4,081 Comments for Norwich State Hospital

Is that an alcove where window is? The window is really pretty. What is the design in the window?

Thanks Motts for suggestion. I appreciate that much. if anyone like email me, my ID is deafangel4706@aol.com

Deafangel, In reading more I see that you are deaf. Motts has a very good suggestion in increasing your font size. One of the reasons people get upset at those using all caps is that it is perceived as shouting. My best friend is blind. Her reading software reads all caps as shouting and literally shouts the text at her. Increasing the font size may help you greatly. And take good care of your eyes. They are so very important to you. Come on over to the forum and talk. You will like it over there.

That's what it was....a jail for people with problems. Especially for kids. I was there twice during the ages of 15-16 because there really weren't other facilities to deal with problem children. There was one kid there who simply stole a car! But they kept him pretty druged up anyway. It's what they did best.
I look at these photos and see the pain,
the torment, and I think to myself, my god, it really was hell on earth.

Sorry Hooter, I don't believe it. There is
plenty of room for the "birds" to get out.
Besides, there were hundreds of
patients and residents at this place.
And I know this place well. I was a
resident in the "Kettle Building" back in
the early seventies. Kettle was one of the
last, if not THE last building built on the
grounds...400 and some odd acres. At
that time, most of the older building were
already abandoned. I was in the
adolesent ward, when it was coed, then
again a year later when they seperated
the boys and girls. We would get passes
to walk around. Some of the things we
found!!! The place is also riddled with
undergound tunnels.

Anyway, the objects are indeed used to
dry mattress' that had been sprayed with an industrial disinfectant.

It was built using a cottage plan, not the Kirkbride design, but the general shape of the old buildings does resemble a winged structure radiating from administration, connected by tunnels.

If text on the web is difficult to read, there is usually a setting in your browser if you select View -> Text Size in the menu up top and increase or decrease it if you'd like.

These were used to hold the laying hens
that offered up breakfast. Note the ventilation and how one could access
the eggs without the birds getting loose.
They also warmed the birds in the winter.
Trust me on this.

thank you, Motts for these galleries of yours. It is true, each photo speaks in different way to different people because we all are unique. I love these galleries and all the comments, as the people who comment seem like a family members and I have not even been in this site all that long and I can feel the comradship (spelling?) in these comments. Thanks for let me be part!

Sorry, I just had to share that. I have not harmed myself since that day. I am supposed be under mental health care, only since no income, only my daughter's benefit SSA from her dad's death, is only income, so I had to cease from mental health, could not pay the fee.

Mott, thanks for the photo therapy! This helps me relax when I am jittery and anxious, seeing these photos is medicine in itself! When I was first brought to the state hospital by police, I was frisked and some device was ran over my body. Then I had to have an exam and then led to what would be my room for next month and half. I remember laying across the small bed, crying bitter tears. I was 44 and never been away from home for any lengh of time and having to leave my 15 year old daughter behind was more than I could bear. I finally adapted to my confinment in the best way I knew how, by writing poems and testimonials. I would lose myself in my writings. Of course they only let me use a felt marker, no pens or pencils were allowed. then I lied to my shrink that I was all better so I could go home to my child. When I got home, noone was around, as my child was staying with a relative. I went into my bathroom, grabbed the metal bath grab bar and with its ragged edge, I cut my left arm up and down until the blood started flowing into the tub drain. then I came to my senses and agonized at what I had done. I made mincemeat out of my arm and have scars to this day. I was really messed up from all those drugs that my shrink had administered to me. I was in a daze half the time I was inside the hospital, only sometimes I could enoy activities. I wished I had not lied to get out and I would not have cut myself so bad.. I still experince severe anxiety to the point I have be taken to ER by my daughter so I would not harm myself. It is a rough road to be sure and one day I will get better. I have that hope and this site of Motts helps in profound ways. Just keep up this site!

When I was hospitalized, we were eating lunch, males and females were allowed to eat together. the windows in the cafeteria had mesh bars over them, and this one dude became violent while in the activiy patio, and the staff locked him outside in the small caged enclosure, and he cried and tried break the windows to enter the cafeteria, only the mesh was what kept him from breaking the windows. I felt rather sorry for this man, here we were enjoying our lunch and he was locked within that cage. Kind of shocked me.

some once told me that a mental hospital was a jail for the mentally ill. I guess because they have to be so confined and locked in a secure environment.

Oh, of course without soap, i would have to douse myself with as much anti-persperiant to make me smell good!!

In the female bath, we did have privacy, however, the doors to the toilet stalls did not have any handles, and the shower stalls only had plastic shower curtains. I always was unfortunate to get the shower with the cold water and no soap in the despenser. Why? because the others always beat me to the good showers. At least with my cold water shower, I was more "bright-eyed-bushy-tailed, then the others!! <laughter>