592 Comments for Western State Hospital (Virginia)

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Guessing it was for violent patients.
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I notice a lot of signs like this in other buildings also and if you take note most of the script is always on a slant or not centered correctly.
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Graves pictured here were unmarked because the patients were mentally ill. The institution believed they were protecting families from persecution by erasing their history of mental illness.
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This brought tears to my eyes.
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These images always remind me how fleeting and delicate life is and that not every person born unto this world is dealt a generous hand. A brief life with only a few words left in memory. How grateful I feel for my hand.
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Boy there better be a helluva "vista" after the workout climbing those stairs
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Now this is a striking shot of the staircase
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Looks like a Hang Man caricature
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This place is staircase heaven!! So gorgeous!
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Ha ha Prancer, I know what happened to the door knob. It broke and the maintenance department put a "temporary handle" on the door while they fixed the knob or waited for a new one to be shipped. Meanwhile, the building closed. :)
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This has got to be one of the most beautiful staircases ever.
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I believe it led into the utilitarian / unfinished attic spaces, used for heating ducts and the like.
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William H. Tapscott, born in Buckingham County, Virginia; at age 20, he was an overseer, living with his widowed mother and his 5 sisters. The youngest, Sally (Sarah, born about 1837), is listed on another website along with their father's will, as a "Lady of Pleasure." It would appear that William was the responsible "man of the family" at an awfully young age, after the death of his father (whose will was written 1 April 1849).
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Tom,

I love this photo and all of your work. I am co-producing a documentary called HEALING VOICES and am interested in using this particular photo of the pill line (been there myself). We would definitely give proper credit that includes the website if you want. Is there a way to contact you besides here? We can be reached at theopenparadigmproject@gmail.com
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It's possible there were Revolutionary War soldiers buried there..