SCOUTING
FIELD NOTES

Scouting An Abandoned Mental Asylum: A Visit To The Rockland Psychiatric Center, Part 1

01/25/2011

I gotta admit, when I see a pair of worn iron gates…

…what looks like an abandoned property in the distance…

…and the side entrance slightly ajar…

…ancient, rusted-over NO TRESPASSING signs might as well say ENTER HERE.

What I didn’t realize is that these gates surround a massive, 600 acre insane asylum from the 1920’s – and nearly all of it abandoned.

(huge pan – click for larger sizes!)

This is the Rockland County Psychiatric Center, built in 1927, and “sprawling” does not do it justice. Here’s the facility in its heyday, and yes, that’s its own power plant in the distance:

At its peak year in 1959, Rockland Psychiatric had 9,000 residents and a staff of 2,000. Today, most of the facility is empty, left to decay as roots and vines slowly overtake it.

Rockland Psych is one of the most amazing places I’ve ever visited in New York, if for no better reason than it set my imagination firing like crazy.

Though the buildings may be boarded up, the place is heavy with history, and you can feel it in the air.

Visiting Rockland Psych is also like taking a trip back in time, as so wonderfully little has changed. Even little details, like these awesome street lights…

…made me feel I should be driving an old jalopy to pick up my buddy Norman Bates from his weekly session.

Very few places I’ve been to have offered such an all-encompassing out-of-time experience as simply driving down this long, snow-covered road past boarded up buildings:

(huge pan – click for larger sizes!)

I couldn’t stop thinking of questions: how many thousands of patients had passed through Rockland Psych during its operation?

How many had been subjected to primitive, often barbaric treatments like electroshock and lobotomization, both of which were employed at Rockland as “state-of-the-art”?

And man did it set the mood when I climbed up on this heavily gated porch and peered through a window into a shadowy room…

…and saw this on a chalk board:

Please don’t think I’m giving this property a hard time – the architecture is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s only the disrepair and neglect that gives it that haunting feeling. And enjoy it while you can…

It seems that Orangeburg has basically agreed to tear a massive amount of it down in favor of senior citizen condos…

(huge pan – click for larger sizes!)

…as seen in this lovely picture below, which I’m sure absolutely mimics the reality of the project (does anyone else get the feeling The Smurfs are about to walk into the frame?):

I’m not going to get into what a loss this would be in terms of both history and craftsmanship. I get way too passionate about these things when it seems like so few care – hell, I couldn’t even find a mention of the demolition on the Rockland County Historical Society website (though if I missed it, please point me in the right direction).

Instead, I’ll just take you on a tour of what I had the pleasure of seeing.

(huge pan – click for larger sizes!)

The Rockland complex literally has secrets at every corner waiting to be discovered…

Not only is this window-lined hallway fascinating in itself…

…Later, while processing the pictures in Photoshop, I noticed something amazing: hidden in the shadows along the upper walls are these hand-painted scenes from NY history:

Another, showing Henry Hudson’s Half Moon ship:

More windows, and a forgotten pirate hat:

Many of the ends of buildings have little pavilions. Seems pleasant, until you notice the heavy bars preventing escape (note the little trap door for deliveries on the right):

More barred windows. You weren’t going anywhere…

A forgotten table:

Judging by the wall art, I’m guessing this was a school at one point:

Not many remain, but I love the gold and brown carved signs around the complex, which remind me of the National Parks motif:

As you can see in these satellite pictures, the buildings are all constructed in very interesting patterns…

Another:

Many of the buildings in the north-east corner meet in a cross, which seems to me like a ton of space for hallways:

But space was clearly a luxury here, and the windows must have really opened the place up, especially for patients who weren’t allowed out much:

A door that hasn’t been opened in some time, judging by the trees that have grown in front of it:

As you make your way to complex’s center, the buildings feel more austere, as if this is where the real treatment took place:

Many of the buildings have beautiful terra cotta entrances…

…which I’m sure the town is going to recycle when they tear this all down:

