These seclusion rooms are located on the first floor, basement level, of the Polk Building, or K Building, at the Western State Hospital in Tennessee. These rooms contained two doors, the first has an open window with a metal covering. The second is a solid wood door with a glass window. This allowed nurses to check on patients but kept the noise to a minimum.
Photo: "Patient Names"
Patient name cards covered in dust, discovered inside the Polk Building at the West Tennessee Asylum for the Insane.
Photo: "New Growth"
Nature always wins.
Photo: "Growth"
Vines creep into a patient room at the psychopathic building at the former West Tennessee Hospital for the Insane.
(Print - http://smu.gs/1f0YBTy )
Photo: "K Building"
The Polk Building, or K Building, at the Western State Hospital in Tennessee, formerly known as the West Tennessee Hospital for the Insane, was constructed in 1932 as a psychopathic facility with 400 beds for patients.
(Print - http://smu.gs/1iHWfHu )
Photo: "List By Number"
This label maker list of names and what I believe to be phone extensions was found on the wall inside the nurse's station at Polk Building of Western State Hospital in Tennessee.
(Print - http://smu.gs/1nXdhoZ )
Photo: "Therapy Tubs"
I'm heading out of town for the holidays today, but I experienced a burst of photographic inspiration and dug into the albums from my May 2013 trip to the South this morning.
Here's a shot from inside the Polk building at the former West Tennessee Hospital, designed for psychopathic use and constructed in 1932 to aid in overcrowding. These tubs were part of a hydrotherapy program for patients, which involved covering the tubs with heavy fabric (you can see the securing points on the side of the tubs) to trap steam, only allowing the person's head to be outside the tub.
(Print - http://smu.gs/1jtXi1R)
Photo: "Crawling"
Windowsill in a patient room of the 1930's-era Polk Building at the former West Tennessee Hospital for the Insane.
(Print: http://smu.gs/17QQQYo)
Photo: "Lost Stories Inspire Me"
Tonight, I was a guest on a Google+ 'Hangout On Air' where we talked about inspiration. I shared this photograph and explained how finds like this are what drive me to continue photographing forgotten places. Not only do I enjoy the beautiful architecture, but I strive to document the stories that aren't being told; stories about patients, employees and visitors to all these empty spaces.
The suitcases have been sitting in the attic of the West Tennessee Hospital for the Insane' for decades. When patients were admitted, they carried one suitcase of items to the hospital. Some contained curlers and hair brushes, others contained photographs and letters from loved ones, but all of the suitcases you see here were never returned to the patients and these stories remained lost inside this attic forever.
Photo: "Stats"
Medical equipment inside a former psychiatric hospital in Tennessee.
Photo: "Draperies"
Western State Hospital, Tennessee
A few days ago, a few G+ users were discussing asylum colors on an image. Here is another example of the very common "institutional green," inside a 1930's era psychiatric building at a Tennessee hospital.
Photo: "Window Pains"
Day room inside the Polk Building, constructed in 1932 to assist with overcrowding, of the Western State Hospital in Tennessee.
Photo: "Nurse's Station"
The 1932 Gothic Revival style Polk Building, designed for psychopathic use, on the Western State Hospital campus in Tennessee was constructed to assist with overcrowding. Originally designed to house 400 beds, the building was constructed with the mentality that "the prime demand was patient treatment with an architecture providing friendliness and warmth."
Photo: "When It Rains"
This morning, I woke up to the sound of rain and couldn't help but think about what it was like to watch the rain through the window of a patient room at an asylum like this newer building at Western State Hospital in Tennessee. I wonder if anyone ever counted the drops that landed on the windowsill...
Photo: "Clinical Operating Room"
Western State Hospital in Tennessee, also known as West Tennessee Hospital for the Insane, opened it's doors in 1889, admitting patients on November 22nd into the Kirkbride Building. For over 30 years, this one building provided adequate space for the number of patients admitted, however, overcrowding resulted in the need for an additional Psychopathic Hospital. In 1932, the four story Polk Building (shown here) was erected as a new residency for 400 patients.