Norwich State Hospital
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Norwich State Hospital was a psychiatric facility located in Preston, Connecticut, United States. It was established in 1904 as the Norwich State Hospital for the Insane and operated under the Connecticut Department of Mental Health. The hospital was designed to provide care and treatment for individuals with mental illnesses and disorders.
Initially housing 95 patients within a single building. However, as the demand for psychiatric care grew, the hospital expanded rapidly, encompassing more than 16 buildings and accommodating around 2,000 patients. The campus was designed to be self-sustainable, boasting a range of facilities such as laboratories, a power plant, bakery, farm, theater, bowling alley, greenhouses, a barber shop, and housing for medical staff.
The hospital followed the prevailing treatment practices of the time, which included a combination of medical interventions, occupational therapy, and a structured institutional environment. Over the years, the hospital underwent expansions and additions to accommodate the growing number of patients.
One distinctive feature of the hospital was its vast underground tunnel network, connecting all the buildings for efficient movement and transportation. The patient wards catered to a diverse range of individuals, including the elderly, tuberculosis patients, those with mental illnesses, and individuals deemed criminally insane.
During the 1950s, Norwich State Hospital experienced its peak population, with over 3,000 patients. To accommodate this influx, the hospital constructed a medical research facility and large residence halls. Consequently, the older buildings were repurposed for storage or left abandoned due to their deteriorating condition.
However, as the deinstitutionalization movement gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s, there was a shift towards community-based mental health care. This movement aimed to provide treatment and support for individuals with mental illnesses in community settings rather than long-term institutional care. Norwich State Hospital faced challenges due to overcrowding, limited resources, and changing philosophies of mental health care.
The deteriorating state of the older buildings led to a significant reduction in the hospital's operational capacity. Only seven new buildings remained in use, while the rest fell into disrepair.
As a result, the hospital's population began to decline, and the facility struggled to maintain quality care. In 1996, Norwich State Hospital closed its doors, marking the end of its role as a psychiatric institution. The closure was part of a broader trend of psychiatric hospital closures across the United States during that period.
Following the closure, the buildings and grounds of Norwich State Hospital were left vacant for many years. Various proposals and plans were put forward for the redevelopment of the site, including residential, commercial, and recreational uses. Eventually, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) took ownership of the property.
Today, the former Norwich State Hospital site is known as the "Preston Riverwalk" and is managed by the DEEP. It has been transformed into a recreational area with walking trails, fishing spots, and other outdoor amenities while preserving some of the historic buildings as reminders of the site's past as a psychiatric institution.
