Photo's taken in 2004 Music : From dusk till dawn / Mike Turcotte ( Copyright MTM 2024 )
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ------------------------------------------------------------------
The Norwich State Hospital, originally established as the Norwich State Hospital for the Insane, later shortened to the Norwich Hospital, was a psychiatric hospital located in Preston and Norwich, Connecticut. It opened its doors in October 1904[2] and operated until October 10, 1996. Throughout the near-century it operated, it housed geriatric patients, chemically dependent patients, and from 1931-1939, tubercular patients. The hospital, which sits on the banks of the Thames River, began with a single building on 100 acres of land, and expanded to over 30 buildings and 900 acres at its peak. A 70 acre property including the hospital was listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
After the closure of the hospital in 1996 all remaining patients were transferred out, and the property was left unused and abandoned. Multiple parties expressed interest in the property, and in 2009, the State of Connecticut sold the 393 acres of the Norwich State Hospital site to the town of Preston for $1 and with the sale the town of Preston agreed to perform the needed environmental remediation of the property before any development was to begin on the site.[3] The town of Preston reached an agreement in May 2016 with the Mohegan Tribe to develop the property into the Preston Riverwalk. This is described by the Mohegan Tribe as a "non-gaming destination with outdoor and indoor attractions, hotel and retail space, restaurants, housing, a marina, an RV Park and more".[4]
Currently the grounds of the State Hospital are undergoing remediation and demolition work in preparation for the planned Preston Riverwalk. The Mohegan Tribe has stated that the Administration building will be preserved and restored as part of the project.
History Development of the grounds Image ID, a vintage illustrated postcard with a tan border. The top left inscription reads “Norwich State Hospital – Showing Administration Building, Norwich, Conn.” In the top right corner is the number 2. Between the two is handwritten, “6/6/7.” The Administration Building is a bright red, likely brick structure. It is in the French Neo-Gothic style. It has three stories, with two white lines between each. The roof is heavily sloped with a spike at each of its three peaks. There is a chimney protruding from the shortest of the roofs. To the left of the building are five parked cars and another brick building. Behind the Administration Building is another similar building. In front of it is a lawn with an arched tan path lined with trees and street lamps. The sky is a calm blue with a few clouds. Vintage illustrated postcard, circa 1930-1945[5] In October, 1904 when the hospital first opened, it held 95 patients and was a single building. The facility quickly outgrew its meager
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