be bought on the States that owned them in the first place. They should have secured the roofs better to stop leakage etc. But to blame the developer, in my opinion, is unfair. The bottom line in construction is how much is it going to cost and where they can get the biggest bang for their buck. It is not always cost efficient to save these buildings.

And as far as the developers being jerks - I had the pleasure of meeting the developer and owner of Foxboro Hospital. He could not have been nicer to me and extremely accommodating for the things that I asked for.

Dorbrite you make a very good point from the construction point of view.
But don't you think it a shame that some of this beautiful historical architecture from the past may not be around much longer for future generations to enjoy and admire? Structures like this are not built anymore, shouldn't it be preserved to keep a part history alive to enjoy and look back on. I'm all for progress, but I am also for preserving the beauty of the past when it can be. My husband is in the demo field and tells me all the time that many of these old structures can very easily be renovated and preserved without altering the originality of them or costing a small fortune.

This is a wonderfull historical site, and wonderfull for photography...but, living in CT for all my life, I know that this building only serves as a spot for vandilism and a great story starter..."Hey man, we snuck into the insane asylm last night!"......

Could people please stop referring to Utopia as strictly an amusement park and realize that its main purpose is to house multiple film studios and a film college as well as to bring 22,000 jobs to the economically struggling New London County as well as to boost the entire tourism industry of Connecticut. I am a media production student at Quinnipiac University and am extremely excited about the prospect of perhaps having a job there some day where I can stay local and not have to move out to L.A. or N.Y. to work on films. I agree that the buildings are gorgeous in an eerie way, but a few will apparently be preserved and people's lives and jobs are more important than buildings.
p.s. I hate Wal-Mart too!!!

I cant believe how one place can be so sunny and beautiful looking on the outsdie can be so dark and sad in the inside. That in itself is just sooo different .. it is like 2 opposite worlds u can cross into.Almos like heaven and hell seperated by a doorway

you have done an awsome job with this site. me and friends regulary "visit" norwich and i am very sad to hear about utopia. it is just such a cool creepy place to go especially on a full moon night. i am sad that my days of doing this are now running out.

the last room on the right i used to sleep on it

It -is- rather depressing that this historical place is going to be torn down and turned into an amusement park. At the same time, it's disappointing, that some people care more about raking in cash from poor sods paying ten dollars for a can of soday instead of preserving pieces of our history that, once gone, cannot be restored.

And to whoever has the argument that Norwich needs some entertainment. I point you across the Thames River, there's a friggin' casino over there. Oh, and don't forget about the -other- casino that's close to Norwich. So there, 2 casinos and you want more entertainment? What, pray tell, is wrong with you?

i think it great that utopia is comming i cant wait

The next "Celebrity Paranormal Project "was filmed here. They refer to it as Warson Asylum. I've lived in Norwich all my life and have never heard it called that.

ive never posted here but
would like to say first i love your pics they capture more than any word could ever describe . i go by norwich hospital everyday and it bothers me that some people feel that taking down a dark part of are past will make it go away. these are buildings that still have alot to teach us . i think all of the old hospitals would be perfect as tools for docters so that they can see how far we have come in medical reaserch. them hospitals hold the key to how far we have come in medical tech. why should the people who died in these places die pointlessly we could at least remember how we got so far in medicen. if they take every last primitive hospital down how will future doctors trully understand the suffering and loss of life that have made recent hospitals what they are today. books and pics do not show the feelings that lurk in the halls of these great places. you have to see it to truly understand what these places truly are. im sorry for going on i hope im not alone with this . ive been to alot of the old asylums but norwich is the one i feel closest to it has almost a magnetic pull that makes you want to see more and learn more and hear more storys about it. ive seen danvers it was beautiful but still not the same feeling as norwich. welp thank you for the pics they really are beautiful .

i was born in norwich state hosptial november 20th 1980. on my birth certificate it says, NORWICH CT, as my brith place, no where does it say NSH. kinda odd huh? my mother was a nurse there in some building. im not sure and cant ask seeing she passed in 2003. i plan to return to the hospital site and take pics soon. i cant wait!

That was well said Heather.

they need to leave this place alone make into a tourist place i don't want to see this place tour down

i agree with heather about the 'pull' of NSH. Its always had a certain affect upon me whenever I've driven past it..at night in particular. There are so many beautiful buildings upon the NSH campus, as well as the staff houses within walking distance not on the main campus. There is one in particular that always makes me slow down whenever driving by (top of the hill going around the bend driving away from the city towards the NSH), wishing these beautiful buildings with their incredible masonry could be saved. I remember when CT DMH decided to overhaul many of the buildings for asbestos abatement; they cleaned out all the asbestos, painted the walls, refurbished the buildings, only to close it down within 2 years afterwards. Thank you for posting all the beautiful pics, my fav is the fireplace.

i think that they should charge admission and do something for the homeless people that came out of there in the 90

I too have lived in Norwich my whole life (36) and every day I drive past NSH on my way to work. Personally I would like to have seen it become the new campus of Three Rivers Community College. It could have been a beautiful campus.

life live in that place

I think all of these places should become museums.

