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Central State Hospital was brought into existence
by an Act of the 1844-1845 Indiana General Assembly which provided for "the
procuring of a suitable site for the erection of a State Lunatic Asylum."
The property, consisting of 160 acres of farmland belonging to N. Bolton, was
selected due to its proximity to the State Capitol. Purchased at the rate
of $33.125 per acre, the property passed to the State of Indiana on August 29,
1845.
An Act approved on January 19, 1846 provided
"That the Commissioners of the Indiana Lunatic Asylum are hereby authorized to
cause to be erected upon the grounds heretofore purchased for that purpose,
suitable buildings for the use and accommodation of said institution, which
shall hereafter be called and known by the name of the Indiana Hospital for the
Insane, and also to make such improvements upon and about said grounds as they
may think expedient and proper." To fund the construction, an appropriate of
$15,000 was approved "for the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred under
the provisions of this act."
On May 5, 1846 a contract to begin the construction of
"Old Main" (Men's Department Building, razed in 1941) was authorized and on
November 21, 1848 the first five patients were admitted. Thus Central
State Hospital was born. The hospital served the entire state until 1905,
by which time additional hospitals had been
constructed in Evansville, Logansport, Madison, and Richmond leaving Central
State with patients from 38 counties in central Indiana.
The hospital grew to include the massive Seven Steeples
building (Women's Department), a farm colony, a Pathology Building for the study
and teaching of mental illnesses, and well manicured gardens and fountains.
At its peak, the hospital accommodated over 2,500 patients.
The institution served continuously from that date until
June 3, 1992 when Governor Evan Bayh announced that the hospital would close as
Indiana moved towards de-institionalizing mental health clients in favor of
community based mental health care delivery systems.
On June 30, 1994 Central State Hospital officially closed
its doors after 148 years of service. The State used the land for a variety of purposes
for the next decade, including a location for the American Red Cross and the
State motor vehicle pool. The old Pathology building was restored and is used
as the Indiana Medical History Museum, while a new fire station was constructed
along Washington Street. In 2003, the City of Indianapolis purchased the
site from the State.
(Adapted
from Existing Facility Assessment and Evaluation Study prepared
by BSA Design in 2000 for the State of Indiana)
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Related Links
1887-1956 Sanborn Maps
1941 Site Aerial Photo
1941 Surrounding Context Aerial
Photo |
| 1845 |
Bolton Family farm
is purchased for the purpose of housing a "Lunatic Asylum." |
| 1846 |
Construction begins
on the central portion of the "Old Main" (Men's Department
Building). |
| 1848 |
First five patients
admitted. |
| 1855 |
Patient population
reaches 235. |
| 1857 |
Patient population
reaches 303. Hospital is closed from April through October
due to lack of funding from legislature and patients are sent
home. |
| 1866 |
Construction begins
on the north wing of the "Old Main" Building |
| 1876 |
Construction begins
on the Women's Department Building (Seven Steeples). |
| 1885 |
Stores Building
opens. |
| 1886 |
Central Boiler House
and Plant are completed. |
| 1892 |
Power House and
Electric Plan are completed. |
| 1894 |
Carpenter's Shop,
Mechanical Engineer's Department, and Fire Department are
completed. |
| 1895 |
Pathological
Department is completed. |
| 1897 |
Kitchen and Women's
Department Buildings are completed. |
| 1899 |
Men's and Women's
Congregate Dining Rooms and the Greenhouse are completed. |
| 1901 |
Hospital for the
Sick Insane and Cold Storage buildings are completed. |
| 1911 |
Upholstery
Department opens. |
| 1912 |
Amusement Hall and
Chapel are completed (Mayer Hall). |
| 1928 |
Construction begins
on the first of five men's cottages while demolition begins on
the South Wing of the Men's Department. |
| 1930s |
WPA finishes the
five men's cottages. |
| 1937 |
The new Carpentry
Shop is constructed. |
| 1939 |
The Employees
Building is completed (Administration Building). |
| 1940 |
Patient population
reaches 1,935. |
| 1941 |
Demolition of the
Men's Department Building is completed. |
| 1942 |
Central State
Hospital opens annex at Fort Harrison. |
| 1943 |
Steeples are removed
from the Women's Department Building (Seven Steeples) |
| 1944 |
Superintendent's
Residence and single family/duplex residences are constructed. |
| 1950 |
Patient population
reaches 2,528. |
| 1951 |
Fort Harrison annex
is closed. |
| 1953 |
A new store house is
constructed (Central Stores Building). |
| 1958 |
Construction starts
on Bahr Treatment Center. |
| 1953-63 |
The old store house
is demolished and the new Kitchen Building opens. |
| 1960s |
Motel Building
opens. |
| 1961 |
Patient population
reaches 2,200. |
| 1968 |
Central State Farm
Colony along Tibbs Avenue is closed. |
| 1973 |
Evans and Bolton
Buildings open. |
| 1974 |
Women's Department
Building (Seven Steeples) is demolished. |
| 1976 |
Exit house is opened
to aid in patient's transition back into the community. |
| 1982 |
Miniature golf
course is constructed in front of Evans Building by volunteers. |
| 1982-84 |
Amusement Building
and Chapel are demolished. |
| 1984 |
Patient population
declines to 656. |
| 1989 |
New Power House goes
online and the old Power House is partially decommissioned. |
| 1991 |
Smokestacks are
removed from old Power House, while life safety project upgrades
fire safety in Bahr, Bolton and Evans buildings. |
| 1992 |
Governor Bayh
announces Central State closure as patient population declines
to 389. |
| 1994 |
Central State
Hospital closes. |
| 1996 |
State of Indiana
begins use of property with renovation of Laundry Building for
use by the Indiana State Motor Pool |
| 2003 |
City of Indianapolis
purchases Central State property from the State of Indiana for
$400,000. |
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1920 Aerial, Rootsweb |
Seven Steeples Building in 1926, Bass Collection |
Early 1900s Grounds, State Archives |
Patient Picnic, State Archives |
1938 Aerial, Bass Collection |
1938 Aerial, Bass Collection |
Central State 1924, Bass Collection |
Seven Steeples Building in 1910, Bass Collection |
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