This abandoned hospital and state training school opened its doors in 1878 shorty after a state law passed that authorized the establishment of a residential state institution for "idiots, morons, epileptics, and imbeciles".
The state institution provided care and treatment to individuals , mostly children, who were beyond any means of their families to provide care and support for. It was also the first institution in the country that was solely dedicated to the care and treatment of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The institution operated as a small campus with a few buildings that included dormitories, classrooms, and a hospital. The aim of the institution was to provide a structured and supportive environment for individuals with disabilities to learn skills, receive therapy, and engage in productive activities that would enable them to become more independent.
However, the state school soon became another unfortunate site of institutional abuse and neglect.
Overcrowding and understaffing were endemic, with staff often resorting to brutal physical and emotional abuse to discipline or control the residents. Residents were often confined to their beds or locked in isolation cells for extended periods, and many were subjected to medical experimentation without their informed consent.
Despite years of complaints and protests by families and advocates. it wasn't until the exposé by Geraldo Rivera in 1972 that conditions at the state school gained national attention. Rivera's reporting of the rampant abuse and neglect at the institution shocked the public and led to increased scrutiny and pressure on the state to address the institutionalization of its citizens. After years of investigations and lawsuits, the institution ultimately closed in 2011, with residents transferred to community-based care settings.
The history of this place is a tragic reminder of the need for compassionate and ethical care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its closing marked progress towards a more humane approach to disability care, one that emphasizes the importance of community-based care services over institutionalization. However, it also highlights the ongoing challenges of providing quality care to vulnerable populations, particularly those who have historically been subject to systemic discrimination and neglect.
We certainly hope that you all enjoyed watching and maybe even learned something from the video. We must be grateful that we have come such a long way in our treatment of children with disabilities. For more photos from the state training school and our other locations, visit our website at abandoned central.com. And don’t forget to subscribe to AC on KZfaq so you don’t miss any other videos. If you want to help support us in creating these videos, please donate by clicking the super thanks link next to the download icon. Any amount of donation is greatly appreciated. Thank you for the support.