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Image by TunnelBug
Norwich State Hospital theater, 2010. Norwich State Hospital of Connecticut was opened in 1904 on a scenic site overlooking the River Thames. At its start, the hospital held only 95 mentally ill patients, but it quickly expanded in the early 20th century to house 2,200 patients by 1930. Norwich State, like many institutions of its era, was completely self-sufficient – housing its own power plant, bakery, farm, laboratory, theatre, bowling alley, and housing for employees. Most buildings were connected by a large, complex system of underground tunnels.
Norwich officially remained open until October 10, 1996. However, by that point, only a few small buildings were actively used. Many of the other structures, including this theater, had been mothballed for decades, essentially remaining as undisturbed time capsules.
The state endeavored to clean up the site, but was hampered by its extensive environmental cleanup costs, including asbestos and medical waste. This left the hospital abandoned and prone to vandalism and structural damage until 2011, when cleanup and demolition was started. Today, all of the significant buildings on the campus have been demolished except for the Administration Building, which has been secured for future rehabilitation and development.
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