Forest Haven Asylum

FOUNDING

Forest Haven Asylum opened in 1925 with an agricultural education set up for its patients to develop skills. It had close to 300 acres with 22 buildings on campus and was considered one of those progressive institutions.

THE END

During the 1960s, institutions across the U.S. lost federal funding. In 1974, Forest Haven received at least 20 orphans from a recently closed orphanage. This began the sharp decline at Forest Haven into intense abuse and neglect. Several lawsuits began to be filed by patients and their families in 1976, resulting the suspension of medical licenses (who continued to practice after) and the eventual closure.

AFTER

Between 1989 and 1991, the Justice Department began to see a trend in patient’s deaths from aspiration pneumonia (the condition when a patient dies while being fed lying down). There were additional accounts given to the Department for physical, mental, and sexual abuse.

TODAY

The location is abandoned, despite being under the authority of the United States Park Police. It is a popular spot for urban explorers. But, since 1928 to the 60s, employees at the asylum have been burrying residents in a mass grave estimated at 389 individuals. With the lack of care, erosion has begun to uncover these graves. In 1987, families of the patients erected a memorial at the site.