Inside, lots of chipped paint. I love the enormous wooden glassed door:

Another room, with chipped paint in the way that Hollywood loves to fake in all of its run down asylums. Note the plaid curtains on the rear window:

Another building:

Love this fire escape…

…Especially when you get up close:

I suppose it was a better sign if you were put in this ward…

…as opposed to this one:

I thought this was incredibly cool too: this building (which feels like a dorm to me) is U-shaped, and if you look into the middle…

…you’ll see what has to be one of the coolest parking spots in New York, lined on both sides with 30 foot trees:

Another beautiful building:

The stairway:

Nearby is the classroom with the “I’m Scared” chalkboard…

I love the whimsical eyeglasses-wearing mouse…

…and these other animals…

…which include probably the most psychotic looking bear I’ve ever seen (those rabbits are a little creepy too).

Haha, that bear makes me laugh every time I see it. Look at it again! Hee hee…

Another arched building nearby…

…has an awesome pair of doors (“yes, we’d like the triangle wedge design, please”):

Inside, more ruins (though the wood-paneling looks like it was purchased yesterday!):

Does someone out there knows what this device does (I’m guessing sterilization)?

A pool table:

Think you’re done? No one gets out of Rockland Psychiatric that fast! CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE TOUR!

Also, if you grew up in the area, I’d love to know any legends you used to hear about the place as a kid!

-SCOUT

PS: More Rockland Psychiatric Center history here!

Many more posts in the archives!

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JB

12/09/2012

Great photos Scout. I grew up in Rockland County as well, and my friend Jimmy is still institutionalized here. So RPC (formerly Rockland State Hospital) is still functional. In the 70s, as a high school student, my friends & I would hang out here once in a while with a staff member we knew after hours, partying and such. As I remember, staff, less severe patients and junkies would kind of come and go.

In later years, visiting Jimmy, we would mill around with other patients who mostly asked for cigarettes. Many seemed heavily drugged (thorazine?) but I never felt danger. Rockland was a depressing but interesting place for sure.

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Andy Leon

12/29/2012

I found your site while trying to find information about Charlotte Oliver who was my Director of RPC during the early seventies. She was also Principal of the Rockland State Hospital School of Nursing in 1965 when I was a nursing student. The hospital Research department was the site of the early work with thorazine, the major tranquilizer that eventually fostered the trend toward medications that led to the de-institutionalization thirty years later. Good work on the photographs.
Andy Leon, BSN, MS, CH (RN Retired)

Reply
1. Donna Place Griffin
  
  06/17/2014
  
  Charlotte Oliver was a very good friend of my family. I still have a missal that was signed by her and given to my Aunt Marion (aka Aunt Mimi) when she retired. She was also a good friend to the Director (Sam Simon) of the library where I worked for 22 years. All in all, there were some really good memories.
  
  Reply
glenn

01/09/2013

As a kid in the early 60s, I would bicycle from home in Bergen county and pass by Rockland State Hospital. I remember being transfixed by the sight of the hulking buildings and the enclosed areas were you could see people moving about. While I never went further onto the grounds, it made quite an impression on me. I think it is one of the reasons that I became a psychologist and have spent over 30 years working in similar though more modern facilities.

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Kevin

01/14/2013

Great website! You do a great job and I will donate! There is another huge abandoned Psychiatric facility in Rockland County in Thiells, called Letchworth Village, which you should definitely check out. The locals all feel it is haunted and it was closed down mostly I believe in the 70’s, when horrible abuses came to light, particularly in the sections where boys were warehoused. It is over 300 acres and was basically a small self contained city in its day, much like Rockland Psych. It is mostly abandoned now except for a few buildings on the old girls section of the complex which are still being used.

Now owned by the town, I was involved with the mayor a couple years ago trying to find a developer, but the deal fell thru. If you’d like to scout it, I think it would be well worth it. If you send me an email, I might be able introduce you to the mayor for access.

Reply
1. Kjerstin R
  
  01/14/2014
  
  Hi Kevin – what is your email?
  
