National Register of Historic Places

Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane

Willard, Seneca County, New York
Listed
March 7, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75001229

About this property

The Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane is a former state hospital in Willard, New York, United States, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1865 the Legislature authorized the establishment of The Willard Asylum for the Insane. Opened in 1869, the asylum offered low-cost custodial care. The Willard drug treatment center was opened in 1995 on the campus of the former Willard Psychiatric State Hospital, a facility for mental patients. In 1995, some 400 suitcases that were brought in by the patients were discovered in an asylum attic. These suitcases were part of a 2014 exhibition at the Exploratorium in San Francisco called "The Changing Face of What is Normal: Mental Health." The exhibit included photography of the contents of the suitcases by John Crispin and poetry about the lives of the patients and staff by Dr. Karen L. Miller who researched the experience of Willard patients and staff.

Location

Willard, Seneca County, New York
42.67951, -76.87952

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

Kinne, David and Mary, Farmstead
Early Republic
2 mi
Jones, Hannah and George W. House
Industrial
2.9 mi
Seneca County Courthouse Complex at Ovid
Industrial
3 mi
Ford, Edith B., Memorial Library
Industrial
3 mi
Wilson, Aaron, House
Industrial
3.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane listed on the National Register?

Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 7, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane?

Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane?

The period of significance for Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane is recorded as the industrial era.

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