Norwich State Hospital

Located in the southern part of Connecticut, Norwich State Hospital for the Insane opened its doors in 1904 in the month of October as a single building. Within a year, two more buildings were added due to the demand on the hospital and another ten by 1915. Between1920s and 1930s a new patient facility was built along female staff housing, green house, paint shop, few more cottages, and a superintendents house. With the Lodge building opening in 1956,Butler, Cutter, and Dix closed. Three years later the campus grew again adding a Chapel, Therapy building, Laundry building, Power house, more cottages, and an incinerator. Growth started to halt in the 70s with decrease in patients and staff. Only 7 of the original buildings were in use while the others were left to rot. Norwich State Hospital housed mainly different kinds of people. In the 1930s Tubercular patients were housed in the Seymour building and in later years the Salmon building held the criminally insane. Before its closing the campus spread over 900 acres from its original 100. At its peak the hospital was a city within itself with underground tunnels connected to most of the buildings. In October of 1996 Norwich State Hospital closed there last two buildings, Lodge and Kettle after 92 years of service. The Lodge and Kettle buildings were the last to close. After 92 years Norwich State Hospital closed its doors for good.