  Reply
  1. Renee
    
    04/26/2014
    
    Hi Kevin,
    
    I would love to visit Letchworth also. I’m a Psyc major and while I need to hold off school for now, I would love to take some photos of the place. My husband is also History teacher and I think his students would be interested in hearing stories on Letchworth and photos of the place.
    
    It is soo hard to gain access these days to these buildings as the vandals make it impossible for people like us to experience.
    
    Im looking to take the trip up there May 10th. Please contact me as I my husband, myself and our son would love to gain access. My e-mail address is: ravenr24@msn.com
    
    Please send me an e-mail as to what I need to do.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Renee
    
    Reply
2. Theresa
  
  03/26/2014
  
  Letchworth is in process of being torn down. They already tore half down for a golf course. Some old buildings have been renovated for a school.
  It’s sad to see the Kirkbride buildings go.
  
  For anyone who wants to know or info:
  My mother worked at Rockland Children’s Psych as a teacher and then a family liason during the mid 2000s.
  My grandmother was in Rockland Psych during the 30s-50s.
  I was in there myself early 2000.
  
  I have friends who have been in RCPC, some who hated it, others not minded so much.
  I have heard that the state Juvie Detention sends it’s worst ones to RCPC, so that you have a kid straight from the detention center who has to have 2 big guys following him around to protect the others. agh.
  These kids think it’s a vacation away from juvie.
  
  Reply
  1. Renee
    
    04/26/2014
    
    Hi Theresa,
    
    So is it worth the trip up to Letchworth? I was planning on going May 10 to take pics of the buildings. I will be greatly disappointed now. Please let me know before me and my family takes a trip there.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Renee’
    
    Reply
    1. Frances
      
      12/10/2016
      
      MY MOTHER WAS AT LETCHWORTH THAT’S WHERE SHE HAD ME IN 1958
      
      Reply
Stephen Mirts

02/06/2013

Can anyone give me the address to this place? Me and a few of my buddies wanna go check it out. I know the new wards address and from what i heard it is right by it. Someone help? Thanks. When i do go i will be glad to share any stories if i have aha.

Reply
Elaine

02/12/2013

What fascinating photos and commentary. I just watched The Snake Pit, based on the real experiences of a woman in the 40s who was housed there. What a great movie and now I want to read the book. I can only imagine how much sadness these buildings once held.

Reply
Chris Maggard

02/14/2013

Who can I contact about this location… I’am very interested in this location for shooting a Documentary. Please contact me at Chris@tspnorthernkentucky.com

Thank you.

Reply
mary

02/21/2013

I have paperwork that I found at letchworth years ago. Any interest in it??

Reply
1. Tess
  
  11/11/2013
  
  interested in the information you have from letchworth?
  
  Reply
2. Tessa
  
  03/31/2015
  
  Hello Mary, do you still have any old paperwork from Letchworth?
  
  Reply
John Kinn, CRNA

03/16/2013

I graduated from the Rockland State Hospital School of Nursing in 1969, and became a Certified Registerd Nurse Anesthetist in 1971. After a 40 year career in that capacity I am now retired.

I have many very fond memories of my years as a student at Rockland.
Most especially of the professionals involved in that program and of my classmates in those years.

Your photos are bitter-sweet. Sweet for all of the memories they
evoke. Bitter for the complete deterioration they portray. In its’
day the hospital did a great deal of good for many people and tried
to accomplish that for many others. It WAS NOT an example of a poor
approach to mental health care but rather only a representation of what was the common perspective of the times accross the land. We’ve
progressed and society is the better for it!

Thank you for showing some of the history of our country’s mental
health care.