And I had no idea Wal Mart did that. That sort of thing makes me sick and ashamed to work for them.

These places should be protected. We don't need more huge ass houses,apartments or even shopping centers.

The museum idea is great - to showcase the progress of mental health treatment in this country over the years. Some of those buildings are just too beautiful to have to disappear forever.
These pictures blew my mind. This is the first time I've been to any site like this (I've gone through all the NSH gallery and comments for the past 3 days). Motts - you're truly gifted! And I've learned so much - from the photos, links and comments! I can't wait to explore the other galleries now - I'm hooked. I'd love to hear more true accounts from those who've spent time here. Mental illness runs in my family but no one spoke about it out loud until recently - it explained so much about my entire existence just to find that out. I'm so grateful to be alive in a time when it can be treated more easily than it once was.
For anyone else who is fascinated by the treatment of mental illness before modern medications I recommend a fictional mystery called "Shudder Island" by Dennis Lehane. As I said, it's fictional but you'll feel as though you're right there and you'll be haunted by it long after you've finished it. Read it through to the end - it's not what you think!
Thanks Motts and everybody - you're all fascinating people!!

Yeah it's sad that they will remve most but as an old state guard.....hint they are saying that some blds will stay. The blds are amazing and unique part of our past..thanks for the pics I never could take

Although most people believe this was the worst place and how people were treated very bad, I visited my mother there often-and when it shut down and threw everyone out-Take a stroll downtown Norwich -look in the alleys-look toward the dumpsters-under the bridge-you wiil find patients of the NSH, alone and suffering more than you can imagine.

The deal with Utopia fell through, thankfully, but the city is looking for another buyer. I've been in this one a few times. At one point, I had a satellite photo overlaid with a map of the tunnels, but that hard drive has since crashed. Very spooky place.

Wow, I`m so glad to see pictures of NHS, seeing as I live about 20 minutes away from it and never had the pleasure to actually go there. And I think its complete bull that they`re trying to build an amusement park on such a historical site. But anyways, keep up the good work. :)

You say that the Utopia deal fell through "thankfully." Hmm.

Hi, I grew up about a mile down the road. The most magical woods I've ever known are the woods around its edges where little bits of buildings and the old trolley road pop up. I've had some of my most freakin' precious memories out there.

That said, the casinos do not suit the economic needs of the Norwich area. That money goes to the state and is generally reallocated to other areas like Hartford, not where the schools and roads actually need to account for the population influx. Please be more understanding of the municipal view upon these potential development projects. As they crash, those buildings keep standing there, mostly unused and demanding upkeep. Extensive environmental damage also lies underneath and within those buildings and extensive bills for clean-up. Constructing a museum from the place is not as simple as opening up the doors, painting a few walls, and setting up staff.

There is beauty and sentiment in the decay, and I know it well, but development isn't just about greed. I have a really strong and personal attachment to the place, but I also know how much it sucks to go the schools (before NFA), have a downtown that apparently can't even support the one coffee shop that finally opened up, or support small businesses that would serve as alternatives to the big corporations so many of you claim to hate.

You, dear photograher, are truely brilliant. I visited this hospital today hoping to get some good photos myself but was chased away by security gaurds. How did you manage to get in?

It is one hell of a last look, I still shudder in digust at the thought of who could of been locked up behind there. I'll just stick to the safety of writing and art. That's my happy place!

Another thing that alot fo people dont know, but i grew up right down the road and it is also believed to be built on indian burial ground. i dont think it is becuse between the two tribes one of them would have had that property by now, but that land was once owned by tribal and who knows what crazy stuff happened... all i know is that everytime i drive past there it takes my breath away and i get this very uneasy feeling in my gut...

drive past this place on my way to work every day.

i have mixed feelings about it, i love looking at it, and i love explaining it to the many, MANY tourists in the area that are enthralled by it (i work at a hotel closeby and it certainly generates a lot of interest).

however, despite the beauty of it (and shut up, it truly IS beautiful, free your mind, people) it could be so well suited as so many other things that this area needs. certainly not more indian/casino ground, though (the hospital is on a main road that connects two indian reservations/casinos).

but i must say, i AM glad utopia fell through. there are many things this place would be good for, but a movie studio/amusument park is certainly NOT one of them!

THANK YOU, MOTTS!!!!

these are great shots but, all the shots of final peace, are a taunting reminder of what happened to all those people that may have died there.

Now, Motts, I actually have a couple questions about your exploration through NSH. I live right by it, and have looked at it practically since I was born. Would you consider it pretty easy to get into? I know you can't give your ways getting into them, but I'm wonderinng about that.

I've also heard rumors that there is still an old electric chair in there, is it true? I'm sure you would have taken a picture of it, but I'm just wondering?

Also (last one, I promise, for now) how bad is thte rotting? Did you almost fall through any places? Is it pretty safe?

