Norwich-State-Hospital
The hospital first opened its doors in 1904 in Norwich, Connecticut. It was built in an idyllic location chosen for its therapeutic properties overlooking the River Thames.
The Norwich Insane Asylum was built isolated from civilization, which worked to its benefit as it began to grow during its early years sprouting new buildings that accompanied the original construction (see aerial view of the hospital here). These new construction projects included patient wards, staff cottages, laboratories and workshops. All of the structures were interconnected by a large network of underground utility tunnels. These tunnels transported electricity, hot water, and patients to various areas on the grounds. The hospital remained self-sufficient, almost like a small town, with its own power plant, pump house, working farm, kitchen, theater and church.
Over 3,000 patients and 1,000 employees were residents on the asylum grounds in the 1950’s.
Slowly patients began to leave Norwich State Hospital due to deinstitutionalization and it permanently closed its doors in 1996. Since then time has basically stood still on the property with a few exceptions. Currently there is talk about converting the grounds into a theme park, but nothing has been set in stone.
After a long tedious drive we leave the car in a commuter parking lot close to the buildings. Ever the vigilant group of explorers we notice a State Trooper making his rounds and dive into the forest for cover. Luckily we outsmarted the police yet again and after regrouping walk along the Thames River for a few hundred feet. We finally see the abandoned pump house looming in the distance and decide to make this our entryway into the campus.
This site has a reputation for being well guarded, well patrolled, and does not take kindly to trespassers. I am always on edge when exploring across the Atlantic and the numerous “State Property – No Trespassing” signs that litter the grounds did not bode well for my paranoia. Instead of exposing ourselves above ground to security and prying eyes, we decided to take the underground route through the utility tunnels.
Using the tunnels we explored many buildings without ever being forced to go outside. This method of travel was soon confirmed to be the safest. On our first attempt to venture outside we were only a few feet away from a security officer in a black uniform. Fortunately he didn’t look our way and we quickly receded back into the tunnel network. For a while we hid in the abandoned theater so we could look around the campus without being seen.
This encounter with security dampened our spirits and made our visit a whole lot shorter than we would have liked. We made our grande exit through the empty chapel, this allowed us to avoid walking back through the forest. As we were walking back to the commuter lot to pickup our car we noticed the State Trooper had been watching us as we suspiciously walked down the road. I wonder where we went to and were coming back from?!
Archive document introducing a new therapy (click to enlarge):
Special thanks to Dr. Bob for sharing the old postcards.
Some of us dont even visit the site, because we know our limitations, but still enjoy the witty banter.
Oh, where will Slyv get his entertainment once the site is demo'd/renovated, and this forum also goes the way of the dodo?
As for security, I respect the people who are working it, if for no ther reason than they are working a legit, tax-paying job. Those of you who used to work security at NSH, you know first hand that you cant be everywhere all the time, and how hard it is to keep sneaky U.E. out- cant be done. I myself am in no shape (or age) physically to go bounding about the site, even if I wasnt caught, I'd most likely hurt myself some other way! Plus I'd be awful embaressed to step before a judge and admit I was caught trespassing at NSH - "You are old enough to know better, sir" would be my admonisment.
Or am I simply being paranoid?
ok I'll agree with you I have seen pics and video of people standing there with spray paint, or smashing stuff and think "your not helping the situation and just show the reason for security"
I agree Security is there and its there job, there easy to get around because they cann't be everywhere at once, I say it all the time "we know they are there, they have no idea when or where we are". the insurance company's make them post security because they will not insure a vacant property.
as to locking some people up, in your research I am sure you found the same things I did, the reason Connecticuts psychiatric program is all but gone. budget cuts and the state being sued it was easier to just close most of them down. you will notice in the article just posted by Ricky Bobby the amount of money wasted for NSH. what the article does not go into is the other hospitals that closed at the same time have simular bills that mounted and still are. some were transfered with in the state to other "programs" but remain empty i,e, undercliff, knights hospital. all closed around the same time. did we all go sane.... I don't think so.
First I would like to say that I am sorry ken it wasnt meant towards you i should have been more spefic on who I was addressing I didnt mean that everyone went in there and broke things it was directed to the ones with discrutive personallities some of the other who post on here. I to am very intrested in the property I have visted it and have done a lot of research on the history of it the hospital is very intresting. All I was trying to prove that the people who work for security that is thier job they dont go and make a fuss about it when they arent at work well I should say the ones I have met don't and you are probally right the one named new security probaly isnt a real guard there. All I am trying to get across is that it is thier job and people who have a problem with getting caught shouldnt have gone in the first place everyone with any sense would know that getting causght is always a possbility when you go and do something like this and to lash out at someone because they are doing there job is stupid. I am not saying that all of the guards there are intellgent enough to function but there are a few there who are just there doing thier job so they too can pay thier bills like everyone else.
Ps: I would like to say I not concerned about getting laid I am married I can get laid anytime I want and I am not angry just aggervated that people like you who sound like they should be locked up in a hospital are allowed to be free and roam around with so many people having to suffer the wrath of your stupidty.
Awwww...why you so angry...? its OK...you can lash out at us we can take it... why are you so concerned with getting laid...?
Nice write up for the front page of the Sunday Courant paper:
www.courant.com
I am a 40 year old man (almost) sitting behind a computer screen, I do not have a girl friend and I have been there meny times, I do not destroy anything. I don't even break in, I just walk into all the buildings I've been in. none of this is real news since I believe anyone here can tell you I have hide nothing, I have even given personal info on here and get personal comments, questions and observations from others interested in NSH. I have been asked to bring people in and have declined because I do this all alone. I avoid security which is not hard, the people who post here saying they are security are BS and we all know it, we just play along. YOU have no idea how much banter gos on here behind the sceens thats not public. so I have to wonder who's the real idiot here.
we post here because we all have an intrest of places like this. we post and go to other locations, as most of you know by looking at my pics (i know you have). I am almost finished visiting NSH (dam rib still hurts) but will still look here to see what happens to the place. but hey in a few years when you find the place is a new corp. park, yea I predict thats Boners plan in the end. you will enjoy the site and traffic of that.
