94000696.pdfNPS Form 10-900
(Oct. 1990)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Registration Form
OMS No. 10024-0018
JUN l 0 1994
NATIONAL
REGISTER
~ -, ,
'\ .
• ~ ~ .I
,; '. ~
: :.; ~
This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and disJricts. See instructions in How to Complete the .
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or
by entering the information requested. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For funcifbns ,
architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional
entries and narrative items on continuation sheets (NPS Form 10-9OOa). Use a typewriter, word processor, or compu1er, to complete all items.
1. Name of Property
other names/site number Northampton State Hospital (preferred)
2. Location
street & number 1 Priu_ce Street; P.O. Box 389 N NJ not for publication
state MaSSa cbllse t ts code --HA-county Hampsbi re code 015 zip code 01061
3. State/Federal Agency Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this IXI nomination o request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of
Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property
[]j meets 0 does not meet the National Register criteria . I recommend that this property be considered significant rn nationally [XJ statewide !Xl locally. (0 See continuation sheet for additional comments.)
h
Director
tode PresenTatiou Officer
In my opinion, the property 0 meets 0 does not meet the National Register criteria. (0 See continuation sheet for additional
comments .)
Signature of certifying officialmtle
State or Federal agency and bureau
4. National Park Service Certification
I hereby certify that the property is:
o entered in the National Register . o See continuation sheet.
o determined eligible for the
National Register o See continuation sheet.
o determined not eligible for the
National Register.
o removed from the National
Register. o other, (e xplain :) _____ _
Date
Signature of the Keeper Date of Action
Irtbampton State Hospital
,ne of Property
Classification
mershlp of Property
eck as many boxes as apply)
o private
o public-local
ex public-State
o public-Federal
Category of Property
(Check only one box)
o building(s)
[] district
o site
o structure
o object
ne of related multiple property listing
9r "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing .)
55 State Hospitals & State Schools
Function or Use
toric Functions
lr categories from instructions)
ALTH CARE:, hospital, mental hospital
Hampshire County, MA
County and State
Number of Resources within Property
(Do not include previously, listed resources in the cou n L)
Contributing Noncontributing
5 2 12 buildings
3 sites
3 1 structures
f± objects
62 13 Total
Number of contributing resources previously listed
in the National Register
o
Current Functions
(Enter categories from instructions)
HEALTH CARE: mental h l:ls pita l
RI CULTURE: storage, field, animal f aci Ii ty, ~A~G~R~I~C~U~L:O.:T~U~RE~_~· ,,--,f~1.~· e~l~d!:.-____ ,--_____ _
outbuilding VACANT
JDSCAPE:' lawn, garden, forest , grove, street ______________________ _
light, gate .
1ESTIC: institutional housing
)escription
litectural Classification
r categories from instructions)
Materials
(Enter categories from instructions)
l 19 th Ceil tury : I talianatQ, Go thiG RQvi val foundation fie Ids tone , grani te, cone r e te
e Victorian: Renaissance Revival, Queen walls brick, shingl e , clapboard
Anne
.e 19th and 20th Centuries: Colonial Revivalfpof s1 ate, asphalt, membrane
Classical Revival other ____________________ __
er: Utilitarian
ative Description , '
ribe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.)
Northampton State Hospital
Name of Property
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria
(Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property
for National Register listing.)
!9 A Property is associated with events that have made
a significant contribution to the broad patterns of
our history.
1tI B Property is associated with the lives of persons
significant in our past.
Dl: C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics
of a type, period, or method of construction or
represents the work of a master, or possesses
high artistic values, or represents a significant and
distinguishable entity whose components lack
individual distinction.
o 0 Property has yielded, or is likely to yield,
information important in prehistory or history.
Criteria Considerations
(Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.)
Property is:
o A owned by a religious institution or used for
religious purposes.
o B removed from its original location.
DCa birthplace or grave.
o 0 a cemetery.
o E a reconstructed building, object, or structure.
o F a commemorative property.
o G less than -50 years of age or achieved significance
within the past 50 years.
Narrative Statement of Significance
(Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.)
9 •. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography
Hampshire County. MA
County and State
·Areas of Significance
(Enter categories from instructions)
HEALTH/MEDICINE
SOCIAL HISTORY
ARCHITECTURE
Period of Significance
1855-1940
Significant Dates
]855, fOllnding of hospital
1864-1886: Pliny Earle superintendency
1928-1938: development of Memorial Complex
Significant Person
(Complete if Criterion B is marked above)
Pliny Earle
Cultural Affiliation
Architect/Builder
Jonathan Preston 1850s
Gordon Robb 1920s ]930s
(Cite the books, articles, and other sources. used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.)
Previous documentation on file (NPS):· Primary location of additional data:
o preliminary determination of individual listing (36 Lx State Historic Preservation Office
CFR 67) has been requested or: Other State agency
o previously listed in the National Register 0 Federal agency
o previously determined eligible by the National 0 Local government
Register . 0 University
o designated a: National Historic Landmark 0 Other o recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey Name of repository:
# . Massachusetts Historical Commission o recorded by Historic American Engineering
Record # ________ _ Massachusetts State Archives
thampton State Hospital
of Property
~eographlcal Data
age of Property approximately 530 acres
References
additional UTM references on a continuation sheet.)
J.BJ 1619121915101
ne Easting
J.BJ 1619141212101
l8692280
141618181018101
Northing
141618171416101
4 6 8 6 100
al Boundary Description
ibe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.)
\dary Justification
In why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet.)
=orm Prepared By
·Hampshire County, MA
County and State
3 LuaJ 16121~lsl~lol 19:161816 18 14 Q
Zone Easting Northing
4 LuaJ 1619131315101 1~16181518 16 10 o See continuation sheet
6 1 8 6 9 2 6 6 0 4 6 8 7 9 0 0
Candace Jenkins, Preservation Consultant wi th Bets y Friedberg, National Regis t e r
l/title Director, HHC
lization Massachusetts Hi stod ca 1 Corum; SS:! on date Se pt e mber 1993
t & number 80 Boy} stan Street teleph one (6 1 7) 72 7-84 70
lr town Boston state _--'M.:J.<A"'----__ _ zip code 02116
tional Documentation
it the following items with the completed form:
inuation Sheets
A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location .
A Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources .
. ographs
Representative black and white photographs of the property.
tional Items
k with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items)
erty Owner
>lete this item at the request of SHPO or FPO.)
3 ___________________ --~~--------------------------
t & number ______ ---''---_____________ telephone ___________ _
)r town ______ --'-____ ---'-____ ------state ______ zip code ______ _
wor1c: Reduction Act Statement: This Infonnation Is belrrgcollected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate
rtIes for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listingS. Response to this request Is required to obtain
efit In accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act. as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 at seq.).
ated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form Is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including time for reviewing
ctions,· gathering and maintaining data, and Completing and reviewing the form . Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect
I form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of
gement and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Projectsr.4-0(18), Washington, DC 20503.
NPS Fonn 10·900·a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-{)()18
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number __ 7 _ Page_1 __
DESCRIPTION
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
Portions redacted
Location/Surroundings: Dating to 1855 1 Northampton State Hospital
occupies a scenic hilltop overlooking the campus of Smith College and
downtown Northampton to the east. The approximately 530-acre campus
is bisected by Prince Street/State Route 66 with the Main Complex to
the north and the 1930s Memorial Group to the south. The original
campus I centered on the Main Building (#2) I included 185 acres. It
reached its present size in the early 20th century. Burt pitt Road
ascends to the agricultural lands that dominate the west end of the
campus. Major roads in the area include State Route 9 to the north
and State Route 5 to the east. Interstate Route 91 is further to the
eastl paralleling the Connecticut River. The Mill River embraces the
campus on the north, east, and southeast. Conrail tracks border the
southern edge of the campus along Grove Street and Route 66. In
general I areas north l south l and east of the campus are densely
developed while land to the west remains open. The main viewshed is
east and southeast from the main building toward the town center l with
a secondary viewshed southward from the Memorial Complex. Both views
encompass the Holyoke Range in the distance.
