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.
Thats Ok, you got to keep things close.
I dont believe its medical waste, but asbestos and hazardous waste they are trying to get removed.
Good question about the plans- so far, nothing. Had several proposals, but nothing ever came of them besides a lot of talk and complaints and bullshit. I think if the waste problem was removed, you'd see someone want to develop the property.
Ghosts? Well, if you believe what they said on the Ghost Hunters show, yes, If you WATCH it, maybe not.
PL- dunno how much as yet just been told that they're asking for one and if its not ridiculous my news group will pay it. Gotta be a leetle careful what i say on the internet now but happy to discuss off board if you want to email me.
Had no idea demo was in progress Paul. i thought they were freaked at the cost of paying for specialised removal of hazardous medical waste that was still on site.
anyone know whats the plans after demo? Im dieing to get over there now. the more im finding out about this place the more its getting hold of me .
paul what did you mean by the place having an 'energy'? Would anyone agree with the place being haunted angle?
yeah well i am thinking of meeting with a few friends to explore it. i manly just wanna see the theater but i will refuse to give up my quest on being able to explore it.
Indeed, how much?
Good job gettin permission to shoot! inside and out? I can be your security escort/guide if ya need it... and yes NSH is being cleaned up for demo.
What was the fee? If its reasonable, I may know a few people who would also be willing to sign waivers and agreements to have the opportunity to take pics.
To all who feel they have lost someone: John 8:29 Perception vs Reality.
also P, sorry to hear about your mate Gunnar.
Heard from office this morning, Preston have agreed to permit us limited access for 2 people as foreign journos with still cameras only ( no videoing allowed!!) and we have to comply with apparently im told 10 pages of t&c's and a fee but in principal I THINK WE'RE IN!!
Paul- you mentioned they're clearing the scrap out .. i thought there were no plans at present for the site to be demolished. sparkles - i know what you mean about being attracted to the history of the place which is why we're interested in it.
Hey, I just have to say- if you want to go, you just have to accept the risk and be ready for anything. Make your own plan and be ready to change it...No one can tell you an easy in, or more importantly, what will be going on at any single area/time...nature of the beast n all... If you honestly have much to lose, I wouldn't go if I were you, tis crazy round there nowadays! I predict a flood of pics/stories when she goes down, not as good as being there, but you'll be able to see it all at least. Hell I've got about everything in pics and I'm sure some of us can fill in each others blanks...let's build virtual nsh!
Hey Sparkles! How's things? And yep, I have taken a nap in a meat locker(with the tray in-much mo comfy!) I had to take a break from all things wichy, I'm still pretty bummed knowing that there are some spots I'll never be in again there, at this point...very sad. I've been doin up some good spots though, when nsh goes-I will never ever drive by there again...I'll try to stick around here and throw some pics up n whatnot again... Damn it feels strange to be out of the loop on the place...hahaa(well sort-a, anyway) Oh, and JPT, if you still come around-sorry I left you hangin, I just had to..
Would totally sleep in there. Anyone else?
didnt work, tries to access my account i think, i posted another link that might work.
Needs a password.
finally uploaded a bunch of my pics to photobucket. hope the link works ok. there are a set from october of 2009 in that you will see a pic with "SH 10-2-2009" SH obviosly being shadowhawk. and the morque is more recent from just last month.
s7.photobucket.com
Hi McStickybits
ill look into it more you guys were a great help
Probably not
is there a time when we can go and some gaurd may look the other way?
Paul can probably tell you better on how to get in. But the both of us can loose our guard licenses if we get caught.
well me and all my friends want to just go and see the building but some of us have a lot to risk like college scolarships but we would really love to come see the buildings and what it looks like. we are going to go to seaside and explore soon and after words we want to go here i actuly hve a friend whos father was a drug rep for phizer and he used to go there when it was open and he told me tons of stories about it. any tips about how to get there and in?
Leo- The theater is easy to get to.
What's up everybody?
me and my friends would love to see the halls and the theater of this hospital. paul would it be to mch to ask if you could just take me and a friend to see the theater. we have already gone to seaside it is amazing and these buildings should remain there for time to come. thank god the "utopia" plan failed so these building will remain
My best friend Gunnar N. (google him and saintantric) drove by it all the time and wanted to explore it...We started exploring at Seaside sanitorium in Waterford CT and had alot of fun...NSH was next...Gunnar died in Aug last year and we never got to go. I took a job as security there and began exploring while working...I put Gunnars funeral cards on the stage in Theater and someone stole them! so thats how I got here...then I met Sparkles on this site and we have been together 6 mths and are very happy together...I took her into NSH and we had fun checking it out together...Its a cool spot to explore and Sparkles has the main clock from Kettle which is quite cool! the place has energy for sure....
Hey now don't be talking shit about the girls. Most of them maybe. But not all. (Ask Paul, I did good when we went!)
And for me it has nothing to do with beating security (although that is fun!) Something about the place itself attracts me to it. It's amazing. Wish I was around when it was still in use. And I've been trying to do this book for forever now. School is slowing me down a little bit but dammit I will finish it if it kills me! (Or sends me to the loony bin)
JPT where are you???? I miss your posts. One of the few intelligent people on here whose posts were worth reading.
Paul I'm sad your playing Zombies without me. But I love you! Seaside tomorrow!
And Slyv, Thanks for deleting my post a while back. Appreciate it!
Paranoid HEH, sorry dude, i tend to scan read titles, ooops. Nice play on words there!
thanks for your in depth reply. about the pix, no, we cant use pix from 'unknown sources' unless we have permission from the photographer and we cant just grab any old random pic we want off the net without risking copyright infringement. Also, we want pix that haven't been published before. although any we did use from posters on this site would obv get a byline and a fee.
can i ask cos you what is it about Norwich which attracts you to visit it... the challenge of beating the security or something that fascinates you about the asylum itself?
And its PARANOID, not Paradise. Little play on a title.
Zoe- ask yer editor if its okay to use photos posted on line from unknown sources- I seem to remember seeing a few listed below, from a Ken. And what about anonymous sources? Hint hint.
I had asked the town for permision to take some pics, before they tore the damn thing down, and they couldnt even be bothered to reply, so take it from there. Perhaps an international journalist and an editor may have some more pull.
As for baiting ,paul, it goes same as anyone here- "What, someone baited you? Why who could that be? It wasnt me, I just happened along here and found you....."
But what the hell do I know?
Back to Zoe; theres a lot of people here that seem to have a good working knowledge of differenrt asylums, and plenty in the loony states of america to dig into. If you ever decide to skip across the big pond on a fact finding mission, you'l find some of these folks invaluable resources. Course, you may have to throw them a mention in your book!
ha Paul we dont get Ghosthunters here in the UK but i watched the ep on NSH on web today ans thought it was pretty shit to be honest..and why do these programmes always have the most ridiculous girl investigators who get freaked out and scream at the slightest thing? what cracked me up was when one of the silly bints on the 1st floor of the Admin building i think and was trying to get a response from a ghost by saying aloud ..'do you want us to take you away from this place cos we have a car parked out front'
yeah right, im sure a ghost would like nothing better than hitching a lift in a car to be dropped off where exactly?
stupid girls.! is that the best they could get?
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