83 Comments Posted by anonymous

My lungs closed up just looking...

If I am not imposing, I think this would make a great wallpaper. Would you be willing to share it?

Thanks in advance.

Motts, I realize this is a 3 year old photo, but I'm not sure everybody realizes the gravity of it: what you're looking at is every stillborn infant consigned to burial by the city of NY from 2002-2008. Plots B-62 through B-68 (the B is for "babies"), dug directly between the wings of the old Phoenix Program building. ~1000 per plot (a.k.a trench), stacked five high and twenty deep in little unpainted pinewood shoeboxes. The children are watched over by the fading mural of the phoenix on the ruined dormitory front, still soaring from the ashes despite having long been forgotten and left to decay.

They're only up to Plot B-64 in this photo; on May 16, 2008, the last 29 (of 994) stillborn babies were buried in B-64 and it was capped with three feet of earth. An identical trench was dug next to it (closer to the window in this photo). The process has repeated 4 additional times since then, leaving the current plot (B-68) directly under the window.

You're gonna carry that weight.

As someone in the medical community (at a quite high level), I can think of few rarer atrocities that were performed there. I equate Dr Ladd as an equivalent of Josef Mengele. I understand that medical expertise was not very sophisticated when he started (well, yes but then they were many far more competent)... and I think the government just turned another eye, and doled money. I consider this a disgrace to any of us in the medical field... been on the inside under-cover there recently, and the only reason I say nothing is because this mimics most of the remainder of Rhode Island... (Except Newport,,, and don't ask me why). If someone you know did well there, then my best wishes to you. I applaud you. But in my experience (as I silently observe the other facilities around the country, as a 'patient', you deserve a '0' out of '10'.

Where is this? The address I mean. I want to visit..

Currently I am creating a diorama of the floor in a psychiatric hospital and decided to look up some photos. Pictures like this help you understand just how much time has eroded the building. The photo feels very morbid and has helped me capture a feeling that is sparking my imagination. Thanks Heaps "Mr Motts" - Anon

There are still a few buildings there and today I saw an older lady maybe about 45 and she was sitting on the ground starring at a wall rubbing it then she looked at me and ran toward me so I had to hide for 30 mins then I got out as quickly as I could I recommend not going in there

sad

Yes Ben I went today with friends, it's practically destroyed barely any history I could find

Went to Paul dever tonight with a couple friends, the ruins are terrible in 2014 I go to explore history there's barely anything to explore it seems

Located in the Dix Hills area (West Brentwood) of western Long Island, New York, Pilgrim State Hospital was created by the Legislature in 1929 and named for Dr. Charles W. Pilgrim, commissioner of mental health in the early 1900s. It opened on 825 acres with 100 patients transferred from Central Islip. Nine months later it had 2,018 patients. By 1935, it housed nearly 9,000 patients. The peak census was in 1954, with 13,875 patients. At times, Pilgrim had been the world's largest mental hospital. As of 1999, the Pilgrim campus contained 75 structures.

http://www.rootsweb.an...ilgrim_ny/index.html

Not 15,000 patients and my guess is it was not designed for so large a group. The mental hospital where I volunteer was built for 300 and had 2600 at its overcrowded maximum. Just warehousing imo, no longer a hospital or an asylum.

Thanks for the wonderful gallery, Mr Motts! Everyone kind of beat me to the punch here, but I'd also like to say that you were sorely missed and that I hope all is well :)

It's strange and a little unsettling that they just leave old records in these buildings. Isn't there some kind of privacy protection law against that? I

Creepy and beautiful at the same time.....I love the shadows in this shot, too.

The soap dispenser is also a nice touch :)

Welcome back, Motts! So glad to see a new gallery! :)