The Pilgrim State Hospital

About this book

The Pilgrim State Hospital: Evolution of the World's Largest Psychiatric Institution is the first comprehensive narrative revealing the dynamic story of an institution birthed from challenges facing New York State and the early mental healthcare system in caring for people with mental illness.The intention of this work is to explore historical events that occurred over almost a century of operation at Pilgrim State Hospital (now known as Pilgrim Psychiatric Center) and examine how the institution evolved and transitioned throughout its existence. In addition, this book investigates the many medical advancements, treatment ideologies, and political motivations of the age that were catalysts for these transitions.With the facility acting as a significant point of interest in disability history, this piece explores the collective experience of thousands of people with mental illness and navigates through a complex timeline of change in mental healthcare for New York State. Through this collection of rare images and forgotten text, author Jaime Tirado provides the reader with a hidden perspective of this once massive and self-sustaining institution that now operates as a remnant of its former self.