Site/Landscape/Buildings: Northampton State Hospital is informally
divided into three zones I each with its own distinctive character.
These are the original hilltop Main Complex at the northeast corner of
the campus I the 1930s Memorial Group south of Route 66 1 and the
extensive agricultural area to the west centered on Burt pitt Road.
The Main Complex is approached from Prince Street on the south l where
the original Eastlake-style gate (#18) remains as a bus shelter. This
portion of the campus is characterized by winding drives and footpaths
lined by mature trees that include hemlocks I sprucer larches I and
superb copper beeches; some early 20th century streetlights remain as
well. Extensive tree-dotted lawns I conceived as pleasure grounds,
provide fine views from the main building (#2) to the town center, the
Connecticut River ValleYI and the :Holyoke Range. TypicallYI the main
building is an immense "Kirkbride-type" structure designed in 1855 in
the Gothic Revival style, and expanded in later years with additional
wings. This building and its hilltop site l along with the pastoral
lawns (#68) and path/road system (#69 1 70) I epitomize the ideals of
mid-nineteenth century asylum design as described in the context
statement of this nomination. The 1858 Annual Report described the
site thus:
The hospital stands on a commanding elevation nearly on the center
of the farm I fronting the east. It is protected on the North and
Northeast by a dense grovel but has on the East and Southeast an
extensive open lawn I over which is an unobstructed view of
Northampton and the Holyoke range of mountains I of the broad
meadows bordering on the Connecticut River and the town of Hadley
(continued}
NPS Fonn 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMS Approval No, 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number __ 7 _ Page_2 __
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
on the opposite banks and beyond, and higher up the hillside of
Amherst and its college buildings .... The surface of the ground is
beautifully diversified with hill and grove and meadow, presenting
delightful views as seen from the windows of the hospital.
The soil was described as well suited to agricultural purposes
although somewhat depleted due to past use. Thirty to forty acres of
the original campus were covered with chestnut, pine, and hemlock
"forming several beautiful groves through which are pleasant walks and
drives" (Annual Report 1858: 8-9). Similar groves remain today,
bordering the main drive.
Original support and agricultural buildings to the rear of the main
building have been supplemented by more recent structures, while early
twentieth century staff residences have been placed on the south lawn.
Fortunately, the southeast viewshed and front lawn have remained open.
Some scrub growth and young trees, along with paved parking areas,
have also intruded on the landscape. Nevertheless, the early
building and landscape character of the state's third "insane asylum"
remains readily apparent.
The Memorial Group was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s to meet
an expanding patient population. It confirmed Northampton's leading
regional role in providing mental health services to the four western
counties of the state. It occupies a site that slopes gently down
from Prince Street on the north to Grove Street and the Mill River on
the south, once again providing patients with a view over a broad
tree-dotted lawn (#71). Portions of this site were acquired as early
as 1869. A large 1885 purchase added three existing houses (#s 22,
23, 24) along with substantial acreage. The major buildings on the
site were designed by Gordon Robb, and echo the interconnected plan
and Colonial Revival style of his contemporary Metropolitan State
Hospital in Waltham/Lexington (see form). It consists of independent
ward structures linked by enclosed walkways, with congregate dining
areas to the rear. This complex includes the power plant and laundry
for the entire hospital. Most of 'the buildings here were constructed
under the auspices of the various Federal relief programs of the
1930s.
The integrity of the Northampton State Hospital campus is greatly
enhanced by the extensive wetlands, wooded areas, and agricultural
fields that remain to the west of the two building groups. This area
consists of a marshy lowland immediately west of the Main Complex,
which quickly rises to another ridge along Burt pitt Road. Most of
this area remains as open fields, and much has been protected by an
agricultural preservation restriction (#72). Reforestation has been
limited. The only loss has been a small parcel that was developed for
the Hampshire County Jail, which has been deleted from the nomination.
(continued)
NPS Form 10·900·a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 1024-4>18
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number _7 __ Page_3 __
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
19th Century Site Development and Improvements
A chronology in the 1885 Annual Report provides valuable information
about the assemblage and improvement of the hospital site (Report
1885: 66-74). The original site of 185 acres included 24 acres from
Enos Clark, 28 acres from William Parsons, 5 acres from Samuel Day,
100 acres including farms and buildings from George Ellsworth, 9 acres
from Samuel Phelps, and 5 acres from Silas D. Clark. The first land
south of the County Road, now the site of the Memorial Complex, was
o purchased in 1869 from Samuel Parsons. Oliver Edwards' lot and
dwelling, near the footpath entrance, were purchased in 1875 along
with the adjoining (West) Smith and Prindle lot and dwelling.
Additional land was bought from Samuel Day, including a homestead
(#23?), brickyard, and sawmill. The hospital grounds were
substantially enlarged in 1877 with purchase of 90 acres of
pastureland from Enos Clark. Noted as being west of the hospital, the
Clark lot is probably the core of the present agricultural area. The
houses and lots of Hiram Day, Ellen Day, and S. C. Lacore (#s 22, 23,
24) at the southeast corner of the farm, near the bridge, were bought
in 1883, adding to the present Memorial Complex site. The 23-acre Day
pasture on the Easthampton Road was purchased in 1885, adding to the
agricultural area. Extensive grading of the site began in 1864 and
continued throughout the 19th century.
In 1860, soon after the hospital's opening, a high, wooden picket
fence was erected along the County Road to provide privacy. This was
extended in following years, then gradually replaced with an iron
picket fence beginning in the 1870s. This replacement project was
associated with creation of a new entrance west of the original one
with brownstone piers (#18), iron gates, and a curved iron fence, in
1867-1869. The circulation system was initiated in 1861 when a
roadway was laid out around the main building. A carriage road was
laid out across the west meadow in 1867, and in 1876, a row of elms
.and maples was planted along the footpath (#70) from the Main Building
to the Day house near the bridge. The grounds were ornamented with
horse-chestnut trees set out in front of the south wing in 1867 and an
iron fountain (#40) installed in front of the Main Building in 1876.
A row of elms was set on the Parsons lot in 1879, and Norway spruce
were planted between the elms in 1880.
At the rear of the builqing, airing courts were created in 1872 with.
the erection of brick walls, which remain on the south side (#3). The
largest Day barn was moved to a site behind the hospital in 1876
(#61?). .
Campus Integrity
The integrity of both buildings and landscapes at Northampton is very
high. Buildings have been minimally affected by rehabilitation
efforts that have added new windows, stair/elevator towers, fire
escapes, etc. A much larger problem is the long-term vacancy,
(continued),
NPS Form t 0-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Approval No. 102~18
Section number _7 __ Page_4 __
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
neglect, and deterioration of the Main Building, which is one of the
oldest and most important buildings in the entire state system. The
landscape, including lawns, tree groves, and agricultural areas, is
generally well-maintained with the exception of some undergrowth. It
has been affected primarily by the insertion of paved parking areas
into lawn areas near buildings. The parking area in the front lawn
(#68), which is a significant and prominent landscape area, is the
most problematical.
Representative buildings/landscapes are described below:
Main Hospital Building (1855-1925)
#2: Central Section/Kirkbride Building (1855; figure 1)
The Central Section of the Main Hospital Building was designed by
Jonathan Preston of Boston in 1855 in the "Elizabethan" or Gothic
Revival style of architecture. Completed in 1858, the three-story,
red-brick structure follows the Kirkbride model of organization with a
central administrative core framed by two stepped-back wings on each
side (fig. 1). Typically, it was designed for a total of 250
patients. Each floor of each wing contained a combination of sitting
rooms or day halls, individual patient rooms, and dormitories as well
as sick rooms, attendants' rooms, dining rooms, and water closets.
