Underground service tunnels linked all the buildings. Genealogy research at the manteno historical society. Letter remembering the now haunted manteno state hospital. History and photos of the abandoned manteno state hospital, in manteno, il. Manteno state mental hospital ghost hunt pics ghostly.
Some stay one week, some twobut the law requires them. Thousands of abandoned souls behind 8 ft walls crying for recognition. It became the largest mental health facility in the state of illinois and even in. Top 10 most haunted hospitals in illinois mysterious heartland. Many other buildings have been renovated for other uses as of july 2009. In 1939, this 1930s hospital suffered a typhoid fever epidemic and more than 50 patients and staff members died. Federal and state census reports from 1820 1850 are located at the abraham lincoln presidential library. However, they ran into an obstacle that was tough to get around. It was a psychiatric hospital, most densely populated in the mid1950s. Celebrating manteno state hospital during construction, circa 1928. They claim to have seen apparitions of patients and nurses, and heard voices over longdefunct intercoms.
Letter remembering the now haunted manteno state hospital insane asylum by edward shanahan. See more ideas about abandoned asylums, abandoned hospital and abandoned places. In the last three years megan bland has made more than a dozen trips from her rogers park apartment to investigate the ruins of manteno state hospital, which closed unceremoniously in. The state would take her freedom, and the doctors would take her sanity. Gennies parents had her committed to manteno state hospital in 1944 when she was only 25. Manteno state hospital cemetery eastern state hospital.
See more ideas about abandoned asylums, abandoned and asylum. In this planet underground tv short, tunnel vision, we follow some of the company crew members as they work to get around the tunnels and complete their fiber installation project. Haunted manteno state hospital in illinois is fascinating. Manteno state hospital manteno illinois real haunted place. Piepenbrink became president of the association of behavioral healthcare management abhm. But after being committed to manteno, gennie would never be the same. It was absurd of the amount of activity that was held at that old run down hospital. Manteno state hospital, one of two former mental health facilities in kankakee county, illinois, opened its doors in the early 1930s.
Since the hospitals closure, many visitors have come back with strange stories. If you are an immediate family member of a deceased patient, or can get. The 1930s manteno state hospital suffered a typhoid fever epidemic in 1939, and more than 50 patients and staff members died. Help in accessing closed records of illinois state mental. At its peak, manteno was one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world. State mental institution well known for its experiments consist of a huge complex of multiple buildings connected together via under ground tunnels. In 1939, in an incident that time magazine referred to as the manteno madness, 384 patients and staff came down with typhoid fever and more than 50 ultimately died. The grounds of the hospital is one square mile in area and the oldest buildings date back to the 1890s. Copies made from digital format cost 50% of the paper copy charges. They house the 5,500 insane patients and 760 employes of manteno state hospital.
These sinister bathtubs come from manteno state hospital in illinois, an asylum which has now been demolished. Adrian alvarado, an historian gives an insight to manteno state hospital. The manteno project, information and photographs about the history of the manteno state hospital aka the manteno mental health center, in manteno, illinois. Manteno community room photos courtesy phil tkacz, as the scope and funding of manteno state hospital grew, so did the number of patients. Piepenbrink 19261976 manteno state hospital superintendent from march 1, 1967 to august 31, 1970 later mr.
The tunnels below the buildings are also supposed to be very haunted, and at least one person who went down there felt like he was touched by something unseen. The manteno state hospital began construction in 1928 and the first patients were admitted in 1930. Records of state mental hospitals at the illinois state. Haunted places in manteno, illinois haunted places. I thank all of you who have commented on my march 2012 article about mental hospital records at the illinois state archives. In 1929, the cornerstone for the newly dedicated manteno state hospital was placed, and the first patients were admitted one year later from nearby. Accounts of ghostly sounds and encounters have filtered down from those adventurousor fool heartyenough to explore the old tunnels and buildings.
The written request goes to the medical records department of the state hospital. If you find the image of manteno state hospital appealing, check out the manteno project, the most comprehensive source of information about the history of manteno state hospital. The hospital was built as a series of approximately 40 buildings called cottages with nearly a mile of underground tunnels connecting the buildings. Manteno state hospital newspapers from 1965 to 1973 are available at the manteno public library. Excerpt from a report on a typhoid fever epidemic at manteno state hospital in 1939, printed in 1945 by authority of the state of illinois harold c.
