For nearly 200 years, northeastern philadelphia had treated its surrounding mentally ill citizens to. Americas most notorious insane asylum hauntings exemplore. A history of misery and medicine finally, a comprehensive, detailed history of byberry. Former site of byberry, the infamous and terrifying mental hospital. If youre interested in the philadelphia state hospital at byberry s history and the foundations of corruption in philadelphia government starting around 1900 with israel wilson durham and the gang that ran philadelphia at that time, along with the horrors of being underfunded and neglect to patients, this is the right book with the depth of research you are looking for. May 30, 2015 byberrys sordid history finally came to a close in 2006.
Top 10 horrifying mental asylums in the united states. Of course, today, the asylum is shrouded in ghost tales and reports of paranormal activity. Looming on the outskirts of philadelphia county since 1906, the mental hospital most commonly known as byberry stood abandoned for 16 years before being demolished in 2006. Byberry state hospital images of america hannah karena jones on. Byberry mental hospital, facts, pictures, maps, and advice. The miles of catacombs beneath the abandoned byberry mental hospital in philadelphia, pennsylvania have given rise to some strange stories. As i understand it back in the early 1950s the place was built to house all types of the mentally unstable, from the criminally insane all the on down to people who had alzeimhers disease or some other mental illness and they were misdiagnosed as someone who for. Despite the bucolic appearance depicted in this 1946 report by the pennsylvania department of welfare, conditions inside byberry were both sad and terrifying. Aug 04, 20 the philadelphia state hospital at byberry, or known simply as byberry, was the poster image for patient maltreatment. I n 18th century philadelphia, when grassy hills gently rolled from the delaware river on the east across to the schuylkill on the west, an infamous building once stood in the most rural township of philadelphia county, byberry.
Following president kennedys idea of reforming psychiatric facilities in the u. Inside philadelphias house of horrors inside the nightmare mental asylum too dangerous to stay open for decades, philadelphias byberry mental hospital neglected and tortured its patients and got away with it. Byberry mental hospital is located on the outskirts of philadelphia, pennsylvania. Welcome to byberry, the nightmarish philadelphia mental. Some did not need consent, as they were ward of the state. The name of the institution was changed several times during its history being variously named philadelphia state hospital, byberry state hospital, byberry city farms, and the philadelphia hospital for mental diseases. Apr 17, 2016 byberry mental hospital is located on the outskirts of philadelphia, pennsylvania. The book is entitled the philadelphia state hospital at byberry. Kathy hepinstall goodreads author shelved 7 times as insane asylum. It exceeded its patient limit quickly, maxing out at over 7,000 in 1960. Now, the longgone somerton mental hospital is the subject of his first book, the philadelphia state hospital at byberry. The curiosity in byberry has been rapidly peeked recently, with many questions, experiences, and requests for maps and blue prints coming in all the time. The pictures are neat and add a really nice touch to making the book scary, and i found the writing to be clean and easy to follow. This state mental hospital in pennsylvania has a dark and.
The institution began as a small work farm for the mentally ill. Even today, inhumane conditions and patient abuse are the main legacies of the byberry mental hospital officially known as the philadelphia state hospital. Have you ever wondered if the stories about underground tunnels leading from one building to another were true. Byberry mental hospital, philadelphia, pennsylvania. It was written by deutschi think around 1950 and is an expose of the horrors at state mental hospitals. It was home to people ranging from the mentally challenged to the criminally insane. After sixteen years of abandonment, byberry was finally demolished in june 2006 when john westrum, chief executive of westrum development company, began tearing down the buildings that had once been philadelphias state hospital for mental diseases. During its tenure as a psychiatric hospital it was known by several names philadelphia state hospital, byberry state hospital, byberry city farms, and the philadelphia hospital for mental diseases.
Nonfiction books about mental hospitals memoirs from patients or doctors, or just books about the running or history of mental hospitals. Construction for a large asylum complex was in progress from 1910 to the mid1920s, which included several dormitories, an infirmary, kitchens, laundry, administration, and two coal. Philadelphia state hospital, better known as byberry, had been a mysterious place from the day its doors opened but became even more so after they closed for good. Construction for a large asylum complex was in progress from 1910 to the mid1920s, which included several dormitories, an infirmary, kitchens, laundry. However it wasnt even necessary to be mentally ill to be admitted to a lunatic asylum some patients were homeless, prostitutes or just poor people who were unable to care for themselves. Philadelphias state hospital for mental diseases, also known as byberry insane asylum, was built at the end of roosevelt boulevard in the somerton section of northeast philadelphia. While the description above sounds like something out of a horror movie, it actually comes from a 1946 life magazine expose of philadelphias byberry mental hospital. Tunnel hunters byberry state hospital sarah mcconnell. It exceeded its patient limit quickly, maxing out at. Encyclopedia of greater philadelphia byberry philadelphia. Abandonded patient files in the basement of the longclosed.
