A couple of pictures from my visit to the Traverse City Mental Hospital

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

these pictures are not very good at all, it was very dark out even darker than it appears in the pictures and my camera was not focusing.
I still wanted to show you guys some of the pictures.

Have you ever been any where that you can just feel the history?

this happens to be one of those places

It was built in the 1880's and shutdown in 1989.
Some people believe it is haunted, while this hospital helpled many people many patients were beat and one young man was beat to death while a patient in the hospital.

As soon as I walked up to it I could just feel the suffering,the history and left with goosebumps.

The building has a very castle like style, I think the stately spires make this place look even more scary .

While walking around the building I found this sign on the front gate

um I don't think so

 

[RNMOM]

That place looks scarey. I agree about living there. Eww.

It looks like a place movies were shot too. Those windows look strangely familiar.....

 

[DisMN]

I'm a big fan of renovating these old buildings......and that one looks like prime renovation material! I'd live there or stay there if someone turned it into a bed and breakfast. Shops would be neat to have there too!

I agree that there's certainly some sad history that goes along with these old places but that could be capitalized on and used as part of it's charm, gruesome or not, it's still facinating community history!

Thankyou so much for sharing these pictures. What a cool cool place and that FENCING around it is gorgeous!

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

there is actually a new itailian restaurant in the cellar of one of the buildings.

I would like to eat there one day.

although I don't think i'd like to live there im glad that they are restoring it instead of tearing it down.

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

I just read the Traverse city website and some photographs of this hospital were used as props in the movie Gothika.

 

[Planogirl]

I love these old buildings and I'm so glad when they're preserved. An old lovely hospital was restored in Houston fairly recently and that almost never happens there. The building now houses artists' lofts.

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

there was a quote on the traverse city site

"bringing people back into these old buildings to bring the buildings back to life"

I like that

 

[DisMN]

Linda, that's a beautiful old building!! How wonderful that someone saw fit to renovate it........

quite a few years ago DH and I were planning to buy an old turreted brick hospital/clinic in town. We were hoping to do the bed and breakfast thing but before we bought the building we went and talked to the city council and other townsfolk. Typical small town, closed minded individuals that they were (and still are LOL) they told us that we probably wouldn't get the building permits we needed for the renovation. When we asked why NOT, we were told that the city didn't "need another boarding house".



They had NO concept of bed and breakfasts and no desire to learn about them. Unreal. It's funny NOW but back then it was really upsetting.....I HATED living in a town that had couldn't think ahead. LOL

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

...the lack knowledge of a lack of knowledge.

...i don't have the current stats..but somewhere on the average...
4/5 nurses are killed every year.


...[ i never wanted or deisred to wok mental health...when i went
to school, my instructors told me ..i would be "great"..i didn't
"see" WHAt they were basing their encouragments. only by accident-
i started a career ,some 15 years ago....]

...i can recall my first day..just liked it was yesterday...wow, what have
i gotten myself..into...then i went to work.

do you have any idea..how dangerous...and the skills needed to do
this type of work? have you ever seen nbc 's lock up..or cops? do you
know how many criminals ...that the legal system dump on us? do
you have any idea...we have no protection and the staff is more women
than men...* but most are bigger/stronger than me?

"mental health"..is a concept..that is totally abused by our legal system,
the public, and the health care profession...let me tell you what mental
health isn't...alizhimers-/dementia, as they don't have enough "processing
abilities"...to even know who they are...*how would you have to be
responsible for a nursing home pt., that they "made up" dxs..just so
he can be admitted? how would you like..to be responsible..for a
ward loaded down ...with more medical dxs, than mental health,
foren-sic evasive pts..like murders/..or getting a bank robber....cos
he was eating..his own increments...but is that mental? crap! we
have no things like you "see' on tv...

mental health?....maybe if it wasn't so abused, we would have such a
better image....

let me add my observations,,,you have mental health..and you will
experience problems..just like ever other human beings. [ my life
was enriched..beyond my imagination...by changing my career from
icu to an acute mental health..specialist...you have no ideas the
wonderful stories..& miracles..this poorly understood area "beholds".

what your pic..is to me..is an old building. ghosts?...those are just the
memories...of people not buildings. in reality, people doing mean &
nasty things to others....do not require a "spooky" building...

