Kings Park Psychiatric Center
Encyclopedia
The Kings Park Psychiatric Center, known by Kings Park locals simply as 'The Psych Center', is a former state-run psychiatric hospital
located in Kings Park, New York
. It operated from 1885 until 1996, when the State of New York closed the facility, releasing its few remaining patients or transferring them to the still-operational Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
.
in nearby Suffolk County
, adjoining the "Society of St. Johnland" established by William Augustus Muhlenberg, prior to the merger of Kings County with Queens County, New York County, Richmond County, and the Bronx County, to form the modern New York City
. The official name of the hospital in its first ten years was the "Kings County Asylum," taken from the name of the county that Brooklyn occupied. The hospital was revolutionary at the time in the sense that it was a departure from the asylums of folklore, which were overcrowded places where gross human-rights abuses often occurred. The asylum, built by Brooklyn to alleviate overcrowding in its own asylums, was a "Farm Colony" asylum, where patients worked in a variety of farm-related activities, such as feeding livestock and growing food, as this was considered to be a form of therapy at the time.
Eventually, the Kings County Asylum began to suffer from the very thing that it attempted to relieve—overcrowding. New York State responded to the problem in 1895, when control of the asylum passed into state hands, and it was subsequently renamed the Kings Park State Hospital. The surrounding community, which previously was known as "Indian Head," adopted the name "Kings Park," which it is still known as today. The state eventually built the hospital into a self-sufficient community that not only grew its own food, but also generated its own heat and electricity, had its own Long Island Rail Road
spur, and housed its staff on-site.
As patient populations grew throughout the early part of the 20th century, the hospital itself continued to grow, and by the late 1930s the state began to build upward instead of outward. During this period, the famous 13-story Building 93 was constructed. Designed by state architect William E. Haugaard and funded with Works Progress Administration
money, the building, often dubbed "the most famous asylum building on Long Island
," was completed in 1939 and would be used as an infirmary for the facility's geriatric patients, as well as for patients with chronic physical ailments.
Post-World War II
, Kings Park and the other Long Island asylums would see their patient populations soar. In 1954, the patient census at Kings Park topped 9,303, but would begin a steady decline afterwards. By the time Kings Park reached its peak patient population, the old "rest and relaxation" philosophy surrounding farming gave way to pre-frontal lobotomies
and electro-shock therapy. However, those methods would quickly be abandoned in 1955 following the introduction of Thorazine, the first widely used drug in the treatment of mental illness. As medication made it possible for patients to live normal lives outside of a mental institution, the need for large facilities like Kings Park diminished, and the patient population began to drop. By the early 1990s, the Kings Park Psychiatric Center, as it came to be known, was operating as a ghost of its former self, with many buildings shut down or in limited usage (including the massive Building 93, by the early 1990s, only the first few floors of the building were in use).
In the early 1990s, with patient populations at increasingly low levels, the New York State Office of Mental Health (formerly the Department of Mental Hygiene) developed plans for the closure of Kings Park as well as another Long Island asylum, the Central Islip Psychiatric Center
. The plans called for Kings Park and Central Islip to close, and any remaining patients from both facilities transferred to Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
, or be discharged. In the fall of 1996, the plans were implemented ending Kings Park's 111-year run.
, protecting it from development. The rest lies mostly abandoned with the rail spur, abandoned in the late 1980s, converted into part of a hike-bike trail in 2003. Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, which took the remaining patients from Kings Park, runs three group homes on the non-parkland portion of the campus while everything else is abandoned.
Since 1996, several proposals regarding the property have come and gone, and today, a developer is seeking to purchasing the non-parkland portions of the grounds from New York State. This development proposal has proven to be highly controversial as the former campus contains numerous obstacles to development. The greatest obstacles are several buildings that were demolished into their basements and buried while the hospital was still operating. Asbestos
in these buildings was never properly abated. Other areas include buried ash containing unknown materials from the hospital's power generation facilities and asbestos in steam tunnels and remaining buildings. These problems have created a fear in the surrounding community that the developer will have no choice but to build high-density housing to offset the environmental clean-up costs and return a profit.
In January 2006, New York State aborted the sale of the property. The future of the site continues to remain uncertain at present with a suit filed by the developer pending in the courts. With the sale canceled, security has been increased at the facility as the property has been an attraction for trespassers.
In January 2009, officials announced that pets are no longer allowed on the former grounds of KPPC and NY State officials agreed on a new plan for the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center property that they called the most significant step in years toward getting the long-stalled redevelopment process under way.
