Photo: "Basking Rays"

Front facing office in the Administration Building of the Hudson River Psychiatric Hospital in New York

The wings of the Hudson River Psychiatric Hospital in New York have decayed and collapsed beyond compare over the last few decades, due to weather and a lightning fire, since the asylum was abandoned, but the roof of the Administration Building was properly covered when vacated, which has left that section of the Kirkbride building in tact.

Photo: "Admin Building, Hudson River Psychiatric"

I have wandered the lonely collapsed halls of the former Hudson River Psychiatric Hospital many times, but until last month, I had never seen the Administration Building from this perspective. Standing in front of this historic grand architecture watching the moon rise was really magical.

This gorgeous building was completed in 1871, on a piece of land along the river in Poughkeepsie, New York. Most Kirkbride buildings were constructed with symmetrical wings, but this hospital was not, because there was an expectation that more male patients would be submitted than female. 

The campus operated for over one hundred years before closing in 2003. The campus not sits abandoned, mostly collapsed from years of neglect and a major fire in the male wing in 2007. 

Photo: "Chapel Ceiling"

Chapel inside the Administration Building at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morris Plains, New Jersey.

Greystone Psychiatric Hospital was constructed along the Kirkbride plan and admitted its first patient in 1877. The outer portions of the male and female wings were abandoned in the 1970's, but most of the remained in operation until 2008 before fully shutting down. Sadly, this massive, gorgeous hospital will be demolished later this year. 

Photo: "Blueberries"

 

Administration Building at Hudson River State Hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York.

 

This asylum was constructed along the Hudson River in 1871 following the Kirkbride plan. The facility closed in the early 2000's and experienced a major fire in the male wing in 2007, leaving most of that wing collapsed. 

Photo: "Through 1921 Eyes"

 
 

When Middletown State Homeopathic Hospital accepted its first patients in April 1874, they opened the doors to both male and female patients though the original plan was to treat only males. 

The original administration building experienced an attic fire in 1921 and though the patients were safely removed and records preserved, the building was basically destroyed. One portion of the original wings was salvaged, shown here, but the porches and ornamental architecture was removed.

Photo: "Cupola"

This cupola sits atop the Administration Section of the Babcock Building, completed in 1885, at the former South Carolina Lunatic Asylum in Columbia. The section of the building contained patient dining areas, operating rooms and housing for nurses and doctor's. 

(Print - http://smu.gs/IhdAud )

Photo: "Newest Old"

The Administration Building at the former Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California is the oldest building's on the grounds, but since the construction in 1870, many modifications have been done. Here, they have added ceiling tiles, carpet and modern office lighting fixtures. 

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