The north wing was devoted to male patients, while the south wing
served females. Twelve classes of each sex were accommodated by these
wings with the most violent and suicidal in the outer wings, which
were equipped with wire screens and sliding shutters. The central
core included reception areas, business offices, and a dispensary,
with living space for the superintendent and his family above in the
front section. A grand central rotunda rising to a glazed cupola
separated this administrative area from the rear wing, which contained
a kitchen in the basement, with dining, work, and store rooms at the
first story .. A chapel, with work and sleeping rooms for staff behind,
occupied the second and third stories. A detailed description of the
plan and other interior arrangements is provided in the 1858 Annual
Report (9-14).
According to Preston's specifications, the foundation was to be
granite ashlar or other suitable building stone, while the walls were
to be faced "with bricks which are of the hardest quality, wholly
impervious to water, and of a uniform color ... (and which) are to be
laid in such ornamental projections as are shown on the outline
drawings." Interior framing timbers were to be spruce, chestnut or
pine, standing finish wood was to be chestnut and first quality pine,
while floors were "to be laid with narrow and sound maple boards."
The roof was to "be covered with the best wide ladies slate, to be
secured with copper nails, and thoroughly flashed with lead and zinc."
These issues are also detailed in the 1858 Annual Report along with a
through discussion of the all-important subject of heating and
(continued l
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMS Approval No_ 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number _7 __ 5 Page---
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
ventilating (14-16). The chapel interior was painted in water colors
in 1866, while other interior spaces including patient dormitories,
dining rooms, and halls, were painted in oil (Report 1885: 68, 70).
The hospital was lighted with gas provided by the Northampton Gas
Company. Water was supplied from the adjacent Mill River through
Damon's mill pond with a pumphouse erected in 1860. The Northampton
Water Works Company began to supply water in 1871 (Report 1885: 70).
New and improved elevators were installed in 1875 (Report 1885: 71).
Today, the central section remains little altered from its 1850s
appearance (fig. 1), despite the addition of lateral and rear wings in
the early twentieth century. Superintendent William Henry Prince
provided this description in the 1858 Annual Report:
... the structure is of brick with slated roof and brownstone
window sills and caps. It is in the Elizabethan style of
architecture, after a design of Jonathan Preston of Boston, and
with its irregular, yet symmetrical form, its broken line of roof,
the gables, grouped windows and other peculiarities of this style,
presents a picturesque and imposing appearance" (Report 1858: 9).
The early date of the Northampton Lunatic Asylum building is revealed
in its rather naive handling of the Gothic Revival style, which
included large expanses of blank wall to which medieval details were
applied. These details included stepped, corbelled facade gables with
florid Flemish profiles, carved window hoods with foliate stops, brick
beltcourses, and a molded watertable. The complexity of the building
is intensified by its steep slate roof and numerous ornate
ventilators, several of which have been lost. Windows generally
contain 12/12 or 20/20 sash. The only important early alteration to
this structure was replacement of the original brick porte-cochere
with one of Longmeadow brownstone in 1877.
#5, 6: Lateral Wings (1903-1905)
In the early twentieth century~ the Kirkbride building was extended
laterally with handsome wings of identical Renaissance Revival-style
design but completely different plans. They originally served as male
and female infirmaries. They are three-story, red-brick structures
with tinted mortar joints rising to pedimented, gabled slate roofs
with ventilators. Both.are trimmed with brick quoins, sandstone
lintels and sills, dentilated wood cornices with wide friezes, and
Palladian windows in their gable fields. Windows with brownstone
lintels and sills contain 6/6 sash with transoms; some are paired and
some are arranged in groups of threes. The north wing has a .U-shaped
plan and faces in toward the original building. This south elevation
is centered on a cross gable with enclosed metal porches detailed with
fluted Ionic pilasters and spandrels ornamented with circular panels
and a Greek key motif. It is connected to the main building by a one-
story walkway with octagonal centerpiece. The south wing has an
(cont~nued)
NPS Form 10-900-.
(8-86)
OMB Approval No_ 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number __ 7_ 6 Page---
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
irregular plan that simply extends the outer wing of the original
building. Enclosed screened porches were added to these buildings in
the 1930s.
#44, 45: Rear Wings (1924, 1925)
Two asymmetrically aligned additions extended the original outer wings
to the rear in the mid 1920s. Designed for 93 patients each, they
were the state's first response to severe overcrowding that had been
reported throughout the 1910s. These three-story, red-brick, Colonial
Revival-style structures with cast-stone trim are identical in detail
to contemporary ward structures at Metropolitan State Hospital in
Waltham (see form)., They were probably designed by Gordon Robb, the
architect at Waltham. Both rise three stories from high basements to
slate hip roofs with dentilated brick cornices. Windows are generally
paired with 6/6 sash and transoms. The north wing displays a
multistory screened porch on the rear elevation.
#41: Rear Kitchen/Dining Wing (1938)
Another rear wing dating from the first half of the twentieth century
is the main kitchen. This well-detailed, red-brick structure rises
one story from a high basement to a flat roof. It is trimmed with
stylized Colonial Revival-style detail executed in brownstone,
including watertable and quoins. Among the most interesting features
are well-detailed Palladian windows centered on the north and south
elevations. Other windows have dentilated heads and 6/6 sash. This
wing was constructed with WPA funds on the site of the former power
plant, carpenter, machine, and paint shops, which were demolished.
Construction began in the spring of 1936 (Annual Report 1936: 9). The
Trustees described it as
... a modern culinary setup that will provide freshly prepared and
properly served food to the patients in the Main Group ... This
building is a model of fine construction and its equipment leaves
little to be desired. In addition to a large main kitchen and
cafeteria style dining room, it contains a bakery with the latest
type gas ovens and other ~ech~nical equipmentj a cannery with
modern equipmentj a vegetable preparation room of high efficiency
typej and a large room that can be used as a pathological
laboratory (Annual Report 1937: 3).
Support/Agricultural Group
An extensive group of support/agricultural buildings is located behind
(West) the Main Building (#2) at Northampton State Hospital. Hospital
records indicate that this complex began to evolve in the 1860s with
completion of a brick horse barn (#56?j remodeled in 1870 and 1879)
and adjoining piggery (#54) completed in 1861. A south barnyard was
formed in 1868 with construction of stone walls, which remain today.
Northampton was unusual in constructing many of these support
buildings of brick, perhaps reflecting the fact that a brickyard was
(continued'
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
7 Section number ---7 Page-__
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
purchased as part of the campus in 1875. Buildings in this area were
frequently added to and moved, so their individual histories are
difficult to trace, but the remaining 19th century structures are very
important to the overall history of the state hospital system because
so few of their counterparts remain at other campuses.
#58: Coach House (ca. 1870)
Designed in the later nineteenth century, the Coach House is a
picturesque 1 1/2-story brick structure of square plan enclosed by a
hip roof (now asphalt, formerly slate) broken on all four faces by
large wood-frame, gabled wall dormers. Segmental-arched windows
contain 6/6 sash. A double-leaf, segmental arched vehicular entry is
centered on the east facade.
#1: Farm Workers' Building (ca. 1870)
Also dating from the late nineteenth century, the eight-by-three-bay
farm workers' building (now storehouse) with three-bay rear ell rises
3 1/2 stories from a high basement to a slate hip roof with mUltiple
side-wall chimneys. It is constructed of red brick with tinted mortar
joints. While its form is similar to that of contemporary factories,
its detail is more elaborate, consisting of angled burnt header
courses connecting window heads, along with hammered sandstone
lintels, sills, and watertable. Windows, some of which are bricked
in, generally contain 6/6 sash; at the third story they contain fixed
six-pane sash. This structure was remodeled as a storehouse and cold
storage building in 1935.