Outgoing parks commissioner Bernadette Castro
persuaded other state officials to transfer most of the hospital property to her agency. The plan calls for 368 acres (1.5 km²) to be added to Nissequogue River State Park, which was created in 1999 from 153 acre (0.61916958 km²) of adjacent hospital property. This occurred in 2007 and approximately ninety percent of the campus is now part of the park. Part of the plan also included the demolition of 15 particularly dilapidated buildings, as well as unused access roads. However, this plan has been suspended indefinitely.
writers, and photographer hobbyists
visit the grounds. Additionally, KPPC has a reputation on Long Island
as being haunted, which draws curious individuals from across the area. Vandalism has increased dramatically in recent years, with the interior of Building 93 being the focus of heavy graffiti
. King's Park Psychiatric Center, A Documentation is a website that also includes video images of building interiors. . The websites are mostly operated by anonymous individuals. Since entering the abandoned buildings is illegal, the property is patrolled jointly by the New York State Park Police
and the New York State Office of Mental Health Police
. On occasion, Suffolk County Police and New York State Police
can be seen on the grounds.
, by director Daniel Robert Cohn, was filmed in KPPC's Building 136/137 (old medical/surgical unit) shortly after the building was closed down. The film also contains exterior shots of the famous Building 93 (The 13 story tall Geriatric/Ambulatory building), in an attempt to convince viewers that the interior shots were done inside 93.
The film stars Keith Hamilton Cobb
as a mental patient claiming to be Jesus Christ, and also features a cameo by Henny Youngman
, in his final movie appearance before his death, as a mental
patient claiming to be Henny Youngman.
In 2009, another movie was made about KPPC. In this film the legend of Mary Hatchet was brought to the screen in "Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet
" written and directed by Frank Sabatella. The film tells one version of the urban legend in the form of a ghost story filled with gore as a group of teens set out to celebrate Blood Night years after Mary killed her parents, was committed to KPPC, and was gunned down during her bloody escape.
The role of Mary was portrayed by Samantha Facchi. The film also stars Bill Moseley
and Danielle Harris
.
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
located in Kings Park, New York
Kings Park, New York
Kings Park is a census-designated place in the town Smithtown, Suffolk County, New York, United States, on Long Island. The population was 17,282 as of the 2010 census....
. It operated from 1885 until 1996, when the State of New York closed the facility, releasing its few remaining patients or transferring them to the still-operational Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, formerly known as Pilgrim State Hospital, is a state-run psychiatric hospital located in Brentwood, New York. At the time it opened, it was the largest hospital of any kind in the world...
.
History
The Kings Park Psychiatric Center was established in 1885 by Kings CountyBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
in nearby Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
, adjoining the "Society of St. Johnland" established by William Augustus Muhlenberg, prior to the merger of Kings County with Queens County, New York County, Richmond County, and the Bronx County, to form the modern New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The official name of the hospital in its first ten years was the "Kings County Asylum," taken from the name of the county that Brooklyn occupied. The hospital was revolutionary at the time in the sense that it was a departure from the asylums of folklore, which were overcrowded places where gross human-rights abuses often occurred. The asylum, built by Brooklyn to alleviate overcrowding in its own asylums, was a "Farm Colony" asylum, where patients worked in a variety of farm-related activities, such as feeding livestock and growing food, as this was considered to be a form of therapy at the time.
Eventually, the Kings County Asylum began to suffer from the very thing that it attempted to relieve—overcrowding. New York State responded to the problem in 1895, when control of the asylum passed into state hands, and it was subsequently renamed the Kings Park State Hospital. The surrounding community, which previously was known as "Indian Head," adopted the name "Kings Park," which it is still known as today. The state eventually built the hospital into a self-sufficient community that not only grew its own food, but also generated its own heat and electricity, had its own Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
spur, and housed its staff on-site.
As patient populations grew throughout the early part of the 20th century, the hospital itself continued to grow, and by the late 1930s the state began to build upward instead of outward. During this period, the famous 13-story Building 93 was constructed. Designed by state architect William E. Haugaard and funded with Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
money, the building, often dubbed "the most famous asylum building on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
," was completed in 1939 and would be used as an infirmary for the facility's geriatric patients, as well as for patients with chronic physical ailments.
