257 Comments Posted by MARIE, CMT

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Wow, a lot of great old stuff!
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What is that?!
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This is sad...you can feel the pain that the patient must have felt.
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The Iron Lung scares me! If I were in that thing, I would feel claustrophobic! I remember seeing one on TV, and the only thing that the person could see was a small mirror that hung above his face, so that he could only see himself. It was a really old Iron Lung. Even though this machine would give anyone nightmares, I'm sure it saved a lot of people. God Bless them!
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@Matt M-Thank you for giving the background info on all these older contraptions. I was wondering what they were.
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I knew someone who used to work here at Belchertown-she was a Physical Therapist. Cool theatre!
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Wow, an old projector! Those were the days! : ) I love when machines are still in the "analog" mode.
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@Boiler 1220-I'm glad the atmosphere at Danvers State was better. I knew you were there, because I read one of your former posts at the Danvers State photo area on this site. You can read all former posts of everyone when you click on the person's name at the bottom, such as if you click on "MARIE, CMT" you can see all my former posts on this website.

I've always been fascinated with the architecture of the old Kirkbride "castle" at Danvers State Hospital. It's too bad most of it is gone-only the adminstration part is left, the rest are new apartments. At least the old cemetary is still intact. I'll never forget the first time I saw the "castle" many years ago-it was breathtaking. The countryside grounds were beautiful, and I loved the old wooden roof-covered staircase that went up the hill-I've taken walks there many times. The reason why I know of its existence was that I was a student doing a Music Therapy internship at Hogan Regional Center at the bottom of Hathorne Hill. I would have loved to work at the old "castle" as a Music Therapist, but it was already closed. It's a shame that the State did not try to rehab this hauntingly beautiful building.
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That's really cool how you first started; Kings Park is definitely a good place to start. You must have been amazed at the grandeur of the old "Silo" : ) building 93, when you saw it for the first time. I'm like that too; I'm very curious, and I always want to know about old ruins and their history. I've explored a few places, but certainly not as much as you. Please be careful on all your expeditions so you don't get hurt. You may want to rethink Health Insurance at some point.
Ephemera: Counting the Years
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@Boiler 1220-I'm sorry that the environment at the Gaebler was not therapeutic. If you don't mind me asking, was it a more positive environment at Danvers State?
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'Counting the Years', quite appropriately named! It's amazing how many years you have spent on researching and finding all these magnificant ruins. Not only is the photography breathtaking, but your descriptions of these places are intriguing. You are a very intelligent man, Mr. Motts. What got you started in all this? How did your interest grow? What was your first "expedition"? I'm fascinated with this stuff, because I grew up next to an old State Hospital, and in some ways, these old buildings remind me of my childhood. Strange, huh? Also, I just love the architecture of these old buildings-they don't make them like that any more. Why these relics from the past are not preserved, is a mystery to me.
Ephemera: Counting the Years
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@Boiler 1220-Hello again! I was just wondering, were there any music or art therapists employed at the Gaebler? Just curious.
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Wow, Italy! Lucky! The chapel is beautiful and the writings on the wall are very interesting. They remind me of the writings on the wall of my dad's old barn-way back when, it was an operational farm and the workers wrote their names and home addresses on the wall. They were all from NYC-funny, how they had to find work in Massachusetts. They also put dates on the wall, from 1939 to 1946. Did you travel to Tuscany? I heard it is very beautiful, with rolling fields. I love the countryside!
Ephemera: Counting the Years
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In my mind's eye, WSH too looked like a "castle" to me. As a kid, we were always taking walks on the property. There was a beautiful grove of pine trees below the Kirkbride admin building. I remember when I was younger walking under those pine trees and looking up, I could see this magnificant castle...I felt like I was in "Sherwood Forest", in a beautiful ball gown, waiting for my handsome prince in the castle...so romantic! : ) That was always my fantasy!
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Danvers State is certainly my FAVORITE "castle." It looks like from something out of time, so mystical. I love the bright, red brick contrasted to the other lighter-colored stonework. Someone on the 'Net has posted a very interesting montage of DSH pictures to music on youtube. My two favorite songs set to the pics are "No giving up" and "Colors" by the band Crossfade. I liked these songs so much that I got the CD. These songs go so well with the tone of this hauntingly beautiful hospital. Too bad it wasn't rehabed-I would have loved to work in those art and music cottages that they originally had there-dream job!