Reply
Shirley Gillard Thompson

03/16/2013

This is to David (Tank ) Henderson I was in Rockland back in the 1960 . And I am doing Great Would like to talk to you about your time being there. And I can say I had some great time as well . A Lot of kid that was there did not belong in that hospital. But it was a safe haven for some of use. You would not believe some of the things we done. Just to name a few we went to dances,boiling, gulfing ,camping,we went to differnce lake for outing that is just few few things we did. Hey David give me a call 571-315-5124

Reply
1. Madeline M
  
  08/30/2013
  
  Hi Shirley, I would like to talk with someone that had been here in the 60’s I was taken to a mental institution in the 60’s I do remember lots of things, its an untouchable subject to people in my family about my young yrs.
  
  Reply
  1. shirley
    
    10/07/2013
    
    Hi Madeline feel free to give me a call anytime. I no longer live in new York my cell number is 5713155124
    
    Reply
    1. Kathy
      
      02/20/2014
      
      My grandmother peggy was there until 1962 when she died. Do you remember her?
      
      Reply
2. Frances
  
  12/10/2016
  
  MY NAME IS FRANCES BACK THAN MY LAST NAME WAS WASHINGTON, I WAS AT ROCKLAND IN THE 60S AND 70S
  
  Reply
Gary C

03/17/2013

I’m a member of a parnormal research group and was wondering if this building is still there and if there was a way to get a contact to ask about a possible investigation. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Reply
1. Ellen
  
  05/19/2013
  
  Hi Gary C, another paranormal researcher did an investigation there, a few years ago. Linda Zimmerman, an historian, & a researcher, investigated Kids Corner, the building that was an employee’s children’s daycare center. Back in the old days, that complex of buildings was used for the “New magic cure”, electric shock therapy. Confused souls were tortured, some died ,suffering from the medical fields’ newest “cure” for the insane. There’s plenty of odd things going on, not just in that building, but all over the grounds. Contact the director of Rock Psych Hosp, to see what’s needed, to perform an investigation. A lot of the buildings are now owned by the Town of Orangetown, so you might also have to contact someone in the town, for permission My Mom worked at the hosp, starting in admissions building in 1982, & retiring in 2005. I practically grew up over there, & volunteered for an animal rescue, that was in 2 different buildings, on the grounds. The original building we were in, had a tunnel that ran from the building, to I believe, the original main hospital building. Cats would go down that tunnel, til you could no longer see past the blackness, but I NEVER went down to get them. They’d usually come back on their own. I think this building was the originally kitchen/food building, that food was brought to the old hosp building, via this tunnel. Or, it could have Bern usedto bring bodies outta there too. All I know, is that tunnel scared the livi.g shit outta me, &
  
  Reply
  1. Theresa
    
    03/26/2014
    
    The old buildings all connect by tunnels. There was a way to get into them which is likely closed off now. Maybe i moved out of state.
    The new high rise buildings have several layers of basements and sub-basements which i thought interesting.
    As a patient who was higher functioning and not a behavioral problem, the staff actually let me see blueprints of the buildings.
    
    Reply
E

04/03/2013

The children’s portion of the site may be going up for sale soon it is state owned property and town residents want it purchased for use as a recreational facility with some retail or rented space for income offset. It is a wonderful place and more than anything I would love to see it preserved but that is not realistic as the tax burden just to keep it as-is is already huge. There are rumblings of all the remainder of th unused portions going for sale in future. Again residents want town to buy it. If not, there are communities of people who are non tax payers looking to purchase it which would be an even more enormous strain on the already out of control taxes in this town. Additionally the groups looking to come here have a history of being divisive. (So in my opinion, senior cotizens welcome!). On top of that there is an estimated 20 million asbestos abatement that would need to happen to bring those old buildings to code.
As for paranormal activities, sorry none to see. I live a few blocks away and am always in the neighborhood and have never seen or heard anything. The scariest thing about the place is the potential to run into the housed sex offenders or drug addicts that live in the new building. The old buildings are beautiful and peaceful. I live watching Mother Nature reclaim her lands. While I can’t speak for a patient perspective I can speak from a local resident one if you have any questions… Good luck and loon forward to seeing that film!