Post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kings Park and the other Long Island asylums would see their patient populations soar. In 1954, the patient census at Kings Park topped 9,303, but would begin a steady decline afterwards. By the time Kings Park reached its peak patient population, the old "rest and relaxation" philosophy surrounding farming gave way to pre-frontal lobotomies
Lobotomy
Lobotomy "; τομή – tomē: "cut/slice") is a neurosurgical procedure, a form of psychosurgery, also known as a leukotomy or leucotomy . It consists of cutting the connections to and from the prefrontal cortex, the anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain...
and electro-shock therapy. However, those methods would quickly be abandoned in 1955 following the introduction of Thorazine, the first widely used drug in the treatment of mental illness. As medication made it possible for patients to live normal lives outside of a mental institution, the need for large facilities like Kings Park diminished, and the patient population began to drop. By the early 1990s, the Kings Park Psychiatric Center, as it came to be known, was operating as a ghost of its former self, with many buildings shut down or in limited usage (including the massive Building 93, by the early 1990s, only the first few floors of the building were in use).
In the early 1990s, with patient populations at increasingly low levels, the New York State Office of Mental Health (formerly the Department of Mental Hygiene) developed plans for the closure of Kings Park as well as another Long Island asylum, the Central Islip Psychiatric Center
Central Islip Psychiatric Center
The Central Islip Psychiatric Center was a psychiatric hospital in Central Islip, New York, USA from 1889 until 1996.The center was one of the four major hospital "farms" in central Long Island to house the sick from New York City; the others were Kings Park, Pilgrim State Hospital, and Edgewood...
. The plans called for Kings Park and Central Islip to close, and any remaining patients from both facilities transferred to Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, formerly known as Pilgrim State Hospital, is a state-run psychiatric hospital located in Brentwood, New York. At the time it opened, it was the largest hospital of any kind in the world...
, or be discharged. In the fall of 1996, the plans were implemented ending Kings Park's 111-year run.
KPPC today
Today, the sprawling area that once housed the Kings Park Psychiatric Center stands as a testament to a forgotten era. In the spring of 2000, the waterfront portion of the former campus was reopened as the Nissequogue River State ParkNissequogue River State Park
The Nissequogue River State Park is located on the banks and bluffs of the Nissequogue River in Kings Park, New York. The park was conceived in 1999, and established on the waterfront portion of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center. The name of the park was originally assigned to what is today...
, protecting it from development. The rest lies mostly abandoned with the rail spur, abandoned in the late 1980s, converted into part of a hike-bike trail in 2003. Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, which took the remaining patients from Kings Park, runs three group homes on the non-parkland portion of the campus while everything else is abandoned.
Since 1996, several proposals regarding the property have come and gone, and today, a developer is seeking to purchasing the non-parkland portions of the grounds from New York State. This development proposal has proven to be highly controversial as the former campus contains numerous obstacles to development. The greatest obstacles are several buildings that were demolished into their basements and buried while the hospital was still operating. Asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
in these buildings was never properly abated. Other areas include buried ash containing unknown materials from the hospital's power generation facilities and asbestos in steam tunnels and remaining buildings. These problems have created a fear in the surrounding community that the developer will have no choice but to build high-density housing to offset the environmental clean-up costs and return a profit.
In January 2006, New York State aborted the sale of the property. The future of the site continues to remain uncertain at present with a suit filed by the developer pending in the courts. With the sale canceled, security has been increased at the facility as the property has been an attraction for trespassers.
In January 2009, officials announced that pets are no longer allowed on the former grounds of KPPC and NY State officials agreed on a new plan for the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center property that they called the most significant step in years toward getting the long-stalled redevelopment process under way.
Outgoing parks commissioner Bernadette Castro
Bernadette Castro
Bernadette Castro is a New York politician and businesswoman who served in the Cabinet of former Governor George Pataki. She was the heir and former President and Chief Executive Officer of Castro Convertibles, a sofa business in New Hyde Park, New York. Castro sold the company to Krause...
persuaded other state officials to transfer most of the hospital property to her agency. The plan calls for 368 acres (1.5 km²) to be added to Nissequogue River State Park, which was created in 1999 from 153 acre (0.61916958 km²) of adjacent hospital property. This occurred in 2007 and approximately ninety percent of the campus is now part of the park. Part of the plan also included the demolition of 15 particularly dilapidated buildings, as well as unused access roads. However, this plan has been suspended indefinitely.
