395 Comments for Connecticut Valley Hospital

This photo stopped me in my tracks while researching the history of CVH. Your entire photo series is beautiful and haunting, but the human touch that left those handwritten words scrawled upon the page give this photo a soul that almost speaks to you across time. Heartbreaking and exquisite.

I found out that my great Aunt Mary Ann Smith (1861-1928) spent most of her life at this hospital and is buried there. My grandpa who died at 91 in 1984 never mentioned his aunt, perhaps did not know about her (they lived in different states). She is found in the 1900, 10, 20 census as a resident there. Very sad.

all that lovely woodwork going to waste....

Someone should rescue these fireplaces. Should be pretty heavy but nothing a hand truck can't handle. Just bring a good dead blow hammer & chisel to remove the facade.

my mom worked here from the early 60's till 1980...i have been in most of the buildings that are show here and places that are not shown. a very interesting place.

You could try to contact the hospital directly:
Connecticut Valley Hospital
P.O. Box 351, Middletown, CT 06457
PH: 860-262-5000 FAX: 860-262-5989

I am looking for my files- from the mids seventies and early eighties.

I know this is late but for whatever it's worth. . . there was an overhead tram system in a department store in downtown Schenectady that was used for sending merchandise from the stock area down to the floors where the customers were. I imagine this may have been similar?

This must have been a beautiful room at one time.

Hi Diana, I do not have photos of the kitchens or meat preparation area at CVH; they could still be in use by the hospital (I kept to the long-abandoned areas).

I recall coming upon a very large band saw in a tiled room at another state hospital, which was labeled "Meat Saw." It was interesting to see, as many of these old hospitals raised their own livestock rather than buying cuts at the local store.

My father use to work at CVH for over 30 years in the 40's 50's and 60's. He was a Meat Cutter in charge of the Meat Market. He use to get in cows etc. and they use to hang in the freezer and he would cut everything up and make hamburger, steaks etc. He use to have a freezer just like this, I remember he would open the door to the freezer and I would look inside. Are there any pictures of the Meat Market? It had a concrete platform that the trucks use to back up to to deliver the meat and there were also stairs to walk up to the platform.

Yes, I agreed with you. It's a shame

Thanks for the memories; I've seen photos of the theater, and it was indeed a gorgeous place.

The overhead tram sounds very unique, I've never heard of one being used at a hospital before. I now see a "tramway" mentioned in the National Register Report, but there aren't any details there... was it like a gondola for skiers? Very curious...

Tunnels attached all the buildings as well as over head trams

I was a nursing supervisor there for years.
Incredible eerie place.