153 Comments Posted by Kathy

I now own that door!

I would love to get a copy of this photo. We purchased 3 of these doors from the Baths and have them in our home!

How do the birds get in? The windows seem to be intact.

Reminds me of cancer.

I work with children with autism. This building is sad.

I just wonder who passed through those doors.

Motts, thank you for recording these images. I grew up in Buffalo and live close to Rochester. I often wonder what is behind the face of abandoned buildings. Thank you for providing a snapshot of what lies beyond. And as a person who once worked as a chemical technician at Eastman Kodak, I appreciate the depth of the pictures.

Thanks, Peg. I live a suburb of Rochester. Sometimes, when I drive by these old buildings, I see lights on in some of the halls of the 15 floor building. FYI: There is a bowling alley in the lower level of one of the abandoned buildings.

This is my ancestress cemetery. The people buried there go back to the Brewster family. They are descendants of William Brewster of Mayflower fame. The property the hospital was built on once belonged to the family. They had a trading post on the river where they traded with the Indians. The hospital is being torn down. Pretty much brick by brick. Only acouple buildings will be saved.

Hi, Motts. Thank you for your post in answer to my question about patient diaries at Central Islip--and thanks for the tip on where I might find ancient patient records, which I will pursue.
Thanks again also for your remarkable work, evocative and resonant. I dream of your images. Kathy

Hi Motts,

I'm so glad to see a new gallery! Hope you are OK, and thanks for your wonderful work.

I have recently learned my grandmother--about whom I have been able to learn very little--was consigned to Central Islip at the time of the 1930 census. I am fascinated by your all your photos and very interested in the activities roster as a possible key to her experience. You mention finding patient diaries. Did you keep any of these by any chance? Do you know anything about what became of patient records? Would much appreciate any further information albout patients' experience. Thanks

This picture reminds me of working in some very old faciltiies (hospitals and prisons) where we would joke that the institution was merely being held together by all the layers of paint on the walls!