This 19th century insane asylum quietly rests atop a hill in Northampton, Massachusetts. Built in 1856, the Northampton Lunatic Hospital was the fourth Kirkbride building to be constructed; it originally consisted of a single three story brick building, designed in a Gothic Revival style, and had the capacity for 250 patients. Following the Kirkbride design, the central administration floors were flanked by two patient wings, one for male and one for female. After many different expansions and additions to attempt to relieve overcrowding, the building seems to have become a confusing maze of rooms and hallways.

At the turn of the century, the now renamed Northampton State Hospital housed 600 people in overcrowded living conditions. Infirmary wings were added to both sides in 1905 and frequent additions were made since, but the hospital remained congested and the old structure was decaying quickly. By the 1950's, the patient population had peaked at over 2,500; the hospital began to serve only as a roof over the heads of the most unfortunate people, and the original ideals of "moral treatment" of patients were long forgotten.

In 1961, more patients were being discharged than admitted, and a slow deinstitutionalization process took place in 1978 and lasted 14 years. After many treatment reform efforts and legal battles, Northampton State Hospital finally closed it's doors in 1993, and the old buildings have been awaiting demolition since.

There are 594 confirmed burials of former patients, but there may be as many as 1,200 people buried here; the reason for the uncertainty is because of incomplete or missing state records. All of the markers have sunk below the ground and are no longer visible.

Two movies have been filmed here, "Cider House Rules" and "In Dreams", both released in 1999. Some props and fake walls have even been left behind in the old halls. A memorial event took place in 2000, headed by artist Anna Schuleit. Documentary on the events at NSH can be found at http://1856.org.

To help save the main building, visit saveoldmain.org.

2005 Update: Work has begun on the abatement and demolition of the buildings surrounding the Kirkbride by MassDevelopment in cooperation with Beals and Thomas to create The Village at Hospital Hill (click here for a rendering of the community).

2006 Update: Abatement and demolition have begun on the Kirkbride building.

2007 Update: The Kirkbride building has been completely demolished.