#56: Horse Barn (ca. 1860; 1870; 1879)
The horse barn is a simple 1 1/2-story brick structure enclosed by a
slate gable roof. It is articulated with recessed corbelbeled panels
on the gable ends and by pilasters on the side elevations. Paired
windows with 6/6 sash, along with small segmental-arched openings,
light some bays. The original vehicular entry on the east gable end
has been brick down to pedestrian scale. Hospital records indicate
that it was remodeled in 1870.·~ In 1879 it was noted that the "brick
horse-barn was extended ten feet northwardly, its walls raised three
feet, and a new slated roof put on. The old roof was flat and
tinned." The barn and nearby piggery (#54) were the first
outbuildings constructed at the hospital (Annual Report 1885: 67).
#54: Piggery (1861)
The piggery is a long, one-story brick structure enclosed by a slate
gable roof with ventilating turrets. A projecting cross-gable
pavilion off-centered on the east facade contains a vehicular entry
with a 6/6 sash window above. Other windows at the first and basement
stories display brownstone lintels and sills and 4/4 sash. A cross
gable at the southern end contains a pedestrian entry.
(continued l
NPS Fonn 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMS Approval No_ 1024-0018
Section number __ 7_ 8 Page---
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
#61: Barn (1874; possibly earlier)
The three-by-seven-bay gable end barn is a wood-frame structure that
rises 1 1/2 stories to an asphalt gable roof. It is sheathed with
vertical boards that were once painted red. Windows with molded caps
contain 6/6 sash. A vehicular entry with double-leaf door is centered
on the east gable end. This may be the pre-existing Day barn that was
moved to a site behind the Main Building in 1875 (Annual Report 1885:
71) .
#63: Ox Barn (1900)
Originally built on a T-plan, this barn lost its frontispiece to a
fire several years ago. The remaining section, now in a state of
collapse, is a clapboard-clad structure that rises two stories from a
full brick and stone basement to a shed roof. Windows contain fixed,
nine-pane sash. Stone walls projecting eastward from the front of the
barn once formed an enclosed courtyard.
Multi-unit Staff Residences
Several staff dormitories were added to the main campus in the early
twentieth century, allowing staff to move out of the Kirkbride
building. The move provided more comfortable accommodations for
staff, as well as additional space for the expanding patient
population. Comfortable housing was an important incentive to attract
qualified staff to positions with low wages, long hours, and an
incurable chronic patient population. Such buildings were added to
all of the state campuses during this period. Those at Northampton
are designed in the Colonial Revival style, many by architect Gordon
Robb.
#14: Nurses' Home (1928)
Located south of the main complex, the L-plan Colonial Revival-style
Nurses' Residence is a red brick structure that rises three stories
from a high basement with molded watertable to a slate hip roof. The
main entrance is located in a chree-bay cross gable at the east end of
the thirteen-bay north elevation. The recessed arched entry is headed
by a fanlight, and the stuccoed gable contains a lunette. Windows
with splayed brick lintels and cast-stone sills contain 6/6 sash. As
the first of several staff dormitories, it was designed to provide
quarters for 99 nurses.
#12: North Employees' Home (ca. 1930)
This Colonial Revival-style staff residence dating from the early
twentieth century is located immediately to the north of the main
building. It is a nine-by-three-bay, rectangular plan, red-brick
structure that rises three stories from a molded watertable to a slate
hip roof. Windows with splayed brick lintels and keystones contain
6/6 sash. The center entry on the east facade is enclosed by a simple
three-bay, wood-frame porch. Stairtowers with secondary entries are
(continued\
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 102~1B
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number __ 7_ Page __ 9 _
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
centered on the three bay ends. The lawn in front of this building is
planted with apple trees, while hemlocks cover the steep slope north
of the main drive.
#13: South Employees' Home (ca. 1930)
This early twentieth century building is similar to the North Home and
balances its site immediately south of the main building. It is a
nine-by-three-bay, rectangular-plan, red-brick structure with fine
tinted mortar joints that rises three stories from a high fenestrated
basement with molded watertable to a slate hip roof. The east facade
is focused on a three-bay wood-frame pedimented entry portico trimmed
with Tuscan pilasters. Windows with splayed brick lintels and
keystones contain 6/6 sash. Stairtowers with secondary entries are
centered on the three-bay north and south ends.
#15: Male Attendants' Home (1932)
This Colonial Revival-style dormitory is located south of the main
complex and immediately east of the modern Haskell Building. It is a
three-by-thirteen-bay, rectangular-plan, red-brick structure that
rises three stories from a high basement with molded watertable to a
slate gable roof. Open two-story, quatrastyle Tuscan porches rising
to stuccoed pediments with oculi are located at the gable ends.
Corners are defined by brick quoins. The east and west elevations are
centered on five-bay pavilions with lunettes in the gables. The east
facade includes a recessed arched entry with fanlight. Windows with
splayed brick lintels and cast-stone sills contain 6/6 sash. A row of
hemlocks screens it from the support buildings to the north.
Single-family Staff Residences:
All of these single-family dwellings appear to be contemporary with or
postdate construction of the hospital in the 1850s. According to the
chronology provided in the 1885 Annual Report, the hospital purchased
numerous pre-existing houses.
#16: Engineer's House (ca. 1855)
Located adjacent to the main gate, this is the most interesting
single-family staff residence on the hospital grounds. Constructed at
about the same time as tpe hospital, it is a two-story, wood-frame
structure rising from a brick foundation to a widely projecting flat.
roof that was probably supported on carved brackets when constructed.
An open, one-story porch, with slender paired chamfered posts
supporting a hip roof, protects the entry of this Italianate-style
building. The 1858 Annual Report described it thus: "Near the road
which forms the southern boundary of the farm is a neat and
substantial house of two stories, built within a few years in a
tasteful modern style. It is now occupied by the farmer and his
family." Older adjacent farm buildings were described as being in
poor condition (Annual Report 1858: 9). This may have been the George
(continued'
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Approval No. 1024-<1018
Section number __ 7_ Page_1_O _
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
Ellsworth homestead purchased in 1855 (Annual Report 1885: 67).
#36: Superintendents' House (1940)
The three-by-two-bay Superintendent's House is a more typical shingled
Colonial Revival-style structure that rises 2 1/2 stories from a brick
foundation to an asphalt gable roof with off-center chimney. Its
symmetrical three-bay facade is focused on a center entry framed by
pilasters, pulvinated frieze, and dentilated cornice, and fronted by a
pedimentedporch. Simply framed windows contain 8/8 sash at the first
story and 6/6 sash at the second. ASone-car garage is attached at the
rear. A grove of spruce trees is located at the head of the driveway,
while pine trees form a screen to the south. A larch tree stands to
the rear.
#17: 143-144 West Street (ca. 1860)
This five-by-two-bay, red-brick Italianate style dwelling is located
on the north side of West Side at the eastern edge of the campus. It
rises 2 1/2 stories from a granite block foundation to a gable roof
with raking dentilated cornice and capped chimneys. The south facade
is centered on a double-leaf entry with open flat-roofed porch.
Windows with granite sills and lintels contain 6/6 sash. Now used as
the headquarters for a construction business, the house has been
extended by a large, modern rear ell. This may be part of the Samuel
Day homestead, brickyard, and sawmill purchased in 1875 (Annual Report
1885: 71).
#24: 91 Grove Street (ca. 1870)
Facing south to Grove Street, this is a simple, Italianate-style
farmhouse with a traditional four-bay, center-entry facade. It is
clapboard clad and rises 1 1/2 stories from a brick foundation to an
asphalt gable roof whose chimneys may have been capped. A three-bay
wing extends westward, and an ell is attached to the rear. Windows
with thin molded heads contain 2/2 sash. A bay window is located on
the west side of the simply framed entry. A verandah with chamfered
posts extends across the main block and wing. This was one of three
(#22, 23) purchased by the state in 1883.