Reply
Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht

04/12/2013

I was a student nurse at Rockland State Hospital from 1958-1961. As I look at the photos, I edit them in my mind with how it was when I was there. It was a city unto itself…even with it’s own fire & police department. There was a beautiful Catholic church high on a hill. The priest, who was made a Monsignor was Father Cox. He was wonderful with the patients. It was a difficult time in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. Some of the treatments were very harsh & I cringe remember being a part of them. Thorazine & Stelazine were just introduced. Many patients received insulin shock. I know there were many patients institutionalized who didn’t belong there, but then there were patients who were so sick that I couldn’t imagine how they could live without some sort of protection that Rockland did offer. It’s hard for me to say which area I found most difficult. There were over 20,000 patients during that time. The treatment of geriatrics was so difficult & to my mind, there was plenty of abuse. On Sunday the buses would arrive with family & visitors, mainly from NYC. The whole situation was very odd. I was only 18 at the time & had never seen mentally ill patients. It was there that I learned deep compassion for the human condition & spirit. I still work in the mental health field today & will never, ever forget what Rockland taught me about humanity. While we in the medical field have made great strides, this is an area of medicine that has been ignored and stigmatized. When I married & worked in Europe, things were different in the world of psychiatry. I don’t think I ever saw a leather restraint on any patient, nor some of the other things we did such as iced sheets, straight jackets, etc. Mental illness was seen in a totally different way. We still have a long way to go… for those of you who were patients at Rockland, I hold a place in my heart for you.

Reply
1. Julie Grosberg
  
  09/14/2013
  
  Thank you for your description of the hospital and the situation at that time. My grandmother was an inmate at Rockland in the 1940’s and 50’s. I was told she died there, but there was so much family shame around her condition, I never heard the facts. I wish there was was some way to learn about her diagnosis, treatment and life there. Her name was Ethel Grosberg, (my grandpa was Aaron Grosberg, my dad was Morris Grosberg.)
  I’d love to find more information about her.
  
  Reply
  1. Kathy
    
    02/20/2014
    
    I too would like info about my grandmother were you able to obtain any about yours?
    
    Reply
    1. Theresa
      
      03/26/2014
      
      Clara Logan or Clara Vanasse was my grandmother who was in there as well,
      The 1940 census lists patients (some anyway).
      
      Reply
2. Fern wilcox
  
  05/05/2015
  
  Hi, thank you for your compassion. My sweet grandmother was a patient there, intermittently, in the 30’s and 40’s. She apparently had severe depression. Stories were few and far between about her illness . Like others who have posted here there was an immense amount of shame. I have been a nurse since the sixties and remember Thorazine and stelazine and seemingly heavily medicated, almost sedated, straight jacketed, patients. My heart breaks whenever I think of the “treatments” my sweet grandma probably endured. Your caring and compassion makes me hope that May came in contact with people like you. Thank you. Fern
  
  Reply
JD

04/14/2013

Wow, what an amazing series of photos and the comments were as fascinating. My heart goes out to anyone who suffered at that place. It’s a beautiful location and I commend you, Scout, for going into that place alone (if you were were alone) or even with friends. I am skeptical of ghosts, etc, but if there’s anyplace in the world that’s stalked by the souls of the tortured and the damned, that’s gotta be it.