I live in a town just next to Norwich and I know a few people who actually worked there and two who were in fact 'residents' there. My great aunt was placed there by my very cruel grandfather when she came over from Poland in the 30s (maybe earlier) because she couldn't speak English and he passed her off as a sociopath...his own sister! The stories I've heard about the 'residents' at this hospital were just as troubling as the extreme mistreatment of them. Friends go in there every year on Halloween to explore the tunnels and cell areas for a few thrills...who knows, with all the tortured souls that endured years there maybe a few are still lingering...but....who knows for sure?!

Motts gets the Most Powerfull Pictures award. I love every picture on this site. These hall pictures with the cells really freak me out. Like I can't even look at them for more than 30 seconds with getting all blehhh

Motts,
When I first stumbled across your website, (a few days ago) I had mixed feelings at first as to why someone would even think of photographing such places. Now after getting this far (alphabetically) in your galleries, it has all become extremely clear. You're not a crazed lunatic, you're chasing a history that no one wants to admit to being part of.

You have brought so many of these old places back to life once again, and they should remind society of why they were built in the first place. True - there are portions of the mentally ill who can be cared for in other environments, but there are so many others who can never fit into society in any way. They are the ones who people ignored the mere existance of while institutions like this were in their prime, and years after the De-Institutionalization they are coming back to bite the government in the ass once again.

As a major in Clinical Psychology I applaud your work, but I practiced when we didn't have the technology available today. I worked as a Patient Advocate at Fairview State Hospital in Costa Mesa California, and back then it housed some of the most severely deformed people in this country. People who back then could never leave the hospital grounds, as they would have been labeled "Freaks or Monsters"

I thank you greatly for taking the legal and often life threatening risks to bring these pictures and stories to us, and just hope others appreciate them for their value as much as I do.

I have a current update about the hospital property for those that are not from the area. The most recent development agreement has fallen through. It was going to be luxury shopping, condos and a golf course. If there is not something in process by the end of the year, the property is going to have to be turned back over to the state.

Well, I think it's great that it could possibly be turned back over to the state. Yes, as aforementioned, it is environmentally unsafe, and probably the reason it has yet to be either demolished or renovated is probably b/c it IS an environmental liability. Ever visit the EPA's Superfund site and look up your surrounding area? A Superfund (for anyone who doesn't know is basically a toxic wasteland) and the govt becomes responsible for or finds the responsible party to clean it up. Asbestos is usually the primary reason these types of buildings are not demolished right away. Asbestos is EXTREMELY dangerous.

At any rate, I am glad to see that it still remains, as toxic as it may be, b/c it should be cleaned up and made available as a historic landmark. Putting up ANYTHING over this place (even a film school) is wrong, and that is why the world is in such a state nowdays...b/c everyone is sooo obsessed with MONEY or themselves!! Thanks for the opportunity to ramble endlessly, Motts! The phots are breathtaking.

To think back then that's the way people where tough away.
it's just sad think to think you might have had some you love in such a place.what happen to the ones where there last ?

i didnt see shit

i live near the norwich state hospital they just sold the place for a dollar to the town of preston. around 1996 they kicked all of the mentally ill out in the streets right by my house.

And what did you leave behind?????

I have never heard of this place before i came upon this sight today. What a beautiful building, but very distressing on the inside. I understand motts that you break into the place to get your photos? Shame they dont open it up to public, or fix it up or something, to have it just lying in ruin makes no sence. I would love to hear from some of the poor people that have had to spend time there. Awesome pics motts

did u guys here that they are letting the enfield paranormal society film a ghost hunt there. some one on the tour told me they saw there suv back there and they where driving off with the gaurds there. this so big for the town perston ct its about time we really know if the place is haunted way to go guys

The green in this hallway is oddly pretty. Love the hallway shot and those doors make it interesting. I still can't get over all that marble in the other building. Beautiful! Thanks Mr. Motts!

i love these pics! i live really close to this hospital but i cant get in, the fact that this place closed down not so long ago is mind boggling to me, i cant grasp the fact that someone i know could have gone there, it is creepy. also the fact that people, like lynne, and david, i think, work or worked there is amazing

For all the enjoyment I get from viewing these pix, knowing I'll never get the opportunity to see them 'live', I get angry as heck that nothing is being done to preserve them. Mr.Motts has to sneak around to capture these places for posterity but he should be getting a police escort and a parade when he comes to town! When these bldg's are gone forever, not many will know what they're missing unless they get to see these shots. It's just such a shame and I thank you, Mr.Motts for your dedication.

^^^^ Amen, Kath. You said it well. I, too, will never get the chance to see these awesome places. I am an urb-ex fanatic and must content myself with the amateur shots I can take of abandoned structures in my own area (I did recently come upon an abandoned theater that I'd love to infiltrate) but when the pickings seem slim, Motts' site always delivers the "fix" I need. In any case, I am extremely glad for his talent and his tenacity in securing these locations on film for posterity.

As always, good job Motts!!

Motts Keep it posting more Gallery Please.

Sadly, I just read about the eminent demise of this grand old lady and it's heartbreaking. Mr. Motts, some of your best work was done here. Some of the most emotional and passionate comments and debates were made in these galleries. Your photography will be an important & invaluable resource for future generations. I sincerely hope that future generations will learn how destructive vandalism & theft is to a historic building. RIP Norwich.