This is a video tribute to the memories and history of manteno state hospital until its final demolition. The cover of the new manteno book features members of the albert stauffenberg family on their farm northwest of the village. These creepy images of an abandoned illinois mental hospital will give you goosebumps. Oct 31, 2017 community awareness video of hidden cemetery. Legend tripping is a name bestowed by folklorists and anthropologists on an adolescent practice containing elements of a rite of passage in which a usually furtive nocturnal pilgrimage is made to a site which is alleged to have been the scene of some tragic, horrific, and possibly supernatural event or haunting. Gennie said she would like to have a job, clothes, some books. Few noticed or cared as she had been a prisoner of illinois state mental institutions for over 50 years. For those that are not familiar with manteno state hospital heres a summary.
Manteno state hospital in manteno, illinois, opened its doors two days after christmas day in 1930 with the arrival of the first 100 male patients transferred from kankakee state hospital. Quite the contrary, the campus is comprised of about 65% of the hospitals original structures. You could tell that at one time, in its day, this hospital had been architecturally grand and beautiful in its remote little setting of the manteno countryside. More of a community than a hospital, manteno was a massive undertaking that, on the surface, appeared grandiose in both scope and promise. Jul 06, 20 manteno state hospital in manteno,illinois was once one of the largest mental facilities in the us, they had over 8,000 patients by the 1950s. Let the souls at manteno state hospital rest in peace. Information about visiting the diversatechmanteno va home grounds former manteno state hospital grounds there is nothing left of manteno state hospital to explore. We help people distribute information and art spanning a wide range of subject matter while providing a safe, friendly. Top 10 creepiest abandoned places in illinois mysterious. Manteno state hospital in manteno,illinois was once one of the largest mental facilities in the us, they had over 8,000 patients by the 1950s. Finished in 1937, this drearyneat plant boasts many a modern improvement, including special wells, tapping a limestone watertable 17 feet underground, which supply the hospital with water.
As the scope and funding of manteno state hospital grew, so did the number of patients. The nurses did the best they could with what they had, but thats another story. Manteno state hospital opened its doors in the early 1930s as construction on the sprawling hospital was still ongoing. The hospital was closed down due to improper practices in the 1970s. In the 1960s, the hospital handled approximately 8,000 patients. Illinois state mental hospitals and state institutions. Exclusive letter from one who visited the insane asylum. Chicagos most haunted countdown manteno state hospital haunted. James decker munson, who left his legacy in the landscaped grounds and the medical center that today bears his name. This special collection consists of the saga of the fallen, spanning 47 issues of the legends and lore of illinois, arranged in chronological order. Photographer john gray has bravely ventured to more than a dozen of these forgotten institutions, photographing the deserted hallways, decaying rooms. If i didnt have manteno state hospital i think i would go nuts, she says. Mar 10, 20 manteno state mental hospital ghost hunt, march 9, 20, manteno, illinois. These buildings are abandoned but left in original condition.
Mar 01, 20 manteno community room photos courtesy phil tkacz, as the scope and funding of manteno state hospital grew, so did the number of patients. The practice has been documented most thoroughly to date in the united states. The story of gennie pilarski sometimes interesting. New book highlights manteno history through photos local. Manteno state hospital history in the 1920s, a need for an additional illinois mental health facility began to grow as the state hospitals in jacksonville, elgin, and kankakee became overcrowded. Manteno state mental hospital paranormal research group. Northern michigan asylum, which opened in 1885, was known during most of its years as traverse city state hospital. Or she thumbs through books on the subject that intrigues her the most. Top 10 most haunted hospitals in illinois mysterious. Located in rural kankakee county, manteno state hospital opened in 1930.
If i could travel the world and explore abandoned insane asylums, that. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Chicago state university, directional signs, daughter, politics, lost, political books. Many disturbing things took place here, as you can imagine would be the case at a mental hospital during this time. My research to date shows there are two ways to obtain them, depending if immediate family members survive. This does not mean there are no buildings left standing. Manteno state hospital formerly manteno state mental hospital was a psychiatric hospital located in rural manteno township in kankakee county, illinois.
