Photographs, Videos & Documentaries

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO They’re Buried Where? by Seth Voorhees.
Please Click On the RED LINKS to View the Photographs.

Photographic Dry Plates-Roger Luther

2018:
Photographs from A Compendium of Insanity 1898 – 11.28.2018.

2014:
1896 Middletown – 1.16.2014.

2013:
Jon Crispin – Willard Suitcases Website – 9.26.2013.
The Branch – Wayne E. Morrison, Sr. – Pictorial Album of The Willard Asylum 1869–1886 – 3.7.2013.
Post-Mortem Photography – 1.21.2013.
Wayne E. Morrison, Sr. – Pictorial Album of The Willard Asylum 1869–1886 – 1.10.2013.
1886 Hayt’s Corner’s, Ovid & Willard Rail-Road – 1.9.2013.

2012:
1907-1909 New York State Feeble-Minded & Epileptic Institutions (Rome) – 11.1.2012.
Port City Paranormal – The Ghosts Of Willard Asylum – 10.7.2012.
KINGS PARK-STORIES FROM AN AMERICAN MENTAL INSTITUTION – A Groundbreaking New Documentary – Lucy Winer – 7.23.2012.
“Out Of The Shadows” Utica State Hospital 1920 – Patricia E. Deegan – 6.27.2012.
Willard Suitcases – Darby Penney – Photos by Jon Crispin – 5.17.2012.

Photographs Willard State Hospital circa 1898.

Photographs of Willard State Hospital by Roger Luther.

Photographs Compendium of Insanity.

1. Roger Luther – nysAsylum

2. Tom Kirsch – OPACITY (Photo © www.opacity.us)
Rochester, New York – Rochester State Hospital.
Buffalo, New York – Buffalo State Hospital.
Manhattan, Long Island, New York – Manhattan State Hospital Central Islip.
Brooklyn, Long Island, New York – Kings Park State Hospital.
Brentwood, Long Island, New York – Pilgrim State Hospital.
Thiells, New York – Letchworth Village.

3. Will Ellis – Abandoned NYC

1. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO They’re Buried Where? by Seth Voorhees
2. Cemetery Information at the NYS Office of Mental Health
3. New York State Hospitals, Custodial Institutions & Cemetery Projects.
4. New York State Senate Bill S840A-2015
5. HIPAA UPDATE March 2013!

: Main Building or Chapin House – Page 382

: North Wing of Main Building – Page 390

: The State Agricultural College Building or The Branch – Later renamed “Grand View” Page 390

: Detached Building or Block # 1 or Cottage 1 – Later renamed “The Maples” Page 382

: Detached Building or Block # 2 or Cottage 2 – Later renamed “The Pines” Page 382

: Detached Building or Block # 3 or Cottage 3 – Later renamed “The Sunnycroft” Page 382

: Detached Building or Block # 4 or Cottage 4 – Later renamed “The Edgemere” Page 382

: NYS Museum Albany album a 046

: NYS Museum Albany album a 084

: NYS Museum Albany album a 055 – Medical Office Main Building

: NYS Museum Albany album b 004-2 – Unknown Employees

: NYS Museum Albany album b 017-2 – Unknown Patients

: NYS Museum Albany album b 067-2 – Hallway

: NYS Museum Albany album b 154-2 Old Cemetery

: NYS Museum Albany album b 002-1- Unknown Doctors & Employees

The New York State Museum at Albany Photographs were provided by
Craig Williams, Senior Curator of History.

NYS Museum Albany album b 017-2 – Unknown Patients

NYS Museum Albany album b 002-1

NYS Museum Albany album b 004-2

NYS Museum Albany album b 154-2 Old Cemetery

14 thoughts on “Photographs, Videos & Documentaries”

Deborah Martin-Plugh on September 28, 2012 at 7:10 PM said:

Well done! Willard was a place whispered about during my childhood in Ithaca and Auburn, New York. A family member was an inmate there. We knew about it, but it was such a secret and tinged with shame. Thank you for this very special blog.

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- lsstuhler on October 9, 2012 at 12:20 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Deborah! My Mom grew up in that area and I know that she knew about the asylum, everyone did. Once, when we were kids and acting crazy in the car, she lost her temper and told us if we didn’t behave, THEY would come and take us away to Willard. We didn’t know what Willard was, but just the thought of being taken away from our parents made us behave. She must have felt bad that she said that because she never mentioned Willard again. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! -Lin
  
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Barbara Swinney on October 9, 2012 at 9:53 AM said:

Thank you for posting the photos. Gives more of an insight into the daily happenings in the lives of the patients. Glad to see the page on FB. I have “liked” the page and will follow your comments and posts there. Barbara S.