Memorial Group
This group of buildings is located on the south side of Prince
Street/Rte. 66 where it is also bounded by Laurel Street (W), Grove
Street (S), and Earle Street (E). It is dominated by a large patient
care structure whose interconnected wards date from 1928 to 1952. A
broad lawn (#71) slopes southward down to Grove Street, providing
views to the distant hills of the Holyoke Range. Support buildings,
including a power plant and laundry, as well as several pre-existing
single-family staff residences acquired in 1883, are sited around the
main building. The Memorial Group was constructed to serve the
massive increase in patients whose numbers had grown from 469 in 1892
(continued)
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 1024-0018
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number ~7 __ Page_1_1_
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
to 1,559 in 1928. By 1935 there were 2,100 patients, a number that
remained fairly steady, reaching 2,331 by 1952. Completion of the
Memorial Group confirmed Northampton's central role in providing
mental health services to the four western counties. Most of the
buildings were constructed through the PWA and WPA Federal relief
programs.
#7-11, 47, 48: Main Building (1928-1967)
This massive structure, whose plan resembles both a mid-nineteenth
century Kirkbride building and the contemporary ward complex at
Metropolitan State Hospital~ actually consists of several
independently constructed buildings that were linked by G Building in
the 1960s to form an inner courtyard/exercise area. Not surprisingly,
the early buildings were designed by Gordon Robb. The original
components are four Colonial Revival-style T-plan wards that face
south and are connected by narrow, curved walkway/ porches. All are
red-brick structures rising three stories from molded brick
watertables to slate hip or gable roofs with dentilated cornices,
central cupolas, and ventilators. Thirteen-bay facades are centered
on three-bay cross gables. Windows with splayed brick lintels and
cast-stone sills contain 12/12 sash. D Ward (#7) is enclosed by a
gable roof and displays an oculus and recessed arched entry in the
center pavilion. According to Annual Reports, these wards were
designed to serve approximately 150 patients each.
#38: Power Plant (1935)
The Moderne-style five-by-three-bay Power Plant is sited on Earle
Street near the railroad tracks, allowing easy delivery of coal. It
is a two-story, red-brick structure enclosed by a flat roof with
central smokestack. Bays are divided by brick piers and contain full-
height multi-pane metal industrial sash or blank panels. A tower with
minimal Art Deco trim rises at the southeast corner. This power plant
was designed to serve the entire hospital and was linked to other
buildings through an underground tunnel system.
#39: Laundry (1934)
The utilitarian eight-by-four-bay Laundry is located immediately
southwest of the Power Plant. It is a one-story, red-brick structure
enclosed by a flat roof with central monitor. Bays are divided by
brick piers and contain mUlti-pane metal industrial sash. The east
facade is framed by projecting end pavilions and contains loading
bays.
Other Structures
#18: Main Gate (1867)
The hospital's main gate, erected in 1867, consists of four heavy
Longmeadow brownstone posts with chamfered corners, and carved
pyramidal caps. The annual report for 1867 stated that it was erected
(continued)
NPS Fonn 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 1024-0018
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number _7 __ 12 Page---
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
by Duelly, Stone & Co. of Springfield to replace a deteriorated brick
gate. At the same time, a five-foot wrought-iron fence was put up by
Healy Iron Works of Brooklyn, N.Y. It has been preserved as a bus
stop by connecting its larger inner posts with a roof, backstop, and
bench. This was a surprisingly successful reuse, which leaves its
original character readily apparent.
#46: Haskell Building (1959)
Haskell is the primary noncontributing component of the Main Complex
north of Prince Street/Route 66. It is a large, three-story, H-plan
structure that is faced with red brick and enclosed by a flat roof. A
cantilevered entry is centered on the south facade. Squared window
openings contain hopper sash. It is nearly identical to other
buildings of the period at several state hospital campuses.
Archaeological Description
While no prehistoric sites are currently recorded on the hospital
property, it is possible that sites are present. Three sites are
recorded in the general area (within one mile). The physical
characteristics of the property, well-drained level to moderately
sloping terraces adjacent to wetlands, including the Mill River near
its confluence with the Connecticut River, indicate favorable
locational criteria for Native settlement and subsistence activities.
Given the above information, the size of the hospital property (653
acres), and the availability of undeveloped land, a moderate to high
potential exists for recovering significant prehistoric survivals.
Extensive construction episodes have
occurred at the top of the hill where the main hospital buildings are
located. These activities have likely adversely affected the
integrity of any sites located in this area.
There is also a high potential for significant historical
archaeological remains within the hospital boundaries. Most buildings
spanning the mid-19th through 20th centuries associated with the
hospital are still extant. Structural remains from one building, a
dairy barn, may survive on the western slope of the hill on which the
main hospital complex stands. Other structural remains from
undocumented agricultural outbuildings may also survive throughout the
hospital property. Occupational-related features (trash areas,
privies, wells) may survive that were associated with agricultural
activities at the hospital, patient care, or staff residences. An
(continued)
NPS Form 10-900-a
(S-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMB Approval No_ 1024-0018
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number 7, 8 Page 13, 1
North~pton State Hospital
North~pton (H~pshire County)
Massachusetts
unmarked cemetery may also exist which was affiliated with the State
Hospital. The lack of a known cemetery on the State Hospital property
combined with the proximity of the facility to the town center and
several private and municipal cemeteries may also indicate an
agreement between the hospital, town or other groups (churches) to
bury the hospital dead in existing cemeteries.
(end)
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Northampton State Hospital possesses integrity of location, design,
setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association.
Established by Chapter 454 of the Acts of 1855 as the Lunatic Hospital
at Northampton, it was the Commonwealth's third insane asylum
following Worcester (1833; demolished) and Taunton (1851; see form).
Like Taunton, it was organized on the congregate model, and architect
Jonathan Preston of Boston designed an "Elizabethan"-style structure
that followed the highly centralized plan for 250 patients espoused by
Dr. Thomas Kirkbride of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane.
This building exists in relatively unaltered condition with rear and
lateral wings dating from the early to mid-twentieth centuries. Its
hilltop site and landscaped grounds are especially evocative of
Kirkbride's influential ideas. Together, the buildings, siting, and
landscape of the Northampton State Hospital provide one of the
system's clearest reflection of early treatment programs for the
insane, which depended on the creation of an ideal physical and moral
environment to effect cures.
The early history of Northampton State Hospital is of particular
interest due to its associations with Pliny Earle, a nationally
recognized authority and prolific writer on the subject of insanity.
While serving as Northampton's superintendent from 1864 to 1886, Earle
wrote extensively on such subj~ect$ as "The Prevention of Insanity,"
and "The Curability of Insanity," which refuted early optimistic
claims on cures and which were partially based on his observations at
Northampton. Northampton State Hospital is significant as an early
component of the Massachusetts State Hospital system, as an early
example of the increasingly popular Kirkbride-plan asylum, and for its
close associations with Pliny Earle. It achieved additional
significance in the 1920s and 1930s when Federal relief funds (PWA and
WPA) were provided to create the Memorial Group, thus relieving
overcrowded conditions and confirming Northampton's role as the
western regional center for mental health services. Northampton's
history clearly reflects development of the State Hospital and School
system as described in the overview. It meets criteria A, B, and C of
the National Register of Historic Places and is significant on the
(continued)
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
8
Section number ---
2
Page---
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
national, state and local levels. Its period of significance extends
from 1855 to 1940.
The Lunatic Hospital at Northampton was authorized in 1855 to relieve
overcrowding in the Commonwealth's existing asylums at Worcester and
Taunton, and especially to serve the population of the state's four
western counties. It was planned for 250 patients, a population that
was not expected to be reached for some time. Prior to improvement of
the originally purchased 185 acres overlooking the town of Northampton
one mile to the east, the Trustees "visited several similar
institutions ... and consulted a gentleman of taste and experience in
this department, who has examined the grounds, and aided them by his
suggestions and advice." (1st Annual Report, 1855).
