4,224 Comments for Northampton State Hospital

Great work!
As a former employee, I am saddened that this great piece of architecture is falling into demise. You have some great photos and artwork. I love the angel in the corridors. Myself I find it bittersweet, as there was much sadness and suffering behind those walls and in those very corridors.

Mark Perras
Long Beach, California
Formerly from Easthampton. Massachusetts

mark.a.perras@boeing.com

Lynne,
You are a fine human being .May we all have such compassion, understanding and mercy for such less fortunate peoples. (as well as all people) You are a true rarity amongst us all!

Have you considered studies on other defunct state hospitals, (there are many) perhaps a book?

This truly is an awesome site devoted to preserving a crucial piece of forgotten history. Well done and kudos! I would love to see more of these types of portraits.

Cool!!!! thx... :D

How ono earth did they light these places 150 years ago. As far as that goes, how did they light them at the time the hospital closed? I don't see any fixtures, ahem, soap dispensers, or conduit on the walls. This picture has me mesmerized, Motts, I kep wondering what it wold be like to be here 150 years ago. Beautiful composition. Thanks.

Being tall I love rooms with tall ceilings. Beaautiful shot, Motts. Those windows woould certainly give a lot of light to cook by in the 1800's. I wonder what they did in those days on dark rainy days?

I wonder why the right hand doors open to the right and the left hand doors open to the left. Wouldn't it be more economicl to make them all the same?

Teena, haunting is in the eyes, or head, of the beholder, Step outside where you live at two o'clock in the morning of a dark night and tell me it isn't haunted!

I would give anything, well almost anyting, to see pictures of this hallway in use in the 1800's.

KBWS, I can imagigne the wwidth was to accomodate tables along the walls where kerosene lamps could be placed for lights. Maybe a chair or two to sit and read.

It is obvious how they got electricity into this room, with the surface mounted conduits, but there is no indication of old gas lamp fittings. Maybe this room didn't need artificial lighting, it is so warm and cheery without it.

OK. This pic was obviously taken in the daytime withought benefit of the fluorescent lighing. How did they illuminate it in 1856? Did they have gas lights, or kerosene lanterns or candles everywhere?

I have enjoyed reading all of your (well, most of your) comments so much that I haven't taken the time to make my own. Threee things stand out in my mind. First, Motts, your pictures are outstanding compared to all other UEx sites I have visitted, and you were a geniius to allow comments. People like Lynne have a lot to add. Second, when buildings like Northampton were built there was no electricity. How did they illuminate places like this basement? The architercture of these places must have taken lighting inbto account. ANd Lastly, I can imagine what people will be saying in another 150 years about our methods of handling people today, with any kind of illness "Oh, can you imagine the terrible things they did to people in 2007. They actually cut them open to fix internal organs. How in-humane."

Why wre the locks on the doors?