..hollywood, while having all kinds of experiences with menatl illness...
still can't get it right... , every movie/show..always shows the
mental health hospitals..as dungeons/torture chambers....ha! wanta
know the truth?....our biggesat challenges...are redirecting our pts.
back into the community..as they want to live with us. you see?
outside...our walls....the public..have a lowly / hostile views toward
mental health pts...& the crazy idea they are stupid..i guess not so
stupid...they desire to bearound..the staff that gives them something
very basic...human need..respect..and postive attentions.

wonder..how well those judged..would do...if you have to take
screamming/cursing/ being hit & behaviors that you can't even begin
to understand...& still deflect and redirect until unraveling all that
is underneath..to redirect and help the person ..to find recovery..by
their own coping skills...?

i can tell you quite clearly...there are alot of personality disorders
on these boards....sometimes..its hard not to jump him...and provide
interventions......& some really inappropriate behaviors by their own
admissions...

recently...we admitted a lil'fella...who was 85, & just went thru cabbage
operation. let me give in on something...? a person living 50 ys, never
having a mental health issue...its pure crazy..to label, such a person
now! ...well, he was raising heck..to a level...way beyond reason.

medical people were unable to manage or provide him the care he needed.
he was on a special status...because...he was acting dangerous....
and he continue to blast....@ everyone. however, his life depended on
"us' getting thru it...., so i went @ "it"...slowly but surely...piece by
piece..taking everything he was sooooooo anger about....( i knew 2
things..he couldn't been mad at me~ we just met & "the amount of
anger..he was spitting out....was based on something very real). my
first clue?..he was totally disgusted with the medical field. in between,
the cussing /screaming/ ..and the fighting....i learn he was all alone...,
he had done 2 tours in vietnam/combat hero, and he was scared to
death. of what/..they failed to recognized..he didn't understand what
the surgery..would do..to his most prized possession-his body! he ripped
over his shirt..look! what they did!....i never knew "this", what they meant!
...then he started crying....

...i won't go into all the interventions..but i think alter body image is self
evident?.....& he not only recovered...but ended up being everybody
favorite's.

* you do not understand...so please don't judge...ps, we don't get pay
to interact with force...as it is always..a lose/lose situation. it is the
last thing we want. secondly, you might be surprise...the basics mental
health principles..we . * in reality, our schools systems are
so lacking the once "dick & jane" family values...that the majority ,i
begin @ this level..[with some amazing results]...psst, 2 things make up
every person life.....physical health..will determine how long you live, but
mental health...will determine ..how much you will enjoy the time you
have.

our motivation is determined by reality....that the best we can do,
is only to show a person..the best ways they can help themselves...
however, if you think mental health is something "make believe",
..then that would be delusional thinking...after reading this.

...iam also very concerned..over this autism stats...now they're saying
1/150, up from 1/166.....[once upon a time..i worked ob] and i saying
we [health care providers]..need to look..at our prenatal care & birthing
processing..something wrong...if we are damaging our neborns..with this!

....i do know, in the late 80's and 90's..."we" ..had some terrfiying
experiences..

..i do think..the predators..shows...are good for protecting our childen.

[..sorry, no time for editing].

 

[disykat]

Huh?

 

[sydally9367]

Lil' Grumpy... Say what?

Anyway, very neat pics Iwas!

 

["Got Disney"]

I third that Huh?

Anyway. Those buildings look scarry to me just because they are old and rusty. It does not help that it was a mental institution in the 1800's. They were not so kind to the mental health back then and lots of medical reserch done on pts back than, and in human treatments.

When I was in nursing school and studying mental health we talked about institutions back then and it was pretty scarry.

My best friend has worked in the Psych dept. for 30 years and she still talks about how the mental heath system is lacking.

sorry but no I would not purchase a condo or what ever they made that building into.

Great pictures

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

...the lack knowledge of a lack of knowledge.

...i don't have the current stats..but somewhere on the average...
4/5 nurses are killed every year.


...[ i never wanted or deisred to wok mental health...when i went
to school, my instructors told me ..i would be "great"..i didn't
"see" WHAt they were basing their encouragments. only by accident-
i started a career ,some 15 years ago....]

...i can recall my first day..just liked it was yesterday...wow, what have
i gotten myself..into...then i went to work.

do you have any idea..how dangerous...and the skills needed to do
this type of work? have you ever seen nbc 's lock up..or cops? do you
know how many criminals ...that the legal system dump on us? do
you have any idea...we have no protection and the staff is more women
than men...* but most are bigger/stronger than me?

"mental health"..is a concept..that is totally abused by our legal system,
the public, and the health care profession...let me tell you what mental
health isn't...alizhimers-/dementia, as they don't have enough "processing
abilities"...to even know who they are...*how would you have to be
responsible for a nursing home pt., that they "made up" dxs..just so
he can be admitted? how would you like..to be responsible..for a
ward loaded down ...with more medical dxs, than mental health,
foren-sic evasive pts..like murders/..or getting a bank robber....cos
he was eating..his own increments...but is that mental? crap! we
have no things like you "see' on tv...

mental health?....maybe if it wasn't so abused, we would have such a
better image....

let me add my observations,,,you have mental health..and you will
experience problems..just like ever other human beings. [ my life
was enriched..beyond my imagination...by changing my career from
icu to an acute mental health..specialist...you have no ideas the
wonderful stories..& miracles..this poorly understood area "beholds".

what your pic..is to me..is an old building. ghosts?...those are just the
memories...of people not buildings. in reality, people doing mean &
nasty things to others....do not require a "spooky" building...

