Comments

Wow! I wonder if that could be gold leaf? Perhaps just paint, but it's sure beautiful.

Very nice. I particularly like the ceiling in this one.

Great colour Motts! With the light it almost makes the door laying there a chartreuse colour.

Ahhhh, so beautiful. Amazing that you can still make out the pathways too.

I read in the Boston Herald a year or so ago, that the cemetary at Danvers was restored and names were placed on the grave markers that originally had numbers to give respect to the patients that died there.

As I read the above comments I could not but think of the current situation. We no longer warehouse the mentally ill in huge institutions such as pilgrim rather they are now festering in our jails and as homeless people wandering beyond our perception. Is that really progress?

Former Safety Officer (1975-1980) would like to hear from any former employees. Email address is em3611@optonline.net. Hope to hear from you soon.

The fact that the buildings were designed and built so beautifully, with a great deal of attention to detail, large windows, spacious hallways, porches, bow windows, etc., seem to me that the original intent of this instution, and perhaps others like it, were really designed and intended to provide a better environment to those who would otherwise be totally neglected by their parents and society in general.

Unfortunately, the lack of understanding by doctors and government agencies about the natuar and treatment of the patients "differences", as well as underfunding and overcrowding would naturally lead to these othewise attractive buildings becoming the places of sadness indeed.

Just imagine any new facility built within the past 50 years for such a purpose having anything except an army barracks look about it.

Danvers wasn't all that bad. You talk of torture, most of what is considered totture was the state of the art therapy at the time when it happened. Menat healt remains grossly misunderstood in this country.

Session 9 is the worst movie I've ever seen. They made it sound as though the patents had it easy, and they didn't. I hope the people burried up there get some peace and respect.

I agree with Leroy. Danvers State was truly a nightmare. But some patents had it better than others. Many staff members would take patents out to dinner, or take them home for Christmas. But the poor souls who died there should get respect, instead of having buldozers plow away their graves. My heart goes out to all those burried atop Hawthorn Hill.

Has anyone heard the latest status of these buildings, are they going to be saved when the new WSH is built? I know there is a group of preservationists trying to save them. Lets hope this group comes through!

I was aww-struck when I found out that DSH was being turned into condos. I was even more outraged when they took down the water tower. DSH wasn't as bad as it sounds, but there were those few who were tourted, and for them, I feel horrible. I hope Avalon puts a memorial dedication up on Hawthorn Hill to remember those who died there.

Good thing it still has it's asset tag attached. #301437

that is so scary! fantastic pics all of them.