485 Comments for Manteno State Hospital

blood looks different depending on the age. i'm not just "another" person who thinks they know what they're talking about, i used to clean homicides/suicides and unittended deaths. its paint. blood dries to a pasty black after 2-3 days

I have been in three NFL locker rooms on tours and every one of them had several freezing cold water tubs in the training rooms. One of the tour guides said they were used to relax tight muscles. All I could think of was that Sienfeld episode
*shrinkage*

Oh "long time, first time"

Seriously addicting site, Mr. Motts. I have done some exploring in the 7 states I have lived in through the years and understand your passion. I am currently living in Arizona, and have dates with a few sites around my area. Please keep up the highly interesting {and addicting} work.

I recently found a diary written by my husband's grandfather from Nov 1938 to Nov 1939. He was a patient at Manteno from Feb 28, 1938 until Nov 17, 1939. He was being treated for malaria and syphilitic-meningo - encephalitis. Once cured of malaria he received over 65 shots to cure the syphillis. In order to be released back into the population he had to test negative 4 times. He was there during the Typhoid Fever epidemic and was ready to be released when he tested positive as a "carrier" of typhoid. For six months no new patients were admitted and very few patients ready for release were allowed off the grounds. After two more months in the Typhoid ward he tested negative for the 4th time but was still required by law to sign legal documents called "Carrier Agreement" before he could go home. He was asked to have an experimental surgery where live malarie cells would be injected into his brian to possibly cure the syphillis. He decided against the surgery and came back home to Nashville, TN and his wife and six children three grown and three still home. I love the pictures but his diary doesn't describe this hospital as a hell on earth. The doctors and nurses were caring people doing the best they could for these patients. Mental illness research was just beginning and he does mention the cold & hot baths as a treatment of unruly patients, and that it seemed to work in most cases.

here here!

rantings of a crazy man

Its been a long time since i've been there (about 10 years or so) but I recall wandering through vast underground tunnels that connect the buildings. There were a number of these rooms that had a series of these tubs. The other rooms that seemed odd to us were the ones with rows of what looked like barbers chairs. I also recall exiting the tunnels that adjoin the buildings through a man hole in the street.

Very interesting, Motts. Looks like an altar full of decomposed offerings.

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN AWAKINING TO THE WORLD OF WHAT WE DO TO LIVING BEINGS, HUMANS AND ANIMALS. WHAT A SICK WORLD THIS HAS BECOME AND CONTINUES TO GROW WORSE EVERYDAY. HUMANITY HAS FALLEN TOTALLY OUT OF HUMAN AND WE HAVE NOW MADE THIS A REAL HELL ON EARTH. THIS POOR WOMAN LIKE MANY OTHERS WHO WERE NOT MENTIONED WAS SOMEHOW LEGALLY TAKEN AND TESTED AND PROBED AND TORTURED , EXPERIMENTED ON AND VERY SADLY BROUGHT TO HER DEMISE. DONT EVER BE FOOLED INTO THINKING THIS HAS STOPPED, NOT WITH ANY LIVING CREATURE AND THATS WHAT MAKES US SUCH A VERY VERY SICK SOCIETY. WHEN GOD ALLOWED US FREE WILL I TOTALLY BELIEVE THAT IS WHERE HE DID FUCK UP !

I love the lighting in this one, its very heavenly.

amazing picture

wow this is amazing omg.

clearly paint.... when blood gets old it turns brown it does not stay vivid red forever. god... stupid people.

The brick work is magnificent. People worked long & hard to build this. Now look at it. Very bittersweet. Motts, I am so hooked on this site.

To employee-did you realy work there?

I grew up in peotone,the next town over. I had heard stories of the place, but nothing like ginnies.its mindblowing!