The hospital eventually was renamed the manteno mental health center. Manteno community room photos courtesy phil tkacz, as the scope and funding of manteno state hospital grew, so did the number of patients. Report on a typhoid fever epidemic at manteno state hospital in 1939. It answers many of the questions we have received via comments. Manteno state hospital formerly manteno state mental hospital was a psychiatric hospital located in rural manteno township in kankakee county, illinois. In the last three years megan bland has made more than a dozen trips from her rogers park apartment to investigate the ruins of manteno state hospital, which closed unceremoniously in. Manteno state mental hospital opened in december 1930 during the great depression, and it was a cuttingedge concept for the time. This video starts off with the history of manteno state hospital and when it was first opened in the late 1920s. After a spate of deaths of patients, this facility became a testing ground for government scientists and psychiatrists in 1950s. Before thorazine and other antipsychotic medications, the severely mentally ill were housed and treated at institutions such as manteno state hospital southwest of chicago. Ella curry the thirteenth superintendent of manteno state hospital. In the late spring a typhoid epidemic swept through the hospital causing 60 deaths and over 400 seriously ill.
Manteno state hospital by april mitchell hardcover lulu. Nov 15, 1998 in the early 1950s, she was placed in a research ward at manteno state hospital. See more ideas about abandoned asylums, abandoned hospital and abandoned places. Exclusive letter from one who visited the insane asylum click here to read it. Manteno state hospital history in the 1920s, a need for an additional illinois mental health facility began to grow as the state hospitals in jacksonville, elgin, and kankakee became overcrowded. The institutions campus, on which the hospital wards and other buildings were built, is located two miles east and a mile south of the village of manteno and totals 389 acres. I knew there wasnt going to be much to see here except for one building, but it was worth the trip. Genealogy research at the manteno historical society. Manteno state hospital manteno illinois real haunted place.
The central state hospital local redevelopment authority was created in 2012 by the state to revitalize and repurpose the property. My footage taken of manteno state hospital at hinton hall may 18th 2014. Photograph from a new face, a new force in mental health care. Exploring illinois abandoned psychiatric hospitals. Haunted places in manteno, illinois haunted places. During this time, manteno continued to grow, with new associations, such as a businessmens association. Manteno state hospital was a psychiatric hospital located in. A psychiatric hospital in illinois, the manteno state hospital was opened in 1930. Manteno state mental hospital ghost hunt pics ghostly.
Hospital of horrors, spent three months at manteno as a research assistant. Farming has been a mainstay in manteno, and its importance continues today. In the year 1985, the state of illinois converted this facility into a veterans home and cemetery. More of a community than a hospital, manteno was a massive undertaking that, on the surface, appeared grandiose in both scope and promise. Nichols six mile grove nmomence 5 northeast section cemetery book. Few noticed or cared as she had been a prisoner of illinois state mental institutions for over 50 years. Letter remembering the now haunted manteno state hospital insane asylum by edward shanahan. The hospital opened on september 4, 1879, and began to operate a training school for nurses in 1886. Federal and state census reports from 1820 1850 are located at the abraham lincoln presidential library.
This book describes one of the first research projects to study the effect of architectural environment on human behavior. Gennies parents had her committed to manteno state hospital in 1944 when she was only 25. In 1939, this 1930s hospital suffered a typhoid fever epidemic and more than 50 patients and staff members died. A compilation of nearly 30 photos taken from the conceptual series that were done at an abandoned state hospital. The hospital for tb is still there, but is completely a haunted house attraction. The written request goes to the medical records department of the state hospital. Manteno state hospital newspapers from 1965 to 1973 are available at the manteno public library. Because of the nature of the hospital, information on a patient cannot be released except on a signed consent from a relative. Silvis 18711943 assistant director of the department of public welfare 19291933 and 19411943. Report on manteno state hospital typhoid fever epidemic 1939 authors.
It became the largest mental health facility in the state of illinois and even in. The following are notes taken from an interview with a sociology professor who had once worked at msh as a mental health care professional. Oct 30, 2003 in the last three years megan bland has made more than a dozen trips from her rogers park apartment to investigate the ruins of manteno state hospital, which closed unceremoniously in 1985. Manteno historical society museum and society offices. You could tell that at one time, in its day, this hospital had been architecturally grand and beautiful in its remote little setting of the manteno countryside. What little remains photos of the abandoned manteno state. It was almost hard to imagine that it had once been the home of so many mentally ill people. Ella curry heads major illinois mental institution, ebony, september 1975, vol. At the time, physicians from various illinois universities experimented on patients involuntarily in attempts to. Copies made from digital format cost 50% of the paper copy charges. Aug 23, 2012 this video starts off with the history of manteno state hospital and when it was first opened in the late 1920s. Typhoid fever epidemiology disease outbreaks illinois epidemiology manteno state hospital.
