I Visited a Hospital and I Wasn't Even Sick

From Dave Brigham:

From the earliest days of this blog, I dreamt of exploring Medfield State Hospital. Scanning various urbex blogs I followed, I saw loads of photos of the former insane asylum, which overlooks the Charles River just north of Route 27 in Medfield, Mass. I assumed that in order to capture my own images, I would need to trespass, which isn't something I typically do.

So when I finally found the opportunity to check it out, I was expecting to make photos from behind fences of buildings that were falling apart after standing for more than 125 years. I was pleasantly surprised to find a rather bucolic site where I could roam freely alongside families and other photographers and couples on intimate strolls.

I've written before about former state mental hospitals located in Waltham, Mass. (see March 20, 2017, "Brigham in Waltham, Part III" and August 23, 2010, "You Don't Have to Be Crazy to Live Here, But It Helps"). I have not written about the infamous Fernald School, which is also located in Waltham. Whenever I would drive by the site, I spied security cars, and just kept going.

Medfield State Hospital was established in 1892 as the Medfield Insane Asylum, and was the first Massachusetts facility built specifically for long-term, high-need chronic patients, according to MACRIS. "The unique college-like campus is considered to be one of the finest works of [architect William Pitt] Wentworth's career," per MACRIS. "The campus was arranged in a quadrangle with an administration building and wards for 'quiet' patients at its head; wards for 'untidy, excited and epilectic (sic) patients' around its perimeter; infirmary and industrial buildings at its corner; and a chapel, laundry, kitchen/dining facility, powerhouse and carpenter's shop at its center."

I was completely charmed by the buildings, the campus, the poetry scattered across buildings, the quad where events take place, the beautiful church surrounded by flowers, and so much more. The Town of Medfield purchased 128 acres of the original 296-acre site in 2014. I will discuss this more below.

As time wore on, the campus grew in both population and number of buildings. Structures added to the original campus included a farm house for a farmer and 15-20 patients; an industrial building for making clothes, ironwork, upholstery and mattresses; a nurse's residence and school; a hospital for tubercular patients; wood-frame cottages for patients and employees alike; and a superintendent's house.

According to Wikipedia, "At its height the complex included 58 buildings, on a property of some 1.4 sq mi., and a capacity of 2,200 patients. It raised its own livestock and produce, and generated its own heat, light and power. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, the property was closed in April 2003 and the buildings shuttered."

(The most modern structure on the site is this water tower.)

There is a large and beautiful mural on the former mechanical building.

Painted by artist Cedric "Vise1" Douglas, the work of art features a girl playing a violin. Douglas said the work was inspired by the former hospital's history of including music as part of its therapy, according to this Wicked Local article.

The art also complements the mission of the Bellforge Arts Center, which presents live music, theater, dance, health and wellness programs and activities for children on the Medfield State campus. After the town purchased the property, there was a four-year period of "extensive public input," according to the arts center's web site. "[A] master plan was completed in 2018, and in 2020 the Bellforge Arts Center secured a 99-year lease with the town on two signature buildings at the core of the campus."

One of those buildings is the former hospital infirmary, which still needs to be renovated; the other, seen below, is the lovely chapel, which looks great but evidently needs work. Eventually, there will be a glass annex connecting the pair.

In addition to the arts and culture spaces, the town's long-term plan for the site is expected to result in 334 new apartments, 25% of which will be affordable, according to the town's web site. Additionally, the town plans to maintain open space on the property and preserve the historic buildings, "netting an estimated $700,000 annually in additional tax revenue for the town."

I'm so happy that my initial expectations about Medfield State Hospital were blown out of the water. Where I thought I'd find dilapidated buildings and barriers to entry, I instead was met with open access and joyful strollers (of course, I imagine that when I first became aware of this place all those years ago, it may very well have been more decrepit and blocked off). I look forward to following the progress as this site becomes a larger part of the Medfield community.