This is a special edition of the SWPA Blog.
Here at The SWPARE blog, we try to explore and chronicle the local aspects of South Western Pennsylvania and the close by areas, and we usually like don't like to stray from this ideal, but occasionally we stumble upon something out of the immediate area that deserves to be blogged about, and this is the case here. We've been planning on making another site just for these types of places, but Chip and I (Danielle is the only responsible one), are sort of the kings of procrastination.
I'm up here working on a project in Commack Long Island, NY, and I needed a few beers to watch the Steeler game on (see, there is a SWPA connection here), I pulled up the Bing Maps to research this important topic and saw THIS. Directly across from the hotel, so I could not resist a side trip.
I walked on over and was greeted my a few signs.
A block up, this.
>>Small side bar, when I got back and researched this place, I ran across this BLOG in which the author describes a run in w/ police and them destroying some of his film and erasing his camera.<<
Apparently, this Pilgrim State Hospital, opened in 1931, was once the largest of its type in the world. You can read the details HERE.
They still use this facility on a greatly downsized measure now, but by looking at the above linked BING map, you can see how large this place once was. The following pictures show a few of the remaining original buildings. I only had the cell phone camera w/ me, and the sun wasn't w/ me, so some of the pictures aren't the best, sorry.
Enjoy.
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| Brick Water Tower |
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| Inside Water Tower |
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| Debris Field from razed buildings |
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| Empty tree lined streets |
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| Looking up into the water tower |
So, after I posted this, did some more research and found the cemetery's location....took these shots and some video. I was sort of amazed at just how large it actually was. I read 10 acres. If you died, and no one claimed you, you wound up here. It was said that at least one patient died every day here.
OCTOBER 2 2011 Update.....
So I went out for a run this morning and stumbled across the abandoned power generating station for the hospital. It is a giant complex, basically all boarded up, but there were a few holes.......
OCTOBER 2 2011 Update.....
So I went out for a run this morning and stumbled across the abandoned power generating station for the hospital. It is a giant complex, basically all boarded up, but there were a few holes.......
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| Uh Oh....time to go! |
Thank you for posting the photos and showing the cemetery. I had an Uncle who was a patient there until his death in 1973. I never even knew he existed until a couple years ago researching my ancestry. I was 15 when he died. I wish I knew more about him, but no one in my family says or knows much. At least viewing the cemetery gives me some comfort of his resting place.
ReplyDeleteHello this all was very interesting. I am looking for my great grandmothers marker, she died in 1936, marker #71. Name, victoria tribolitiche. This video you made, E T Williams, is very comforting to me too as Anonymous, above, said.
DeleteThis place has a very high level of Paranormal Activity...an when they redevelop the property what will they do with the cemetery..Did u know Pilgrim State had its own power, train station, post office, police, an generated their own power. It was independent from the rest of Suffolk County..
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a young child I remember driving past pilgrim state going to the horse stables. I was told it was a hospital. I don't live in long island anymore but I often remember the building it seemed so enormous and let an impression even 50 years later. You did a great job.
ReplyDeleteIm from brentwood and lived there 25 yrs... I heard many stories growing up ( always horror stories) and i never felt great about the place or ridding around in it as many of us did when snow storms covered it... I no longer live in NY but always remember the stories of pilgrim hospital...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nampn.org/cases/shepherd_dennis.html
ReplyDeleteMy brother disappaeard in these woods on MAY 18 2012. He was wearing tan pants/tan shoes and black t shirt. Call police if you see any bones or the items above. You can paste link above to see details. Thanks Vicky Shepherd
Was he a patient here ? Im so sorry to hear...any updates?
DeleteSeeing these photos and how I remember it 30 plus years ago when mom was an in-patient is very strange. I drive on the Sag often and commack rd but only drove through a few times and never felt ok to have a look though I really wanted to so ty for these pics. Vicky, I'm so sorry to read about you brother, truly.
Deletehow do i find the location of the building in the 3rd from last picture
ReplyDeleteyou cant they knocked that building down so ive heard but if they haven't I will try to find it on my adventure back to pilgrim state and will tell you the location if the building still remains.
DeleteI have visited Pilgrim on a mission to support an young man from Haiti who had garnered support for treatment over objection. We were rational and calm but asked to leave administrative offices. ( threatened security). Abuse and neglect still goes on. The great tragedy is all this land is now valuable real estate. Doesn't it make sense the land really belongs to the "patients"?
ReplyDeletei need help finding the underground tunnels that lead to the hospital part of the building, my friends found a hidden door and a flight of steps leading to a tunnel beneath the power plant.
ReplyDeletei believe there are two tunnels going from the power plant the places has or had two diffent sets of tunnels. one set on one end of the hospital and the other set for the other end of the hospital
DeleteI believe my great grandfather was also buried here. The 1940 census shows he was hospitalized here at age 65, and I can find no further record of him anywhere. His wife died in 1962 but he was not buried anywhere near her. Does anyone know how to locate a marker for someone who died as a Pilgrim patient? Is it possible to visit the cemetery?
ReplyDeleteI work at pilgrim it's not what it use to be. It's still sad and they rent out the space to other mental ill places it's a sad place no structure patients come and go as they please.
ReplyDeleteMy great-uncle Charles MURDOCH is thought to have been buried here. He was born in Wakefield, UK, in 1868 and emigrated to New York in 1889. He was a successful caterer and later an inventor holding patents for an early dish-washer. One of his sons [also named Charles] was murdered in Manhattan in 1923. He died between 1950 and 1954 at the Pilgrim State Psychiatric Hospital. RIP.
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ReplyDeleteThis was amazing to see after all these years. Thank you. I had two parents that were nurses and an Uncle who worked at Pilgram. I've heard and seen a lot and walked the grounds at Pilgram in past. It is so sad to see Pilgram what it is today. So much has happened on these grounds and it should be left alone. Nobody should ever be aloud to did up the patients that were buried in the cemetery. Let the poor patients rest in piece. They have been through enough in there life time military men included. Who ever does decide to dig up and rebuild on these grounds at pilgram should rethink and let the sick rest in piece. Trust me i heard many many many stories. Also, seen patients get hauled away for the straight jackets. Not a pretty site. Pilgram's buildings should of been left alone and never touched. It has so much history!!!!
ReplyDeleteI had two parents that were nurses and an Uncle who worked at Pilgrim. I've heard and seen a lot and walked the grounds at Pilgrim in past. It is so sad to see Pilgrim what it is today. So much has happened on these grounds and in the buildings that it should be left alone. Nobody should ever be aloud to dig up the patients that were buried in the cemetery. Let the poor patients rest in piece. They have been through enough in there life time military men included. Who ever does decide to dig up and rebuild on these grounds at Pilgrim should rethink and let the sick rest in piece. Trust me i heard many many many stories. Also, seen patients get hauled away for the straight jackets. Not a pretty site. Pilgrim's buildings should of been left alone and never touched in the first place unless it needed to be repaired. Pilgrim has so much history and history like that should be left alone and never touched!!!!!!!
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