Public interest
Since closing its doors in 1996, trespassing has become a large problem at KPPC. This problem is fourfold, as enthusiasts of the paranormal, amateurAmateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
writers, and photographer hobbyists
Hobby
A hobby is a regular activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure, typically done during one's leisure time.- Etymology :A hobby horse is a wooden or wickerwork toy made to be ridden just like a real horse...
visit the grounds. Additionally, KPPC has a reputation on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
as being haunted, which draws curious individuals from across the area. Vandalism has increased dramatically in recent years, with the interior of Building 93 being the focus of heavy graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
. King's Park Psychiatric Center, A Documentation is a website that also includes video images of building interiors. . The websites are mostly operated by anonymous individuals. Since entering the abandoned buildings is illegal, the property is patrolled jointly by the New York State Park Police
New York State Park Police
The New York State Park Police is the police department of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.-Mission of the NYSPP:...
and the New York State Office of Mental Health Police
New York State Office of Mental Health Police
The New York State Office of Mental Health Police is a law enforcement agency that provides police and security services to the New York State Office of Mental Health.-History:...
. On occasion, Suffolk County Police and New York State Police
New York State Police
The New York State Police is the state police force of over 4,600 sworn Troopers for the state of New York. It was established on April 11, 1917 by the New York Legislature, in response to the 1913 murder of a construction foreman named Sam Howell in Westchester County, which at that time did not...
can be seen on the grounds.
In popular culture
The 1995 movie Eyes Beyond SeeingEyes Beyond Seeing
Eyes Beyond Seeing is a 1995 religious Drama film. Many scenes were filmed at the Kings Park Psychiatric Center on Long Island.-Plot:An enigmatic, homeless mental patient who claims to be the second coming of Jesus Christ has recently been once again committed. He begins to suffer asylum life...
, by director Daniel Robert Cohn, was filmed in KPPC's Building 136/137 (old medical/surgical unit) shortly after the building was closed down. The film also contains exterior shots of the famous Building 93 (The 13 story tall Geriatric/Ambulatory building), in an attempt to convince viewers that the interior shots were done inside 93.
The film stars Keith Hamilton Cobb
Keith Hamilton Cobb
-Career:He is best known for his roles as the ruthless Nietzschean mercenaryTyr Anasazi in the science-fiction series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda from 2000 to 2002, and as Noah Keefer on All My Children from 1994 to 1996...
as a mental patient claiming to be Jesus Christ, and also features a cameo by Henny Youngman
Henny Youngman
Henry "Henny" Youngman was a British-born American comedian and violinist famous for "one-liners", short, simple jokes usually delivered rapid-fire...
, in his final movie appearance before his death, as a mental
patient claiming to be Henny Youngman.
In 2009, another movie was made about KPPC. In this film the legend of Mary Hatchet was brought to the screen in "Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet
Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet
Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet is a slasher film written and directed by Frank Sabatella.-Plot:A group of teenagers celebrating the anniversary of the death of the local axe murderer Mary Hatchet suddenly find themselves face to face with the realities of this haunting urban legend.-Cast:*...
" written and directed by Frank Sabatella. The film tells one version of the urban legend in the form of a ghost story filled with gore as a group of teens set out to celebrate Blood Night years after Mary killed her parents, was committed to KPPC, and was gunned down during her bloody escape.
The role of Mary was portrayed by Samantha Facchi. The film also stars Bill Moseley
Bill Moseley
William "Bill" Moseley is an American film actor and musician who has starred in a number of cult classic horror films, including House of 1000 Corpses, Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Devil's Rejects. His first big role was in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 as Chop Top...
and Danielle Harris
Danielle Harris
Danielle Andrea Harris is an American film and television actress, best known as a scream queen for her roles in several horror films, four of them in the Halloween series: in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers as Jamie Lloyd and in Halloween and...
.
External links
- My KPPC Pictures - Pictures and interactive maps
- KPPC Pictures from ABNF
- designedbreakdown - short history, newspaper articles and present-day photo galleries exploring the decayed psychiatric center.
- Kings Park Heritage Museum - extensive library of historical information on the Kings Park Psychiatric Center
- KPPC User to User Forums - facts and images relating to the Kings Park Psychiatric Center
- The Nissequogue River Park Foundation
- Long Island Oddities Kings Park Page
- opacity -- extensive documentation of the abandoned buildings at Kings Park State Hosptial
- KPPC Pictures
- Kings Park Psychiatric Center, a documentation
- Psychiatric hospitals close in New York State NY Times
- Irving Pinsley, KPPC chief psychiatrist
- Rose Daniels Pinsley, KPPC director of Children's Unit Social Services
- Living at KPPC -- staff residential life on the hospital's grounds
- KPPC: A Journey Through History by Jason Medina
- Exploring Kings Park Psychiatric Center, Cognitive Response
- Petition to stop the demolition of 15 buildings in May 2012