Jonathan Preston, a builder/architect from Boston and father of the
better-known William Gibbons Preston (see Fernald School), was
selected to design an asylum on the Kirkbride plan. According to
Preston's specifications, the foundation and steps were to be granite;
freestone was to be used for sills, coping, and quoins; walls were to
be brick; flooring was to be spruce, chestnut, or pine; and the
interior finish wood was to be chestnut. Additionally, the building
was to be equipped with gas lighting, speaking tubes, bells,
dumbwaiters, and an elaborate ventilating system. An engraving and
plan (fig. i), ... which first appeared in the 1864 Annual Report,
reveal a building of total symmetry with a central administrative core
flanked by two stepped back wings on each side. The surmounting
cupola contained "an observatory from which the most magnificent
prospect in the Connecticut Valley can be obtained" (Tercentenary
1954: 371).
The building was praised in early Annual Reports for its solidity of
construction and convenience of plan. The following quote from the
1859 report is illustrative: "Their (the building's) completeness not
only leaves comparatively little to be desired, in addition, but
experience in their use assures us that no very important alterations
or repairs can be necessary for many years to come, to render them and
keep them in every respect equal to the demands of an enlightened
philosophy." (4th Annual Report 1859). The cornerstone was laid on
July 4, 1856, and the building was completed in 1858 at a cost of
$300,000 (Tercentenary 1954: 371; see description section for greater.
detail) .
Although designed for a greater capacity than immediately expected,
the hospital filled rapidly, even before construction was complete.
Fifty-one patients from the Worcester Asylum, who had originally come
from the four western counties, were admitted on August 16, 1858, by
order of the governor. Three weeks later, 68 patients of foreign
nativity were received from the Boston City Lunatic Hospital. Over
the next three weeks, another 63 were received from Worcester, in ten
(continued)
NPS Form 10-900-.
(8-136)
OM8 Approval No_ 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number __ 8 _ Page_3 __
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
days another 28 from Boston, and soon thereafter, another 18 of
uncertain origin were admitted. The Trustees acknowledged that this
total of 228 patients was larger than even the largest institution had
held until recently and that there was little precedent for the care
of such numbers. They also stated that since ceilings were high and
ventilation good, the capacity could probably be expanded from 250 to
300 without much detriment to patients or staff (3rd Annual Report
1858) .
At this time, the trustee-appointed staff consisted of Dr. William
Henry Price as Superintendent, an assistant physician, a clerk, a
treasurer, an engineer, and a farmer (Tercentenary 1954: 372). Early
annual reports also cite the housekeeper, seamstress, laundress, and
baker. Immediate patient care was provided by attendants who reported
to supervisors of the male and female sides of the hospital. The key
role and influence of the attendants on the daily lives of patients
was described thus:
The Attendants have the immediate and constant care of the
patients; they sleep and take their meals in the halls in which
they are employed; they see that the patients committed to their
care rise in the morning at the proper time, that they are
properly washed and dressed, that they receive their food at the
proper time, that their beds are properly aired and made up, that
the dormitories, floors, stairs, windows, &c. are kept clean and
in good order; that the patients in their care have occupation and
amusement through the day; that order and peace is preserved among
them, and that they retire in proper season, and are safely and
comfortably lodged for the night. Placed in constant contact with
their patients, and having unrestricted intercourse with them,
their influence is powerful for good or evil, and the success of a
hospital as a curative institution, is, to a considerable extend
dependent on their fidelity and natural adaptation to the
performance of the peculiar duties of office. The mere
performance of prescribed duties in the wards, however promptly
and well done, cannot be considered as by any means fully
satisfying the demands of the 'position. There must be an active,
sympathizing interest felt in their unfortunate charge, a desire
to promote the cure of the patients committed to their care, by
constant watchfulness over their conduct and their intercourse
with one another ... (Annual Report 1858: 21-22).
In 1864, Dr. Price was succeeded as superintendent by Pliny Earle, who
served until 1886. .' Earle was recommended by noted advocate Dorothea
Dix, who had made several personal visits to Northampton (Tercentenary
1954: 372). While at Northampton, Earle attempted to apply the
rehabilitative tenets of Moral Treatment despite the institution's
ever increasing size. Earle, who was a great national voice for
humane treatment of the insane, explained the nature of Moral
Treatment thus in one of his many essays:
(continued)
NPS Fonn 10-900·a
(8-86)
OMS Approval No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
8 Section number ---4
Page---
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
Moral Treatment, as the term is generally understood, includes
some agencies which might more strictly be called hygienic, as
their curative influence is primarily exerted upon the body. The
mental or moral influence is secondary. It includes all agencies,
the direct and immediate operation of which is upon either the
intellect, the passions, the propensities, or the moral and
religious sentiments. Practically, in a hospital, everything in
the management of patients other than the administration of
medicine, the nursing of the sick, and the use of the bath, is
considered as moral treatment. The internal polity of the house,
the regular hours, the extension of privileges, the imposition of
restraints, all the details of what is called discipline, are
included under this head, no less than those other agencies which
will demand more special notice, as manual labor, religious
worship, intellectual employment, and recreation and amusement, in
their diversified forms (13th Annual Report, 1886).
Earle felt that the key component of Moral Treatment was manual
labor, and induced patients to participate by offering rewards of
special food or privileges. Healthy, out-of-doors farmwork was
considered especially important. Regular exercise of this type
provided a a safe and natural outlet for "nervous irritability,"
which otherwise caused disruption in the wards and sometimes
created a need for restraint. !t was also thought to dispel
disordered, morbid trains of thought and promote a healthy
interest in life. In addition to farm work, male patients helped
to clear brush from the pleasure grounds, cleared walking paths in
the tree groves, and did some grading. Women helped with laundry,
cleaning, cooking, and sewing.
Amusement was another essential component of Moral Treatment.
Together, work and amusement provided structure and a sense of
normalcy by allowing patients to engage in everyday activities they
might have participated in at home. Earle arranged for extensive
programs of religious and secular ~eadings, music, lectures, and
dancing as part of the patients' treatment. other recreational
activities included strolling through the grounds, bowling, games, and
library privileges.
Reliance on the methods of Moral Treatment to modify patient behavior.
was necessitated by the rather crude state of knowledge about the
causes and treatment of insanity at mid-century. Beyond Moral
Treatment, hospitals relied on a handful of drugs to effect cures:
elixer of iron and bark to promote strength; opiates, usually sulphate
of morphine, as a sophoric; and bromide of potassium to diminish
epileptic seizures.
Although Earle sought cures by applying the tenets of Moral Treatment,
a quote from the Trustees in their 1863 Annual Report is perhaps a
(continued)
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-{)()18
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number __ 8_ 5 Page---
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
more honest assessment of the curability of the hospital's population.
Of the 334 patients remaining on this day in the hospital, not one
in ten presents any reasonable probability of recovery ... the
principal object must be to render their residence as comfortable
and as pleasant as circumstances will permit, and by a proper
regimen, both physical and mental, to prevent as far as possible,
any further deterioration of their condition.
Pliny Earle, who brought the State Lunatic Hospital at Northampton to
national attention, was a significant figure in the field of mental
health when he assumed the superintendency. He had headed the
Friend's Asylum for the Insane in Philadelphia as well as the
Bloomingdale Asylum in New York and had traveled extensively in Europe
to visit insane asylums there (1838, 1845, 1871). Unlike most of his
colleagues who had been involved in the early reformist movement to
establish public and private insane asylums, Earle became disenchanted
with the role institutions currently had and might play in the future
to cure the insane. In several widely read articles, published in the
1870s, when he was superintendent at Northampton, he refuted early
statistics on cures as gross exaggerations. He also asserted that
modern institutions were less effective than those operating in the
early nineteenth century due to their size, as well as to the growing
numbers of chronic and foreign patients.
When Earle resigned in 1886, he was replaced as Superintendent by his
assistant Dr. Edward B. Nims, who had served since 1869. By this
time, the hospital was eagerly awaiting the opening of Westborough
State Hospital (see form) at the old Lyman School to absorb some of
their patients and was also planning expansion of their own
institution. At this time there were approximately 475 patients, a
number that remained fairly constant from 1872 to 1892 (Tercentenary
1954: 373). For the next sixty years, however, the patient population
increased rapidly, reaching 657 in 1903, 1,559 in 1928, and 2,331 in
1952. Corresponding numbers of staff were 85 in 1893, 135 in 1903,
219 in 1928, 420 in 1935, and-S09-in 1952 (Tercentenary 1954:
373-375). As noted in the overview, the increases occurred as the
state absorbed responsibilities from the towns and as increasing
numbers of aged senile patients were admitted to insane asylums.
