1,927 Comments for Pilgrim State Hospital

the stacks are still there.... i live around the corner from it... thats one of the only buildings that are actually still there

Sorry, guys, but in the 1918 picture all I see is what was probably a bit of fluff and/or dust on the lens during development...

I've worked in a darkroom, and have also spent hours and hours taking out things like this from wedding pictures as a profession. Take my word for it. Dust.

i came here on 6-6-08
it wasz so scaryy there is a dead body [of an animal] on the attic

Has anyone ever layed down in one and had someone close the door? Well i have it was awesome...Even thought the door got jamed then i had to kick it open... but it was awesome...

Your photography is absolutely amazing. I've been on the wrong end of the "scare the hell out of your date" phenom. that goes on on long island, & because Im a hopefull psychologist this place scares me most. Just knowing what went on inside these walls... You've done an amazing job of capturing this place

Does anyone know if there was a separate ward for geriatric patients with Alzheimer's in the 1960's?

Tony, Live, You guys are strange. :)

Wow, that's incredible.

hey ive been in a few buildings.idk it just spookes me out..i have a question for who takes these pics..did u take these alone..and were you scared? and this pics are amazing..great quality

we used to go there when we were kids wed go through the tunnels with torches underground so the cops wouldnt see us from the rail track side then wed end up in the main building wed climb flights to the roof then with beers in hand hang out on the very top and get soused --microdon---greenie---roche----those were the days

History repeats itself. This is why it is important for these places to not be torn down! This may seem like a sad legacy but the buildings and stories that are left behind could keep others from suffering the same fate in the future.
I had a relative die in Creedmore, she was treated horribly. Out of respect for her and what she went though I want places like this preserved so that her suffering and death would not be forgotten.

BTW, I know the eighties complex is considered 3 separate buildings they are completely attached. and appear as one building. The eighties complex is much larger than building 25 and is very active still.

Pilgrim used to be like a self sustained small city, the employees could live there pretty cheap back in the 70ties. I know a few people who did.
I work in all the buildings, had an office in 25. It looks much better now!
As for people faking an insanity, yeah I am sure there are. I know clients who were under the impression that as a mental patient they would get out of doing their time. But instead, they wind up spending much longer in the facility then if they went to prison. As a prisoner you have more rights than as just a patient. As a prisoner you have a date or time set for parole when you are admitted, as a patient you do not.
Its not pretty being a patient..
As for talking about previous patients, I wouldn't expect any responses. Even if you are a former employee you could be charged with violating the patients right to confidentiality. You can't even acknowledge the name of a person who resided there without risking lawsuit or legal charges.
That building in the foreground is across the road from bldg 25. Its not a real road, but the road you use to get to bldg 25. It is owned by someone else now, think its an outpatient service of some sort.

I work at Pilgrim, there are still buildings open there. To answer some questions.. employees feed the cats, and some adopt them. Those abandoned buildings are dangerous to go in to . the floors are rotted and there is asbestos.
I took a peek into one of the buildings one day just to see.. and found myself right in the morgue, which was a bit creepy. The cops saw me go in but didn't say anything, so I don't know if it is permitted.
The cemetary is way back down a gated road past the tower. The stone plaques have been mostly removed, even though the cemetary is young. (which is just terrible) There is little evidence that it even is a cemetary, no signs.. nothing. The few plaques that are left do have names and numbers on them. The entrances are blocked off, I believe the gate is locked now as well.
I suspect a lot of angry spirits reside there now since they were treated poorly in life, and now abandoned in death.
There is a museum on site with tons of artifacts and pictures that is really interesting to look at.

I spent about two years at Pilgrim as a patient during the 1980's and my father, according to records spent four years there: 1958-1962. We both shaired the same patient number. Part of a long term study, one would suppose. I also know he was interred at Edgeweed for some time but the record keepers refuse to admit the fact. Why? Someone above mentioned something about Germany committing crimes during the secound World War. If, I suspect, the facts became known of some of the human experiments that went on in the institutions on Long Island, for instance, way before that war, that many people would say that what Germany did was mere kid stuff compaired to what was being done here in this country. In fact, what we might have done to P.O.W.'s and their offspring might bring internatioanal war crimes investigations against the U.S.A. If you daubt what I say, starte beings detectives and begin to investigate sites such as this! It's somewhat of a sin to experiment on children and raise them for such...Isn't it?