Reply
Sommer

05/15/2013

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Reply
Ellen

05/19/2013

Hi Gary C, another paranormal researcher did an investigation there, a few years ago. Linda Zimmerman, an historian, & a researcher, investigated Kids Corner, the building that was an employee’s children’s daycare center. Back in the old days, that complex of buildings was used as the kids section, & before that, for the “New magic cure”, electric shock therapy. Confused souls were tortured, some died , suffering from the medical fields’ newest “cure” for the insane. There’s plenty of odd things going on, not just in that building, but all over the grounds. Contact the director of Rock Psych Hosp, to see what’s needed, to perform an investigation. A lot of the buildings are now owned by the Town of Orangetown, so you might also have to contact someone in the town, for permission My Mom worked at the hosp, starting in admissions building in 1982, & retiring in 2005. I practically grew up over there, & volunteered for an animal rescue, that was in 2 different buildings, on the grounds. The original building we were in, had a tunnel that ran from the building, to I believe, the original main hospital building. Cats would go down that tunnel, til you could no longer see past the blackness, but I NEVER went down to get them. They’d usually come back on their own. I think this building was originally the kitchen/food building, that food was brought to the old hosp building, via this tunnel. Or, it could have been used to bring bodies outta there too. All I know, is that tunnel scared the living shit outta me, & not much freaks me out! Good luck if you get permission, & get in there, before they start ripping down the buildings. Also, if you do get in, look into the giant building at the center of the complex, near the old bus station. It was called the Big Rock Cafe last, & houses an old bowling alley, right outta the old days. There’s shoes, bags, & balls still there, as if everything literally stopped suddenly, & time stood still. It is one of the oldest buildings on property. = )

Reply
Barbara Gould

05/27/2013

My name is Barbara Gould and fortunately I lasted at Rockland for only 6 months – Sept. ’61 – March ’62. I then “took off” with one of the male patients (who I later found out was a junkie and I had no idea what that was – until I got into that life). There was a list that came out each week that showed who was going to be transferred to which building from the “intake” housing unit. I was secretly told by one of the attendants that I was on the list for Bldg. 500. That was the place women were sent – a bldg. that housed approx. 500 women – with beds side by side so close you could barely make it in the morning. No one left bldg. 500. lobotomies were preformed, electric shock, hydro therapy (the baths). Nearly all the doctors (of which there were few) had been patients at some point. The movie “Snakepit” was partially filmed there. The last scene of the movie shows the Port Authority bus picking up Olivia deHavilland and her husband “going home”. It was a nightmare place and yes, an older woman in my room (4 to a room) had pneumonia or something and the attendants refused to call a doctor to help her and said she would die anyway – she was too old.
Keep Rockland State Hospital up as some sort of landmark? You should be ashamed of yourselves for even thinking of the possibility. The place should be torn down with the bricks blown up and reconfigured to create senior housing. Change the entire landscape. Let Rockland State former patients rest in peace.

Reply
1. Theresa
  
  03/26/2014
  
  Rather they should make a memorial for all the patients who suffered and died there.
  There are many that staff apparently turned a blind eye too.
  Also some just passed away. We had a woman pass away of a heart attack in her sleep on our ward.
  The funeral was on the grounds and our whole ward went. Only her 2 sons were there and they left quickly as if they were embarrassed. It was so sad. I was just glad our whole ward got to go, as the woman who passed at least deserved a decent turnout for her funeral. She wasn’t even that low functioning, it was as if her sons left her in the snakepit to rot since they didn’t want to be burdened.
  Definitely the place teaches humility and suffering of the human condition.
  
  Reply
  1. Christine
    
    09/22/2015
    
    My great grandmother Ida DeWitt died in RPC in 1969. She had 2 sons and my grandma. I was told she was a tiny woman and very sweet.
    
    Reply
Meagan L.

06/18/2013

This place was in my very vivid dream i had last night. it honestly felt like i was there. when i woke up i remembered the name clear as day. and looked it up immeidatly, mind you… i have never heard of this place unlill my dream. could this be telling me something?

Reply
james

06/24/2013

my older sister was a student there and graduated as a R N , my parents and my little sister would drive down from alden new York to visit her , we actually stayed at the girls dorm to save money on a motel ,it was very weird, you could hear screams 24/7 ,the water pressure there was strong ,when you flushed a toilet it was loud yes it was a city in itself ,I remember they had buildings just for the laundry , at that time there was a big investigations on mental hospitals in new York ,they had on the news film of patients being neglected ,I cannot remember the facility name

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JC1305us

07/15/2013

Grew up in Rockland, and since I can remember, they’ve been debating what to do with Rockland Psych. Last I remember they were going to turn it into a golf course among other things. Though it’s been 10 years since I moved from Rockland, I’d be interested to see what becomes of it.

Reply