Manteno state hospital, manteno ticket price timings. Records of state mental hospitals at the illinois state. The facility was authorized in 1927 by the 55th illinois general. A report on a typhoid fever epidemic at manteno state. What little remains photos of the abandoned manteno. Mar 10, 20 manteno state mental hospital ghost hunt, march 9, 20, manteno, illinois. Peoria asylum bartonville 2020 all you need to know. Manteno state hospital opened its doors in the early 1930s as construction on the sprawling hospital was still ongoing. When the board of state commissioners of public charities was abolished in 1909, the institute was reorganized and renamed kankakee state hospital, effective january 1, 1910. The state would take her freedom, and the doctors would take her sanity. The hospital was later renamed the manteno mental health center and it stopped operations in 1985.
Apr 24, 20 few noticed or cared as she had been a prisoner of illinois state mental institutions for over 50 years. But after being committed to manteno, gennie would never be the same. The facility was authorized in 1927 by the 55th illinois general assembly with its first patients arriving in december 1930. In 1939 the manteno state hospital befell a tragic epidemic of typhoid fever, involving 453 cases and resulting in 60 deaths. Illinois central railroads manteno depot led to formation of the township in 1855 and the village in 1869. The 1930s manteno state hospital suffered a typhoid fever epidemic in 1939, and more than 50 patients and staff members died. Illinois state mental hospitals and state institutions. Once known as a brickyard town, mantenos boundaries widened as a mental hospital opened on its eastern border in 1930 and a major interstate sprang up. See more ideas about insane asylum, asylum and chicago. The manteno state hospital began construction in 1928 and the first patients were admitted in 1930. Like peoria bartonville state hospital, manteno was laid out in a cottage plan, which meant that the patients were housed in a series of separate buildings rather than in one single institution. To get answers to individual questions, contact a librarian. Top 10 most haunted hospitals in illinois mysterious heartland.
The village endured the hardships of such major events as the great depression and several significant wars, but persevered on to become the prosperous. In the early 1950s, she was placed in a research ward at manteno state hospital. A followup to this post was published on thursday, july 26, 2012, with the title help in accessing closed records of illinois state mental hospitals. The facility was authorized in 1927 by the 55th illinois general assembly with its first patients arriving in. One of the most disturbing, yet not shocking, discoveries made about manteno state hospital was the sexual activity of patients and staff during the 1960s and 1970s.
Help in accessing closed records of illinois state mental. Some stay one week, some twobut the law requires them. The skies were gray and a light rain was falling when we arrived at manteno. In 1929, the cornerstone for the newly dedicated manteno state hospital was placed, and the first patients were admitted one year later from nearby. Harvey widroe, author of diary of a medical student. The sanitary conditions that led to this unfortunate event were deplorable. By 1939 manteno state hospital had grown to twice the size of kankakee state hospital. Manteno state hospital in manteno, illinois, opened its doors two days after christmas day in 1930 with the arrival of the first 100 male patients transferred from kankakee state hospital. Mar 01, 20 manteno community room photos courtesy phil tkacz, as the scope and funding of manteno state hospital grew, so did the number of patients. May 20, 2014 my footage taken of manteno state hospital at hinton hall may 18th 2014. Manteno state mental hospital ghost hunt, march 9, 20, manteno, illinois. There were 5,385 patients on the census for that year. In the 1960s, the hospital handled approximately 8,000 patients. New book highlights manteno history through photos local.
Manteno by melanie holmes arcadia publishing books. Letter remembering the now haunted manteno state hospital. Top 10 most haunted hospitals in illinois mysterious. To learn more about accessing mental health records, please read this followup after reading the post below. Previously displayed at the manteno state hospital. Exploring illinois abandoned psychiatric hospitals by hale goetz in news on apr 1, 2016 3. The cemeteries are large and are located on the far. Manteno history, city of manteno, manteno museums, manteno.
Government publication, state or province government publication, internet resource. She was the first woman in illinois to hold this position and a cottage at manteno state hospital was named after. At its peak, manteno was one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world. The hospital was built as a series of approximately 40 buildings called cottages with nearly a mile of underground tunnels connecting the buildings. The story of gennie pilarski sometimes interesting. The cover of the new manteno book features members of the albert stauffenberg family on their farm northwest of the village. Due to a rapid increase in the hospitals population the original water and sewage provisions quickly became overburdened and inadequate.
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