Tragic tales of horrific living conditions and unimaginable abuse emanated from philadelphia state hospital also known as byberry in pennsylvania during much of the 20th century. Jan 23, 20 the 10 craziest mental asylums in america by shante cosme shante is a new yorkbased writerproducer who covers culture and identity and is the former executive editor at complex networks. Byberry mental hospital has a nasty history that lead to its closure in 1990. The number of patients that made their way to overbrook plummeted drastically. Theres not much to see here now, and thats very much by design. I live in a suburb just outside of philadelphia a few miles from byberry manor and yes that place is very very damn spooky. A steel pipe kept dropping on the floor in the tunnels, we went down again in some of the rooms and i did get about 15 min of tape and you hear the ppipe dropping. Since it closed its doors in 1990, the notorious asylum has decayed, leaving behind a morbid, intricate skeleton. As was the case with the water cure, other beatings and assorted abuses by staff members at the byberry mental hospital likely went unnoticed. What she left behind by ellen marie wiseman, asylum by madeleine roux, blue asylum by kathy hepinstall, ten days in a madhouse. Former site of byberry, the infamous and terrifying. The pennsylvania center for the book byberry insane asylum. Dec 09, 2016 top 10 horrifying mental asylums in the united states toptenz. This nationwide deinstitutionalization would allow for the creation of smaller mental health facilities, which would be able to provide more personal patient care.
Top 10 horrifying mental asylums in the united states youtube. The department of public welfare administers a vast array of human services programs, promotes local social services and planning activities, and distributes federal and state funds to local social service agencies. Inappropriate the list including its title or description facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow goodreads member or author. Though many mental asylums founded in the early 20th century were eventually found to be deplorable in their methods and inhumane treatment, byberry may just take the cake as the most horrifying of these medical establishments. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Byberry was first constructed in 1906 and opened its doors to its first patient in 1907. Nov 21, 2015 pa, philadelphia, byberry mental asylum day room, violent ward. The building opened in 1903 and over the decades eventually expanded to become one of pennsylvanias largest hospitals, housing the mentally ill and criminally insane. Though now torn down, it was once the site of horrific abuses, dehumanizing treatment and naturally, a place of restless spirits. As i understand it back in the early 1950s the place was built to house all types of the mentally unstable, from the criminally insane all the on down to people who had alzeimhers disease or some other mental illness and they were misdiagnosed as someone. One especially frightening urban legend concerns a former patient who reportedly still lives down in the tunnels. The mental asylum, originally meant to help cure the mentally ill, became little more than a terrifying nightmare for those who lived there.
It then became the worlds greatest abandoned mental hospital playground until it was completely demolished in 2007. Aug 20, 20 madeleine rouxs new york times bestselling asylum is a thrilling and creepy photoillustrated novel that publishers weekly called a strong ya debut that reveals the enduring impact of buried trauma on a place. Philadelphia state hospital at byberry psh was a psychiatric hospital in northeast philadelphia, first city and later stateoperated. He also has an amazing website about byberry called the story of byberry and is easily found at the top of any websearch. The philadelphia state hospital at byberry was a psychiatric hospital located on either side of roosevelt boulevard us route 1 in northeast philadelphia, pennsylvania. Pennhurst haunted asylum is pennsylvanias newest and best destination haunted house. No tunnels,just skiped to when we went back upstairs. Jan 01, 2008 abandoned asylums anne marie athens mental health bartonville insane asylum bethlem royal hospital bookbinder bookbinders building buildings buried calm patients calm violent chained christian church hospital closed coffin cure dead dixmont state hospital doctors door dorothea dix electroshock therapy england eye socket floor fremantle. Sep 08, 2018 mental hospitals are places of tremendous dark rumors and scary happenings, places where patients who suffered diseases of the mind never escape from their prisons, even after death. A edition bartonville insane asylum, peoria illinois. The untold stories of parkside lunatic asylum adelaide.
Featuring found photographs from real asylums and filled with chilling mystery and pageturning suspense, asylum is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity. Inmates found to be criminally insane were later kept in the notorious z ward of the lunatic asylum. Byberry was at first a mischievous lark for fox chase resident john webster, but later it became an obsession. Byberry mental asylum carrie dean on november 25, 2018 thousands spend their days often for weeks at a stretch locked in devices euphemistically called restraints. Philadelphia, a city built by quakers, suffers a shameful secret. Philadelphia state hospital, also known as byberry, was shut down in 1990. The acre campus of byberry state mental hospital sprawls across the somerton section of northeast philadelphia like the rotting corpse of a giant. Uncover the natural forces and innovations impacting our.
I have posted the experiences, the history, and rebuttles, and now here is what i have located in some serious research about byberry, including pictures and maps. This is an empty field in bensalem, a neighborhood in philadelphia, pennsylvania. Oct 09, 2019 by the time the hospital was shut down in 1988, byberry mental hospital was a human cesspit of despair. From a pictorial report on mental institutions in pennsylvania. The hospital, in its most popular form, was founded in 1907, and known as the byberry mental hospital. As hairraising as the hospital resident haunts are, the horrifying stories include teeth pullings without novocaine at the hospital and a female patient killed and dismembered by charles gable, who was never found.
