1,384 Comments for Gaebler Children's Center

Omg!! Willie!! Pookie,you were probably there with me.He actually got me out of that place for a day,and took me to a yankees game at fenway,probably my only good memory from that hell hole.I dont remember ANY paintings in the gym,they must have made an attempt at cheering it up some in its last days.I remember lots of roller skating/hockey and lacrosse,especially the lacrosse,as those balls hurt like hell getting bounced off the walls in there.
Please,someone let me know if its still standing,i would love to get one last look and take some photos.

I was on ward d 83-85.I love these pictures,very good job.Brings back a lot of memories and feelings.Its true as someone said in another post,that you really don't have friends like the friends you made there.I still remember a few staff that made it a little better there,like Maria on ward D.I also remember "chris",the big guy with the horrible nylon pants that always made that sound when he walked,and probably should have been a patient there himself.He loved to egg kids on,and call"all availables" for the slightest look or thought,not to mention the way he looked at us girls. I actually broke out of there one night,we had got the window lose over time in our room,and tied a bunch of sheets together,then to a bed,and scaled down the wall.made it to belmont/cambridge before getting picked back up.Let me know if anyone remembers this,especially susan/sarah.

Is it still there as of today?I was there 83-85,and would like to see it before its gone.

Wow.I was in that room many times as a kid.Believe it or not,alo tof the kids there were"normal" kids that came from bad family situations,no where else to put them when foster homes were full.Until now i had blocked it all out.I think one of the happiest days of my life was leaving that place.Is there any way to get inside it now?

Grew up in Belmont down the street Live in Cal. now I am here visiting my mum. Went in last night after a six pack of ale It is being dismantled as we speak The boards are off of the windows so there is much more light inside.. There is trash and asbestos everywhere I heard a lot of noises on the third floor it is still a very spooky place. Wonder what went on there in the early 50's and 60's

how many dodgeball games we played in that gym

does anyone remember rod mattews he was there when i was there also the pillow fights we had on ward d and a staff memeber named brian he was my 1 on 1 any intrested in chatting email me at biggie_95403@yahoo.com

that is not what it look like when i was there in the late 80s

Not Your Concern,
Hello when were you there? I was from 1982-1984 and IU was on Ward D. We never got popcorn or ice cream when we went to the activity center. You were lucjy. We also never got to roller skate or play pool like some of the other kids that I have talked to who was there as well. The place is a mess now, they have started cleaning out the building of asbestos and lead paint, so they can take it down, I want to say it will be down in 2 months the latest, I have been going up there a couple of days or say and on Sundays with Boiler 1220. I have a lot of pics on my facebook., look me upo if u want to and request me as a friend, my name is Michelle D.Woods-Gddfroy, I have new pics from yesterdsay and I video taped the inside and utside but, IU haven't posted them yet on my facebook, but, as soon as I get a chance I will...

I just want to update everyone on the taken down of Gaebler, I was there yesterday with Boiler1220, we have been going there for the past 3 weeks to see the progress of the building and what's being done to it. They have to clean out all the asbestos before the building can come down and also take out the lead paint, there is so much they have to do first before the building can come down but, it's coming along, and they are busting their assesw. I want toi say it will be down in the next month or two but., probably closer to 2 months. Boiler1220 knows so much more about this then I do, he is awesome, if anyone wants to go see Gaebler before it's gone, get your butts there, it won't be long, I have taken a lot of pictures and I vidoe taped the outside of the building as well as the inside of the building...I hope all the former patients are doing well and will get some kind of clousure when the building is down..As for the staff there who made our lives a living nightmare, you should ashamed of yourselves for abusing us mentally, physically and yes some of the patients were sexually abused. The only nice staff on my Ward which was WEard D was Willie and Suzanne, they actually cared about his kids can't say that about any one else. I hope that if they had any children of their own that those children were able to have a happy and safe life, but, with those staff members who treated us so poorly I doublt that their kids had a good childhood and probably got abused by their parents cause thats how they treated us kids. May god rest on the little souls who lost their lives to abuse, poisoning and committed suicide....

This is where we played bingo on Saturday nights. Where the raffled TMNT coloring books. Where they dispensed home made ice cream and there was ATARI 7800. There was a popcorn machine where we would zone out to "night court" after getting our meds. Yeah it wasn't all bad.

They started taking the place down. Drive by in the next couple weeks if you want to see it before its gone

Motts
I hope that is worded better. I just want the people who want to see the place to see it before its gone. I don't say go in it. We r meeting on sunday to go on the old nature trails. Not go in the building
Thanks

They started taking the place down. Drive by if you want to see it before its gone

Matt
No I haven't. Do you live close