The problem of overcrowding was given considerable attention in the
hospital's Annual Reports for the 1910s and 1920s. They provide a
clear and eloquent summation of problems besetting the entire system
at that time. Not only was the population considerably over the
official capacity of 820, but it was maintained only by sending
patients to facilities in the eastern part of the state, recreating
conditions that Northampton had been established to solve. The Board
of Trustees recommended expansion of the facilities at Northampton, or
construction of a separate facility to better serve the regional needs
of the four western counties. The following statements from the 1922
( continued.'
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMB Approval No. 1024-OCI18
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number _.::....8 _ Page_6 __
report are typical:
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
The number of patients maintained by our hospital is steadily
increasing despite the many who have been removed to hospitals in
the eastern districts in order to make room for our new
admissions, and the district served by us is sending us more than
we can accommodate. There are at present more than 700 patients
in other hospitals, who went from here, making with those who are
here a total of 1,750 in State institutions whose homes are in our
part of the State (Report 1922: 18) ... The Department of Mental
Diseases estimates our.capacity at about 820, which is
considerably larger than our estimate. The numbers we have been
requested to maintain during each of the past five years have been
consecutively, as follows: 980, 990, 1000, 1010, 1025, and for the
coming year we are asked to make estimates for the maintenance of
1060 patients. As a result of this constantly increasing growth
in numbers, we have been seriously handicapped in the care of our
patients. We cannot transfer our most troublesome patients,
consequently a larger proportion of those who remain are of the
disturbed class. The wards where easily distracted patients are
cared for should accommodate only a very limited number of
patients, but now our wards are occupied by anywhere from 40 to 60
patients, and many of these are obliged to sleep in corridors and
day spaces (Report 1922: 11).
A 1924 Senate report confirmed the Trustees' observations, stating
that Northampton was so overcrowded with 1,080 patients instead of the
818 capacity that cots had to be set up in the corridors at night
(Senate Doc 211, 1924).
Clearly the rise in population and attendant overcrowding necessitated
an expansion of facilities. The first major addition to the hospital
occurred in 1903-1905, when the present outer wings were added to the
main Kirkbride building (#2) to serve as male and female infirmaries
(#s 5, 6). In 1924 and 1925, two-additional wards (#s 44, 45) for 93
patients each were added to the rear of the Kirkbride building. At
the same time, staff houses and dormitories began to be constructed on
the side lawns of the main campus to help attract qualified staff. A
dormitory for 99 nurses (#14) and two cottages for married employees
were completed in 1928, ,with others constructed in succeeding years.
The most important phase of expansion began in 1928, finally deciding
the question of how rising numbers of mentally ill in the western
counties were to be cared for, and confirming Northampton's primary
regional role. The present Memorial Group was initiated with
construction of a 159-patient dormitory (# 7) on land that the
hospital had acquired gradually since 1869. This group expanded
rapidly over the next few years with additional wards (#8-10), a power
plant (#38), laundry (#39), and kitchen/dining facility (#48). Most
(continued)
NPS Fonn 10-900-a
(8-86)
OMS Approval No. 1024-{)()18
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number _8 __ Page __ 7 _
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
were constructed under the auspices of new federal funding programs
designed to counteract the Great Depression: the Public Works
Administration and its successor, the Works Progress Administration
(Tercentenary 1954: 373-374/Annual Reports 1934-1938).
The Trustees described the new Memorial Group thus:
Five major P.W.A. building projects have been in progress during
the year. The new heating plant on Earl Street near the railway
siding has been completed and was put into operation June 12,
1935. The entire heat and hot water supply for the institution is
derived directly and indirectly from this plant, the steam mains
being carried in tunnels that are mostly available for subway
travel as well. This new heating plant eliminates the necessity
for a half mile haul of coal to the old power house. A unit to
accommodate one-hundred and fifty female patients is being added
to the new group of ward buildings on the south side of Prince
Street. It should be ready for occupancy before next spring. A
new cafeteria with a feeding capacity of one thousand patients is
being built near, but detached from, this ward building. It will
accommodate all the patients in the new group of ward buildings
when completed and should be ready for use soon. A new laundry on
Earl Street near the heating plant is nearly completed but will
probably not be equipped and ready for use before spring.
Additions to and remodeling of the farm ward into a storehouse and
cold storage have been started and is progressing satisfactorily.
Each of the items of new construction listed above fill a long
felt want and were urgently needed to relieve "growing pains"
(Annual Report 1935: 2-3).
Services were expanded in the 1930s as well, reflecting the growing
importance of the mental hygiene movement. A 1930 report by the Mass
Medical Society noted that treatment programs at Northampton included:
Hospital clinics in neighboring cities and towns served by a
psychiatrist; school clinics in charge of a physician with
assistance of a psycholog~st; active psychiatrist in juvenile
court each week; active social service department; hydrotherapy
and occupational therapy emphasized in treatment (MMS 1930: 13).
In 1937, a pathologist was added to the staff, and a laboratory was
equipped as part of the new kitchen facility for the Main Complex.
The medical staff expanded to include eight physicians and a dentist.
Local physicians were used on a consulting basis. The social service
department was enlarged and out-patient clinics were held on a monthly
basis. Recreation, occupational therapy, and industrial therapy
activities were also increased. More liberal policies toward patients
and their families were adopted in 1935 with an expansion of the
parole system (Tercentenary 1954: 374-375). These types of programs
were added to campuses throughout the system in the early twentieth
century, as described in the overview.
(continued) .
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 1024-0018
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
8 Section number ---8 Page---
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
The farm remained an important part of the hospital's treatment
programs and economy. In 1923, substantial crops of potatoes, onions,
strawberries, apples, tomatoes, cabbage, and squash were produced
despite the effects of drought. The hay yield was high and the total
milk production from 55 cows was 745,249 pounds, an average of more
than 13,000 pounds per cow. In addition to the cows, the herd
included 29 heifers, 24 calves, and 6 bulls (Annual Report 1923: 9)_
By 1936, the herd produced 8,054,365 pounds of milk and 8,223 pounds
of beef. The piggery supplied 79,100 pounds of dressed pork, while
the hennery supplied 10,290 dozen eggs and 7,712 pounds of dressed
poultry. Among the many crops, the farm produced the following
weights in pounds: hay 461,450; apples 103,678; grapes 740; asparagus
5396; beets 52,301; cabbage 67,509; cantaloupes 6226; sweet corn
38,232; swiss chard 3577; dandelions 2237; potatoes 85,324; onions
40,007; peas 4174; rhubarb 8401; spinach 7372; tomatoes 95,082;
turnips 68,509; strawberries 5684 (Annual Report 1936: 8-9).
In 1945, the Governor & Council Report stated that the patient
population stood at 2,125, while the staff numbered 268 with 191
vacancies. Most of the vacancies were accounted for by 64 men and 62
women in war service. Despite the poor patient-staff ratio,
conditions at the hospital were described as good. The only subject
chosen for special examination was the wood-frame dairy barn, which
had been built in 1860 and was considered to be a fire hazard,
especially as it was staffed mainly by patients. At that time, the
barn contained 150 head of registered Holstein cattle valued at
$20,000, and up to 300 tons of hay. The barn was apparently built
into a hillside, probably the west slope of the hill the main complex
stands upon, because the rear was noted as 30 feet above ground level.
A similar study and report in 1954 recommended that new admissions or
surgical buildings be constructed at several hospitals including
Northampton (Governor's Report 1954). The Haskell Admissions Building
of 1959 (#46) was the result. At the same time, new programs that had
been planned by Dr. Arthur N. Eall, who served as the seventh
superintendent from 1935-1952, were carried out. These ranged from
the opening of a beauty parlor, which was described as having
"remarkable results in the rehabilitation of women patients," to the
establishment of a variety of clinics under consulting specialists.