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- lsstuhler on October 9, 2012 at 12:23 PM said:
  
  Thank you so much, Barbara!
  
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cindy knoke on December 31, 2012 at 4:58 PM said:

Incredible! I am speechless. May I reblog your blog with full credit and citation?
Thank you for this fascinating blog. Someone who volunteered at Willard got in touch with me and now your wonderful blog!

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- lsstuhler on January 1, 2013 at 1:10 PM said:
  
  Hi Cindy, Thank you! Be my guest. I also wrote a book specific to Willard and the creation of “Insane Asylums” in NYS.
  
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B. Carr on December 5, 2014 at 2:32 PM said:

Hello,

I have been trying with absolutely no success to find information about Mary J. Prindle who was an inmate at the Willard State Hospital from about 1880 to 1920. The state will not release any records and it is very possible that this could be my great grandmother. I am at a loss as to what I can do to try to find out any more information about her. If you have any suggestions, I would very much appreciate the help. Thank you.

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- lsstuhler on December 5, 2014 at 9:46 PM said:
  
  She was at Willard in 1880 through 1900 (there is no 1890 census), and I didn’t transcribe the 1910 census, sorry. Her name doesn’t appear on the 1920 census. Please look at 1880, 1880 3D, and 1900 at: https://inmatesofwillard.com/names-census-info/
  The 1880 3D census states that she had Dementia and had previously been at Utica. At this point, you cannot get a copy of her medical record from the Office of Mental Health but if you think she was buried in Willard Cemetery, contact the Willard Cemetery Memorial Project at: https://inmatesofwillard.com/2013/05/24/willard-cemetery-memorial-project/. I hope this helps. -Lin
  
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- lsstuhler on December 5, 2014 at 9:51 PM said:
  
  You can also send for a copy of her birth, marriage, and death record at: http://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/genealogy.htm
  
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Anonymous on December 23, 2014 at 6:05 PM said:

My mother was under the care of the Harlem Valley State Hospital at Wingdale, NY from about 1940 (having been transferred there from Brooklyn State) to her death in 1999. Is there a similar project by which I can obtain more information about her? (I’m looking for extracts of hospital record and/or personal effects;I have her Irish birth certificate, she was unmarried, and she died at a convalescent facility in Massachusetts to whose care she was entrusted in her declining years).

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- lsstuhler on December 23, 2014 at 9:33 PM said:
  
  I would think that because she was your mother, you would be able to at least get her death certificate and possibly talk to the doctors at the State Hospital and nursing home. Because her death is fairly recent (not over 50 years), I would think a lawyer might be able to help you. I honestly don’t know what to tell you because of the HIPAA Law. If you can get your personal physician to fill out the paperwork that the New York State Office of Mental Health requires, in order to get her records, you might be able to find out her diagnosis. The link to the OMH is on the first page of this blog. Please let me know how this turns out! Best of Luck!!!!! -Lin
  
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Deborah Miller on February 2, 2015 at 8:02 PM said:

Great work, my grandfather James Alfred McLain passed away at Willard his body was given to Syracuse medical and I am not sure what happened to his remains I am assuming they were returned to Willard for burial. Family story was always that he left home and never returned. I being the snoopy one in the family found out what really happened. Perhaps they did not know I am not sure but, he like all the other souls deserve to be memorialized. Great job with the suitcases, please let me know if you come across one that belonged to my grandfather. It would be interesting to see what he took with him.

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- lsstuhler on February 3, 2015 at 8:22 PM said:
  
  Hi Deborah, Darby Penney wrote the book, THE LIVES THEY LEFT BEHIND and created the suitcase project. You can contact her directly about ancestor suitcases. Please check out her book at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Lives-They-Left-Behind-ebook/dp/B0097DHREI/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1/186-8839817-6915946
  
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Elaine Sciortino on April 29, 2015 at 1:12 PM said:

My Grandmother was Laura Motell was at the Willard, how I understand and remember she had epilepsy and lived in one of the buildings for 20 years or so I believe. She then came to live with us and then went onto a nursing home. It would be very interesting to learn about her history, I always wonder how people were treated and like one of the above people stated you always heard about the “Willard” – I’m thankful there was somewhere that could take care of her.

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