A Panorama Tour of the Northampton State Hospital

Book excerpt: Built in 1856 and demolished in 2006, the Northampton State Hospital (or Old Main, as it was known locally) was designed by pioneers in the field of mental health and treatment. Situated on a hilltop with views of the Connecticut River Valley, the hospital was intended as a retreat where people who were mentally ill could heal in a bucolic setting, working on a farm run by fellow patients. Eventually, though, over-crowding and underfunding threatened the founders' more honorable intentions. Through more than fifty panoramic images taken around and inside the historic building, this book offers a unique opportunity to explore this historic psychiatric hospital again. Wander the grounds at will. Circumnavigate the entire sprawling institution. Go inside. Walk the halls, visit the theater, look inside rooms, peer out windows, and climb the stairs to the attic. Explore what once was.