Ken
PS I don't have a girlfiend because my Wife wont let me (Dam her)
I swear you people are the biggest bunch of idiots who walk the face of the earth. You think that posting on a blog makes you big and tough you really have no life what so ever attacking people cause you think that you are hot shit. I know a man has been on the grounds urban exploring more times than you could have imagined and yet he has more respect for the people that patrol the grounds and the grounds themselves you are probaly one of those idiots that goes in there and destroys things cause you think that it makes you look good to your "girlfriend" if you even really have one and arent just some 40 year old guy who has never been laid sitting behind a computer screen.
Yes please lock me up for goin to NSH...or be pro active and lock me up because I plan to return... Its good to know that you...by way of 1 post on a website have changed it all and really raised the stakes! perhaps you can kill people who take photos or just walk by the campus... you are a fucking toolbox...
the state does not own the property anymore so if your fines are going to the state where are you catching these people, by lipptts, because thats the ONLY building on that side that is owed by the state and if your getting caught on the other side you need to stop wearing the bright orange jump suit.
PS if your in bridgeport shoudn't you be raking leaves or picking up sticks or something
Its funny that you all say that security is usless. Considering the amount of people that have been caught in just the last month and fined. This has net the state an additional few thousand dollars. Thats not including the people that have been caught and not fined through our own generosity.
However, if people would like we will gladly have everyone that we find both fined and incarcerated. Yes it is true that we cannot catch everyone, but if you would all like we can step it up a bit.
and since yo mention it.
www.preston-ct.org
If you read the minutes from last weeks meeting the look like they are going with Shimelmen,
They put the new electical panel where it gets wet
water leak can not cost more than $2500 to fix
they denied the request for the $13,200 mower for lack of funds
they are drafting access letters?
lots of bla bla bla about committees and sub-committees
the best info comes from the meetings, any thing released out side the meeting is just conjector by Kent Borner who tries to bully everything, but he didn't get his mower!
small blurb last week looks like everyone here missed it. the end is near
June 21, 2010 Section: news Edition: Web Edition
Preston accepts bid to demolish hospital Norwich Bulletin
The Preston Redevelopment Agency has chosen Manafort Brothers Inc., of Plainville, to provide the demolition, salvage and perimeter security at the former Norwich Hospital property, Agency Chairman Kent Borner said.
The agency hopes to have a contract finalized by the end of June. Manafort plans to secure the property with a combination of fencing and Jersey barriers to prevent vehicle access, Borner said. The cost of perimeter security is about $250,000, but the company is not charging for this, he said. Other terms of the contract are being negotiated.
they only taped 8 ep. 2 were NSH, the one poted earlier and the one below enjoy
www.videosurf.com
Same page along bottom I think
I haven't seen that linked here before. Thanks for posting it, though! I have been wanting to see the whole episode. If you find a link to the full first episode they shot there, I'd love to see that as well.
"Warson Asylum". Haha.
ok so I stumbled acroos this, it was aired in 2006 and filmed in the admin, tunnels(pre colapes) and Bell
Ah, yes, there were a few clues, Black widow bitten (hint for Welcome to my Nightmare album) and I'm Guilty (hint for Alice Cooper goes to Hell album).
Ozzy did do the theme to Dog the Bounty Hunter! I have it as my ringtone.
Yes, MeatLoaf is still doing quite well, evidentally. I have never seen a performer slam a heckler better than him! And he still can put so much emotion into his music.
Who is popular over the pond there?? And dont tell me David Hasslehoff!
to be honest PL i thought it was ozzy osbourne and i did check on google yes so i only get half points for that. Meat Loaf eh? didnt know that dude was still on the go!
hey trust me it's not me i have been home sick on the couch for a week an the last i thought we were cool why would i fuck that up
Dumn= bomb. all done.
so you like watching us you dumn ass ok fine
First of all, I don't think it's the guards at NSH. And second, I have a pretty good idea of who it is. And that someone knows I could whoop his ass. With my hands tied behind back too. Gotta love people who hide behind computer screens. lmao.
Baby we should go again soon. I like watching security. They're funny. haha. I know you're probably going to read this at work tonight so I love you! lol
Point isnt if you are serious or not- some body goes and kicks one of their asses now, and the cops look at who is a suspect, they find these statements....guess who is going to BECOME a suspect. Appearance is everything. If you really want to thump somebody, dont broadcast it, they will be expecting you to come walking in with a two by four. Wait till their not looking, then slug em in the back of the skull with a roll of quarters! (Brass knuckels in your pocket are suspecious- a roll of quarters much less so. Specially round the casino!)
Vengence is a dish best served cold- and quiet. You dont want them to know you even KNOW them untill they wake up in the hospital missing 4 teeth and wondering wtf hit em!
Alice it is. Fess up now- did you KNOW it, or look up the lyrics?
Seen the man three times, once way back when (Nightmare Returns tour), and a couple times more recently (Brutal Planet and Dragontown tours). Always puts on a great show.
Going to see Meat Loaf next month, seen a couple of his shows too, he is one hell of an entertainer.
Boom.
come an find out asshole
Ok. you got it.
are you gonna hurt me?
see you monday night BOY! an your big girl to
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