Comments

I would imagine many people were transitioned out to community-based programs, where former residents would be living in assisted group homes. This was the plan when the country "deinstitutionalized" the state hospital system; much of this happened in the 1980s through the 1990s. It has been argued that a majority of these people eventually wound up homeless and/or in prison, and not getting the level care they require.

Residents who required higher levels of care were probably transferred to one of the remaining state hospitals in Caro, Ann Arbor, Westland, or Kalamazoo.

Great photos as always. From looking through this gallery you can almost hear the echoes of past shows and audiences.

Yup; it's impossible to tell at this angle, but there was a rope or chain still dangling from the hole in the center.

I remember leafing through, but I don't believe there was a date in there. I suppose a general decade could be guessed at by the artwork and layout on the cover, but that's a bit out of my league.

An interesting thought. There surely was graffiti in ancient Rome; much has been found in the preserved ruins of Pompeii. I think some of the remarks parallel with the writings found scrawled on walls in modern times: http://www.pompeiana.o...ces/Ancient/Graffiti from Pompeii.htm

It does seem like these marks were located in public spaces such as bathrooms and stairwells. One could argue that most graffiti is meant to be seen and read - perhaps older civilizations felt putting it in an abandoned place seen by few didn't make much sense.

I think another factor is the effort - the materials and process of painting or etching would make graffiti a somewhat laborious process before the advent of the aerosol can in 1949.

Do you know where all the patient's went ?

I didn't see the lid for the piano laying around anywhere, but who knows!

The paperwork was primarily many copies of the programming for a play (in next photo).

Thank you, your photos are so oooo good. Thank you very much.

Rub that beautiful piece down with some pumice and it will be as good as new.

Interesting paper laying around, was it sheet music or programs?

Back where you were standing, is that what they call the "cheap seats?" Don't think I would enjoy the show from back there.

Interesting illustration.

That would have given me a heart attack, had I not known it was there and saw it out of the corner of my eye.

I'm surprised no one had already broken the mirror at this point.

In seeing this I wonder, after the fall of Rome, were the great structures of the city covered in the Roman equivalent of graffiti, or were they more civilized than that?