4,224 Comments for Northampton State Hospital

stairway to heaven?

Nice Motts, looks like you got a great shot of one of the "Kenny Dumonds"!

I live about a few hundred feet away from this place and was very sad to see it go. The cheap housing that is replacing it has no character at all compared to the old Kirkbride! The primary component of most of it is cheap glue board; I'll will be very surprised if any of it lasts 20 years without developing serious structural problems.

Anywho, from what I understand Ken was a charge attendant at the hospital, he painted many of these around the place, the most numerous of them were found in the newer buildings (memorial group) on the other side of the campus. There was a room on the third floor in I do believe G ward that was full of scenic paintings just like this one.

Thanks for taking all of these! Makes me wish I went in a few more times to get more shots myself........

My great grandfather spent the last 40 years of his life here after he returned from Normandy with a serious case of what we now call PTSD. I'm sure that during his time there he spent time in many of the spaces you photographed. Thank you, Motts for preserving this. In a world that wants to forget, you have given us a library to help us remember.

I love the orange light

Cheers motts, I was close

Motts, have you ever thought about publishing a book? I know I would purchase one!

Well said Rekrats!

Very true wmass - perhaps no one really knows unless they worked or stayed there. Spray paint is usually the easier and preferred method of leaving one's mark though.

Tiny, I'm not sure what is splattered on the bottom; it's too red to be blood, perhaps paint.

The lock secures a mesh grate door in a stairwell - each floor in every wing was a most likely a secured ward. Patients were originally separated by the severity of their illness and gender, and were not allowed to congregate unless at social events (dances, etc). If someone managed to get past the ward's stairwell door, I would imagine this gate as being a backup.

Do you know what their dreams taste like by any chance? :-)

Kelly: I think it might have been a vent of some kind.

Hope that helped, but I don't know for sure. Could you tell us please Motts?
Cheers and best wishes (keep safe)
Ash

redinkreign: Have you ever seen the Titanic? There was a lock like that on one of the gates that they locked passengers (steerage) behind while the first class got to the life boats, then woman and children were let through. Also, the elevators on the Titanic had that design and maybe a lock. I'm assuming it's either a type of indoor gate (used for what???) or an elevator.

Wow point of veiw is incredible. Nice work

Beautiful.end of story