It was later renamed the manteno mental health center. In 1939 the manteno state hospital befell a tragic epidemic of typhoid fever, involving 453 cases and resulting in 60 deaths. 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. Because of the nature of the hospital, information on a patient cannot be released except on a signed consent from a relative.
Ralph hinton was the first administrator and many people who lived in manteno rushed to apply to work at the newly built institution. Letter remembering the now haunted manteno state hospital insane asylum by edward shanahan. More of a community than a hospital, manteno was a massive undertaking that, on the surface, appeared grandiose in both scope and promise. Records of state mental hospitals at the illinois state. Then, developers used the cottage plan, like nearby manteno state hospital, in the early 1900s. Exclusive letter from one who visited the insane asylum click here to read it. Gennie said she would like to have a job, clothes, some books. To get answers to individual questions, contact a librarian. 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. Genealogy research at the manteno historical society. On a flat plain 48 miles south of chicago lie 60 squat redbrick buildings.
In recent years, much of the former hospital has been reclaimed as an industrial park and as lowincome housing. Manteno insane asylum in manteno, illinois manteno state mental hospital opened in december 1930 during the great depression, and it was a cuttingedge concept for the time. New book highlights manteno history through photos local news. The story of gennie pilarski sometimes interesting. Aaron awakens in a hospital room, witnessing shenanigans. 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. The complex then became business rentals, a bank, part of the illinois diversatech campus and even a private residence. Manteno state hospital newspapers from 1965 to 1973 are available at the manteno public library. Illinois state mental hospitals and state institutions. In 1929, the cornerstone for the newly dedicated manteno state hospital was placed, and the first patients were admitted one year later from nearby.
Exclusive letter from one who visited the insane asylum. Jun 18, 2014 the top 10 hospital stories from george eliot to ken kesey, novelist sarah moss finds the best novels featuring these fascinating, sometimes frightening institutions sarah moss. The book also includes interesting stories of a number of people with. I have and written about in four paranormal books, at times individuals write me, send me. Pfeiffer wrote many books and papers about nutrition and its relation with. Its a true story of one woman who unfortunately suffered through the therapies. Information taken from national register of historic places paperwork.
Plan your road trip to manteno state hospital in il with roadtrippers. May 27, 2009 information about visiting the diversatech manteno va home grounds former manteno state hospital grounds there is nothing left of manteno state hospital to explore. Copies made from digital format cost 50% of the paper copy charges. Many years ago, there was a lady with horrific burns scars. While i was there, it was packed to overflowing with unwanted children and societys rejects. It answers many of the questions we have received via comments. A tremendous book that details the great state of illinois and all of its legends. Clearly there is a clamoring for access to the closed patient records. Manteno state hospital opened its doors in the early 1930s as construction on the sprawling hospital was still ongoing. Due to a rapid increase in the hospital s population the original water and sewage provisions quickly became overburdened and inadequate.
Celebrating manteno state hospital during construction, circa 1928. Mar 10, 20 manteno state mental hospital ghost hunt, march 9, 20, manteno, illinois. Its far from comprehensive but does touch on the highlights like resurrection mary, the manteno state hospital, roseland cemetery, route 66 and even the lexington hotel made famous by geraldo rivera when he excavated capones vault. The facility was authorized in 1927 by the 55th illinois general assembly with its first patients arriving in december 1930. Manteno state hospital is an abandoned mental hospital in manteno. Manteno state hospital gave jobs to many people during the great depression. The facility was authorized in 1927 by the 55th illinois general assembly with its first patients arriving in. For many years, the village of manteno described itself with the slogan. The manteno state hospital began construction in 1928 and the first patients were admitted in 1930. Help in accessing closed records of illinois state mental. Built in the late 1800s, it was the largest building in the state at the time of its construction, more than a mile in circumference.
Gennies parents had her committed to manteno state hospital in 1944 when she was only 25. In 1929, the cornerstone for the newly dedicated manteno state hospital was placed, and the first patients were admitted one year later from. But after being committed to manteno, gennie would never be the same. They claim to have seen apparitions of patients and nurses, and heard voices over longdefunct intercoms. Since the hospital s closure, many visitors have come back with strange stories. In the early twentieth century it was the primary form of psychosurgery a neurosurgical procedure to treat psychiatric illness.
Top 10 most haunted hospitals in illinois mysterious. Gennies parents had her committed to manteno state hospital in 1944. The hospital was built as a series of approximately 40 buildings called cottages with nearly a mile of underground tunnels connecting the buildings. Federal and state census reports from 1820 1850 are located at the abraham lincoln presidential library. The hospital operator calling had very little detail as to what we were coming in. The hospital was later renamed the manteno mental health center and it stopped operations in 1985. If you are an immediate family member of a deceased patient, or can get.
