National Register of Historic Places

Norwich Hospital District

Norwich-Preston, New London County, Connecticut
Listed
January 22, 1988
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
87002424

About this property

The Norwich State Hospital, originally established as the Norwich State Hospital for the Insane, later shortened to the Norwich Hospital, was a psychiatric hospital located in Preston and Norwich, Connecticut. It opened its doors in October 1904 and operated until October 10, 1996. Throughout the near-century it operated, it housed geriatric patients, chemically dependent patients, and from 1931-1939, tubercular patients. The hospital, which sits on the banks of the Thames River, began with a single building on 100 acres of land, and expanded to over 30 buildings and 900 acres at its peak. A 70 acre property including the hospital was listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. After the closure of the hospital in 1996 all remaining patients were transferred out, and the property was left unused and abandoned. Multiple parties expressed interest in the property, and in 2009, the State of Connecticut sold the 393 acres of the Norwich State Hospital site to the town of Preston for $1 and with the sale the town of Preston agreed to perform the needed environmental remediation of the property before any development was to begin on the site. The town of Preston reached an agreement in May 2016 with the Mohegan Tribe to develop the property into the Preston Riverwalk. This is described by the Mohegan Tribe as a "non-gaming destination with outdoor and indoor attractions, hotel and retail space, restaurants, housing, a marina, an RV Park and more". Currently the grounds of the State Hospital are undergoing remediation and demolition work in preparation for the planned Preston Riverwalk. The Mohegan Tribe has stated that the Administration building will be preserved and restored as part of the project.

Location

Norwich-Preston, New London County, Connecticut
41.48966, -72.07301

Categories

HEALTH/MEDICINEARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

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1 mi
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Poquetanuck Village Historic District
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1.6 mi
Laurel Hill Historic District
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2.1 mi
Hallville Mill Historic District
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2.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Norwich Hospital District listed on the National Register?

Norwich Hospital District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 22, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Norwich Hospital District?

Norwich Hospital District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Norwich Hospital District?

The period of significance for Norwich Hospital District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Norwich Hospital District?

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