Man electrocuted in tunnel beneath mental hospital a man has died after being electrocuted while in tunnels underneath an abandoned mental hospital. It was specifically located in the somerton section of the city on the border with bucks county. These institutions have and continue to play a major part in todays society. The world of nineteenth century mental health care kindle edition by.
Select next to view photographs taken inside the institution for this state report. One conscientious objector working at the hospital reported that attendants were careful not to be seen when using weapons or fists upon patients, attacks which undoubtedly resulted in life. The end result of my decade long obsession with psh is this 176 page chronological story of one of americas most notorious mental hospitals. A farewell to overbrook asylum essex county hospital posted on march 4 2017 by mark and mark. Despite their original benevolent intent, mental asylums have become synonymous with abuse and malpractice. Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. It began its humble beginnings as a work farm for the mentally ill but between 1910 and 1920 construction of a large asylum was begun and completed. The term of asylum is applied to not only what is commonly thought of.
Pennhurst is allegedly so haunted, in fact, that its paranormal presences have spawned a spectral cottage industryghost hunting on the grounds of the old asylum. The byberry documentary documentary, mental hospital. Man electrocuted in tunnel beneath mental hospital telegraph. An illustrated history of the mental asylum seeker. Philadelphia state hospital byberry history this large complex has its humble beginnings as a small work farm for the mentally challenged in a section of philadelphia called byberry, in 1906. Book club books new books good books books to read book nerd reading lists book lists history of insurance horror house what others are saying looming on the outskirts of philadelphia county since the mental hospital most commonly known as byberry stood abandoned for 16 years before being demolished in at its peak in the. As of 2010, one building was partially reopened as the pennhurst asylum haunted house. Exploring a huge tunnel system at an abandoned asylum duration.
Naturally, as with any such institution with a sorted history of human suffering, violence and death, pennhurst is not without its share of ghostly tales. Popular insane asylum books showing 150 of 84 blue asylum hardcover by. A subterranean world of tunnels links several buildings of this rare 19thcentury asylum. We empower the curious to understand the science shaping our world.
Asylum is a new york times bestselling young adult horror novel series by madeleine roux. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. They survived byberry twentyfive years after the notorious mental institution closed, former patients are living in the normalized community just fine. Tunnel photo of the abandoned philadelphia state hospital. Opacity is dedicated to documenting various abandoned places through both text and photographs. Soon, plans were made to turn the farm into a cottage plan asylum. Egas moniz performed the first lobotomy in portugal in 1935 and it was soon after adapted by american physicians walter freeman and james w. Dec 12, 2012 check out our photos of an illustrated history of the mental asylum. Discover tunnels of traverse city state hospital in traverse city, michigan.
Its said he wields a large knife and chases unwelcomed explorers. Mar 21, 2014 it has rare archival photos and a terrific history on the asylum. The philadelphia state hospital at byberry was a psychiatric hospital located in the byberry neighborhood of northeast philadelphia in pennsylvania. It has rare archival photos and a terrific history on the asylum. Byberrys long goodbye philadelphia state hospital byberry.
Byberry is a neighborhood in the far northeast section of philadelphia, in the u. Apr 27, 2008 has been torn own, byberry, mental hospital, philadelphia state mental hospital. Higgins tales of the sinister city series, then this is going to be a great read for you. Originally it was incorporated as the township of byberry and was the northeasternmost municipality of philadelphia county before the city and county were consolidated in 1854. Plus we kept hearing people walking and tallking in the tunnels, no one else was up there that day. Advantage was being taken of the fact that some mental patients cannot give their consent for testing. The series is composed of four novels, asylum, sanctum, catacomb, and escape from asylum and three novellas. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book.
The philadelphia state hospital at byberry, or known simply as byberry, was the poster image for patient maltreatment. The peak patient population was over 7,000 in 1960. For one, the practice of lobotomy originates in the world of psychotherapy and institutionalization. Construction for a large asylum complex was in progress from 1910 to the mid1920s, which included several dormitories, an infirmary, kitchens, laundry, administration, and two coal power plants. If you like reading books by dan poblocki and books such as f. A farewell to overbrook asylum essex county hospital. Some visitors claim to hear voices, shrieks, and murmurs of pain from former residents and inmates of the facility. This site is dedicated to the history of asylums in all forms. Tunnels of traverse city state hospital atlas obscura. Inside philadelphias byberry mental hospital house of horrors. Pennhurst, the legendary haunted hospital complex has opened its doors after 25 years and is accepting new patients. Haunted insane asylum photos and stories lovetoknow. Dowdall from the arrival of its first patients in 1911 to 1990, when the commonwealth formally closed it down, the philadelphia state hospital, popularly known as byberry, was the home for thousands of mental patients.
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