While on a trip to see other things, We couldnt pass up the chance to see the Worcester State Hospital Clock Tower. Alot of these pictures are alittle on the dark side seeing as how late it was when we got there.

            Worcester State hospital was at one time known as The Worcester State Lunatic hospital.  It opened its doors on January 12, 1833 and was the first hospital established by any state to treat mental illness. Just 10 years later, Dorothea Dix argued that the 120 bed facility was not sufficient and the hospital was expanded to accommodate 320 beds.

            This was still before the large main hospital that's relics can be seen today, once again overcrowding became a problem. In typical design of that time, a massive new hospital structure in the Kirkbride plan was to be built.

            In 1870 the building began. Seven years later many massive buildings stood. The very prominent clock tower building, which can be seen today even from a distance away, was completed in 1877 as the administration building. The entry was flanked by four story bay windows, with a porte-cochere set on polished granite columns. Among other buildings built that can still be seen today were Hooper Turret, Lincold Building, and Gage Turret. There was also four doctor's homes, nurse's home, farmhouse, attendant's home, S.B. Watson cottage, Henry Prentice Cottage, the laundry room, boiler room, and stables.       

            In 1851, The rising patient population once again became a problem and Massachusetts legislature appointed a commission to find a second location for an asylum. By 1854, Taunton was chosen and had begun housing patients.

            On June 22rd, 1991, Worcester suffered a five alarm fire. "Regardless of the staffing levels, we would have had to use mutual aid for this fire because it was so gigantic," Kolaczyk (Deputy Fire Chief) said. The fire destroyed almost all of the floors and roof in the main Kirkbride building, with the exception of the right most wing and administration building. The burned out sections were bulldozed, what could be salvaged was used to sealup the holes left in the remaining sections. The buildings have been boarded up since then.

            The fight is on to save this beautiful old relic. A Multi million dollar psychiatric hospital will likely be built in Worcester, closing Westboro and Worcester state hospitals. As well as demolishing the old Worcester State Lunatic hospital, which is on the grounds of Worcester State.

~Tory

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