..hollywood, while having all kinds of experiences with menatl illness...
still can't get it right... , every movie/show..always shows the
mental health hospitals..as dungeons/torture chambers....ha! wanta
know the truth?....our biggesat challenges...are redirecting our pts.
back into the community..as they want to live with us. you see?
outside...our walls....the public..have a lowly / hostile views toward
mental health pts...& the crazy idea they are stupid..i guess not so
stupid...they desire to bearound..the staff that gives them something
very basic...human need..respect..and postive attentions.

wonder..how well those judged..would do...if you have to take
screamming/cursing/ being hit & behaviors that you can't even begin
to understand...& still deflect and redirect until unraveling all that
is underneath..to redirect and help the person ..to find recovery..by
their own coping skills...?

i can tell you quite clearly...there are alot of personality disorders
on these boards....sometimes..its hard not to jump him...and provide
interventions......& some really inappropriate behaviors by their own
admissions...

recently...we admitted a lil'fella...who was 85, & just went thru cabbage
operation. let me give in on something...? a person living 50 ys, never
having a mental health issue...its pure crazy..to label, such a person
now! ...well, he was raising heck..to a level...way beyond reason.

medical people were unable to manage or provide him the care he needed.
he was on a special status...because...he was acting dangerous....
and he continue to blast....@ everyone. however, his life depended on
"us' getting thru it...., so i went @ "it"...slowly but surely...piece by
piece..taking everything he was sooooooo anger about....( i knew 2
things..he couldn't been mad at me~ we just met & "the amount of
anger..he was spitting out....was based on something very real). my
first clue?..he was totally disgusted with the medical field. in between,
the cussing /screaming/ ..and the fighting....i learn he was all alone...,
he had done 2 tours in vietnam/combat hero, and he was scared to
death. of what/..they failed to recognized..he didn't understand what
the surgery..would do..to his most prized possession-his body! he ripped
over his shirt..look! what they did!....i never knew "this", what they meant!
...then he started crying....

...i won't go into all the interventions..but i think alter body image is self
evident?.....& he not only recovered...but ended up being everybody
favorite's.

* you do not understand...so please don't judge...ps, we don't get pay
to interact with force...as it is always..a lose/lose situation. it is the
last thing we want. secondly, you might be surprise...the basics mental
health principles..we . * in reality, our schools systems are
so lacking the once "dick & jane" family values...that the majority ,i
begin @ this level..[with some amazing results]...psst, 2 things make up
every person life.....physical health..will determine how long you live, but
mental health...will determine ..how much you will enjoy the time you
have.

our motivation is determined by reality....that the best we can do,
is only to show a person..the best ways they can help themselves...
however, if you think mental health is something "make believe",
..then that would be delusional thinking...after reading this.

...iam also very concerned..over this autism stats...now they're saying
1/150, up from 1/166.....[once upon a time..i worked ob] and i saying
we [health care providers]..need to look..at our prenatal care & birthing
processing..something wrong...if we are damaging our neborns..with this!

....i do know, in the late 80's and 90's..."we" ..had some terrfiying
experiences..

..i do think..the predators..shows...are good for protecting our childen.

[..sorry, no time for editing].

quite a post you got there Grumpy

 

[LaraK]

OK...I gotta echo the WHAT?

The pictures are neat.

I used to work in mental health and had to go to the state institution to interview potential residents. The old centers are huge structures with neat old buildings. But if you wan to know what scary is, go into a forensic building...I had two huge employees meet me at the door and walk on either side of me to keep me safe as I went back to the interview room.

We didn't accept that patient into our program.

 

[Mysteria]

You should see the windows from the other side.

Seriously though cool pics. Those old buildings always kind of creep me out.

 

[GoofieRuthie]

Those pics are cool. I would never live there though. It kind of reminds me of the Waverly Hills TB hospital in Louisville, KY. Although, it's not nearly as nice looking now. There was a terrible movie made about it, Death Tunnel. I have lots of friends that used to hang out there and swear that it is haunted.

 

[grlpwrd]

Interesting.

In the second to the last picture, there is a building nextdoor. Do you know what it is?

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

Interesting.

In the second to the last picture, there is a building nextdoor. Do you know what it is?

all of the buildings are part of the hospital, there are even more sections of the hospital, we didn't get a chance to look at them.


I had spent the day in traverse city at the beach and sand dunes and read about this place online and wanted to go check it out.

I love old buildings and this is by far the most fascinating ive ever seen

 

[HollyJoy]

I got the creeps just looking at the pictures!!

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

here is one more