With Worcester State dangerously over crowding the State legislature was forced to build a new hospital.
The location they picked was Taunton Massachusetts. They started construction in 1851 and opened in 1854,
making it the second State Hospital in Mass. Architect Elbridge Boyden was asigned to the job. He built
Taunton as neo-classical style with a huge dome in the middle of the complex. Taunton State was setup in
the Kirkbride plan like Worcester and Danvers later on. In 1975 Taunton State was mostly abandoned and
left to neglect. Today one of the wings of the complex is used as a youth correctional, while the Kirkbride
building is rotting away. (Sadly the dome clasped in an effect to save the it back in 1999. The weight of the
dome was to heavy for the crane to stabilize the structure and was forced to let the dome fall in the
middle of the complex.) The Middle part of the Complex burnt down in a fire on March 19 2006.
Outer wings were all saved thanks to the fire walls in the building. Cause most likely is arson.
UpDate: "As of early 2010 most of the Kirkbirde build has been demolished, but the complex is still open to this day.