These included gynecology, optometry, dermatology, insulin coma, and
electric shock (Tercentenary 1954: 375-376).
Archaeological Significance
Since patterns of prehistoric occupations of Northampton are poorly
documented, any surviving sites would be significant. Numerous
locations in the town are underreported, and few sites have been
systematically excavated in the area. Prehistoric sites in this
locale can contribute to a greater understanding of prehistoric
(continued)
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-ll6)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMB Approval No.. 1024-0018
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number 8, 9 Page 9, 1
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
settlement and subsistence within the Connecticut River drainage and
the importance of those activities along major tributaries of that
drainage.
Historic archaeological remains described above have the potential to
further document hospital structures, particularly those no longer
extant as well as provide detailed information on the social,
cultural, and economic conditions that characterized patients and
staff at the Commonwealth's third insane asylum from 1855 to 1940.
Structural and other archaeological remains from the 1860 barn can
provide information on mid 19th-century dairy activities at the
hospital and how these activities compared with similar activities in
private life. Additional information pertaining to agricultural
activities at the hospital can be learned through the location of
outbuildings and analysis of occupational-related features,
particularly trash areas. Analysis of similar features can also
provide evidence pertaining to the nature and extent of patient care
at the hospital, including their living and working conditions and how
these may have compared with staff who also resided at the hospital
and the general conditions of life in the mid-19th century.
(end)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Commonwealth of Mass. Annual Reports of Northampton State Hospital.
1856-1940. 1858 Report provides detailed description of original
building, grounds, and treatment programs/philosophy (8-25); 1885
Report has chronology (67-75).
Commonwealth of Mass. Annual Reports of the Department of Mental
Diseases. 1920-1940.
Governor's Committee. Report of the Governor's Committee to Study
State Hospitals. 1954.
Department of Public Safety. Architectural Records. Massachusetts
State Archives.
Jarvis, Edward. "Address Delivered at the Laying of the Cornerstone
of the Insane Hospital at Northampton." J. & L. Metcalf Co.,
Northampton. 1856.
Mass. Governor & Council. 'Report of the Committee on Charitable
Institutions and the State House.' 1945.
Mass. General Court.
Public Institutions."
"Senate Document 211: Report of the Committee on
1924.
(continued)
NPS Form 10-9OO-a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
OMB Approval N<>. 1024-0018
Section number 9, fo Page 2, 1
Northampton State Hospital
Northampton (Hampshire County)
Massachusetts
Mass. Medical Society. A Reference to the More Important Medical
Institutions of Massachusetts. 1930.
Preston, Jonathan. Specifications for Building a State Hospital for
the Insane. 1855.
Tercentenary Committee. The Northampton Book. Alan Browne, Inc.
Brattleboro, Vt. 1954.
List of Figures
1. Main Building. Plan and elevation. 1864.
2. Main Building. Photograph. ca. 1880. courtesy SPNEA.
GEOGRAPHICAL DATA
Verbal Boundary Description:
See attached maps
Verbal Boundary Justification:
The nomination is confined to the present campus boundaries which were
achieved during the period of significance. The original 185 acres
were increased to the present approximate 530 acres in the early 20th
century. The only recent change is the deletion of the parcel now
occupied by the Modern Hampden County Jail (not included in district) .
(end)
MAP# BUILDING NAME
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
.. 30
31
32 '
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
Farm Workers' Building
Main Building
Airing Court walls
Pavilion (metal)
Main Building, north wing
Main Building, south wing
Memorial Complex, D
Memorial Complex, E
Memorial Complex, C
Memorial Complex, F
Memorial Complex, A.P.
North Employees Home
South Employees Home
Nurses' Home
Male Attendants' Home
Engineer's House
33-35 Prince Street
143-145 West Street
Main Gate
137 West Street
135 West Street
garage
219 Earle Street
51 Grove Street
91 Grove Street
122 Grove Street
garage
23 Laurel Street
garage
278 Burt's Pitt Road
garage
24 Chapel Street
16 Chapel Street
garage
37 Prince Street
garage
Superintendent's House
Recreation Building
Power Plant
Laundry
Fountain
Main Kitchen/Cafeteria
NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS
DISTRICT DATA SHEET
DATE STYLE DESIGNER/ ARCHITECT STATUS RESOURCE
ca. 1870
1855-1858
1872
1962
1905
1905
1928-1930
1928-1930
1932
1935
1952
ca. 1930
ca. 1930
1928
1932
ca. 1855
ca. 1860
1867
1887
1887
ca. 1940
ca. 1860
ca. 1850
ca. 1870
1920
ca. 1950
1879
ca. 1960
ca. 1890
ca. 1930
ca. 1910s
ca. 1910s
ca. 1940
1940
1940
1940
1932
1935
1936
1876
1938
Panel Brick
Gothic Revival
n/a
Jonathan Preston
nla
Renaissance Revival
Renaissance Revival
Colonial Revival Gordon
Colonial Revival Gordon
Colonial Revival Gordon
Colonial Revival Gordon
Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival
Italianate
Italianate (brick)
Eastlake
gable-end cottage
gable-end cottage
nla
five-bay cottage
brick house
Italianate
gable-end cottage
nla
gable-end cottage
nla
gable-end house
nla
gable-end house
gable-end cottage
nla
Colonial Revival
nla
Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival
Moderne
Gordon
Gordon
Gordon
Gordon
Robb
Robb
Robb
Robb
Robb?
Robb?
Robb
Robb
Utilitarian Richard Shaw
n/a
Colonial RevivRl Gordon Robb?
Page 1 of 2
C
C
C
NC
C
C
C
C
C
C
NC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
NC
C
C
C
C
NC
C
NC
C
C
C
C
NC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
B
B
Ob
St
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
Ob
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
St
B
Ob
B
NORTHAMPTON STATE HOSPITAL
NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS
DISTRICT DATA SHEET
MAP # BUILDING NAME DATE STYLE DESIGNER/ARCHITECT STATUS RESOURCE
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Storage Barn
Greenhouse, headhouse
Main Building, rear wing
Main Building, rear wing
Haskell
Memorial Group, G Building
Memorial Group, Kitchen
Marker
garage
39 Prince Street
10 Chapel Street
Hennery
piggery
Butler Building(metal shed)
Horse Barn/Grounds Shop
Fire House
Coach House
New Garage
Equipment Shed
Red Barn (wood frame)
Carriage/Wagon Shed
Ox Barn
Pump House
Carpenter Shops
Barn
Barn
Main, front lawn
Main, carriage roads
Main, foot path
Memorial, south lawn
Agricultural land
M.C. Connector
M.C. Connector
M.C. Connector
ca. 1900
ca. 1870
1924
1925
1959
1967
1936
ca. 1920
1940
ca. 1900
1920
1861
1961
1860/79
1938
ca.1870
1966
1939
ca. 1840
ca. 1900
1900
1900
1910
ca. 1950
ca. 1950
1850s+
1860s+
pre-1876
1930s
1850s+
ca. 1930s
ca. 1930s
ca. 1930s
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival
Modern
Modern
Colonial Revival
nla
Colonial Revival
gable-end cottage
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Gordon Robb
Gordon Robb
Gordon Robb?
Panel Brick elements
Utilitarian
Queen Anne
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
Utilitarian
nla
nla
nla
nla
nla
nla
nla
nla
TOTAL RESOURCES: 62 Contributing; 13 Noncontributing
52 Contributing Buildings
3 Contributing Sites
3 Contributing Structures
4 Contributing Objects
12 Noncontributing Buildings
1 Noncontributing Structure
Page 2 of 2
C
C
C
C
NC
NC
NC
C
C
C
C
C
C
NC
C
C
C
NC
C
C
C
C
C
C
NC
NC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
Ob
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
Si
St
St
si
si
B
B
B