Frontal lobotomy is a procedure, no longer in use, of severing association pathways from the frontal lobes to other regions of the brain. Ghost hunting at elgin state hospital cemetery 05 december 2016 ghost hunting, haunted locations, shadow people, your stories, your true encounters this is the story of a ghost hunting trip to the old abandoned elgin mental hospital cemetery. History, size facts about hospitals facilities given over 40 years ago, in 1927, the first acres of farmland that would later become the 1200 acre manteno state hospital were purchased by the state of illinois. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Originally, it used the kirkbride layout, but the illinois government deemed it unsafe for patients. 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. I have nurse friends, that did their psych clinical therethe horror stories of the care and dangers to the students. The following are notes taken from an interview with a sociology professor who had once worked at msh as a mental health care professional. To learn more about accessing mental health records, please read this followup after reading the post below.
Manteno community room photos courtesy phil tkacz, as the scope and funding of manteno state hospital grew, so did the number of patients. Few noticed or cared as she had been a prisoner of illinois state mental institutions for over 50 years. The sanitary conditions that led to this unfortunate event were deplorable. 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. Letter remembering the now haunted manteno state hospital.
See more ideas about abandoned asylums, abandoned hospital and abandoned places. Discover the best hospital administration in best sellers. Stories from bull street landmarks william buchheit. The cemeteries are large and are located on the far. Tunnels under the hospital are reportedly haunted, and visitors claim to have seen phantom nurses and patients. This video starts off with the history of manteno state hospital and when it was first opened in the late 1920s. Manteno state hospital manteno, illinois the 1930s manteno state hospital suffered a typhoid fever epidemic in 1939, and more than 50 patients and staff members died. Manteno state hospital formerly manteno state mental hospital was a psychiatric hospital located in rural manteno township in kankakee county, illinois. Manteno state hospital handled over 8,000 patients with a staff of 200 employees, lewis said. While providing important historical background on your favorite haunted. Some stay one week, some twobut the law requires them. Nov 15, 1998 in the early 1950s, she was placed in a research ward at manteno state hospital. Quite the contrary, the campus is comprised of about 65% of the hospital s original structures. I first heard about it online, where i read stories of the former grounds keeper hearing chilling sounds and heard it said that there may be three bodies in every grave.
For most of its history, the hospital did a fine job caring for its patients. They house the 5,500 insane patients and 760 employes of manteno state hospital. My research to date shows there are two ways to obtain them, depending if immediate family members survive. I have spent time inside a few different psychiatric facilities. Since the hospitals closure, many visitors have come back with strange stories. Seeing a human in a notsohuman state is extremely uncomfortable and creepy. Piepenbrink became president of the association of behavioral healthcare management abhm. Manteno state hospital manteno illinois real haunted place. The book covers odd stories, sometimes creepy, in usually 12 pages. At its peak, manteno state hospital handled over 8,000 patients with a staff of 200 employees, lewis said. At the time, physicians from various illinois universities experimented on patients involuntarily in attempts to.
Finished in 1937, this drearyneat plant boasts many a modern improvement, including special wells, tapping a limestone watertable 17 feet underground, which supply the hospital with water. One of those places, lewis and jungles said, is the former manteno state hospital, where strange things may still be lurking within the shadows of old wards, dormitories and dispensaries. 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. It was rumored that patients were being abused and tortured. If you have a genealogy business, website, resource, blog, or event youd like to list, please contact me at email protected id love to connect. Although the manteno state hospital was far better known, the village had its own general hospital for almost 30 years 19481977. In 1939, this 1930s hospital suffered a typhoid fever epidemic and more than 50 patients and staff members died. Excerpt from a report on a typhoid fever epidemic at manteno state hospital in 1939, printed in 1945 by authority of the state of illinois harold c. The state would take her freedom, and the doctors would take her sanity. Gustaf oscar dalstrom 18931971 in 1936, through the federal art project, manteno state hospital secured a number of murals for the lobby of the administration building.
Peoria state hospital hauntings ghostly activities. I thank all of you who have commented on my march 2012 article about mental hospital records at the illinois state archives. Piepenbrink 19261976 manteno state hospital superintendent from march 1, 1967 to august 31, 1970 later mr. This does not mean there are no buildings left standing.
Who founded that hospital, and where was it located. The hospital eventually was renamed the manteno mental health center. It became the largest mental health facility in the state of illinois and even in. By 1939 manteno state hospital had grown to twice the size of kankakee state hospital. Manteno state hospital cemetery of kankakee county, illinois. 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. New book highlights manteno history through photos local. Top 10 most haunted hospitals in illinois mysterious heartland. The 8 twostory cottages at manteno state hospital were part of the original. Manteno state mental hospital ghost hunt pics ghostly. At its peak, manteno was one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world. In the 1960s, the hospital handled approximately 8,000 patients.