Manteno background information manteno state mental hospital is located just outside of manteno, illinois, south of chicago. This is a video tribute to all of the old insane asylums and hospitals that use to be in manteno illinois. It was almost hard to imagine that it had once been the home of so many mentally ill people. Our first night there, weve captured unbelievable evidence of the paranormal. This video starts off with the history of manteno state hospital and when it was first opened in the late 1920s. Manteno state hospital was later renamed the manteno.
Exclusive letter from one who visited the insane asylum click here to read it. When it first opened, manteno accommodated 6,620 total residents. While throughout its history patients at manteno state hospital frequently tried to escape, a new generation of men and women are desperate to find their way inside. A followup to this post was published on thursday, july 26, 2012, with the title help in accessing closed records of illinois state mental hospitals. Since the hospital s closure, many visitors have come back with strange stories. Records of state mental hospitals at the illinois state archives, part. May 27, 2009 information about visiting the diversatech manteno va home grounds former manteno state hospital grounds there is nothing left of manteno state hospital to explore.
One of the most disturbing, yet not shocking, discoveries made about manteno state hospital was the sexual activity of patients and staff during the 1960s and 1970s. Gustaf oscar dalstrom 18931971 in 1936, through the federal art project, manteno state hospital secured a number of murals for the lobby of the administration building. The hospital eventually was renamed the manteno mental health center. Manteno state hospital manteno, illinois the 1930s manteno state hospital suffered a typhoid fever epidemic in 1939, and more than 50 patients and staff members died. Apr 24, 20 few noticed or cared as she had been a prisoner of illinois state mental institutions for over 50 years. The institutions campus, on which the hospital wards and other buildings were built, is located two miles east and a mile south of the village of manteno and totals 389 acres. Open records of state hospitals at the illinois state archives these edited listings are taken from the descriptive inventory and include the rg number, the name of the department that created the records, the subcategory, the overall date span, the total number of cubic feet of records, and the presence or absence of an index. I had an uncle there as a patient for having downs syndrome. Oct 30, 2003 in the last three years megan bland has made more than a dozen trips from her rogers park apartment to investigate the ruins of manteno state hospital, which closed unceremoniously in 1985.
Finished in 1937, this drearyneat plant boasts many a modern improvement, including special wells, tapping a limestone watertable 17 feet underground, which supply the. Manteno state mental hospital opened in december 1930 during the great depression, and it was a cuttingedge concept for the time. The cemeteries are large and are located on the far. Manteno state hospital by april mitchell hardcover lulu. Will the fallen escape from a shadowy entity lurking in the tunnels under manteno state hospital, or will they be upstaged by their ghosthunting rivals at greenwood cemetery. Manteno state mental hospital ghost hunt, march 9, 20, manteno, illinois. The facility was authorized in 1927 by the 55th illinois general assembly with its first patients arriving in. The hospital was responsible for the care of the mentally insane, the chemically dependent, those stricken with tuberculosis, as well as some of the states. Clearly there is a clamoring for access to the closed patient records. On a flat plain 48 miles south of chicago lie 60 squat redbrick buildings. The ward photo of the abandoned manteno state hospital. Sep 06, 2012 a wheelchair in the abandoned norwich state hospital is pictured clean.
Information taken from national register of historic places paperwork. To get answers to individual questions, contact a librarian. The hospital was later renamed the manteno mental health center and it stopped operations in 1985. While i was there, it was packed to overflowing with unwanted children and societys rejects. Jul 04, 2018 adrian alvarado, an historian gives an insight to manteno state hospital. Manteno madness on a flat plain 48 miles south of chicago lie 60 squat redbrick buildings. A series of tunnels were constructed below the buildings for easy passage and access to each. The abundance of abandoned asylums and psychiatric hospitals in the new england area create the bulk of the locations here.
The following are notes taken from an interview with a sociology professor who had once worked at msh as a mental health care professional. To learn more about accessing mental health records, please read this followup after reading the post below. It answers many of the questions we have received via comments. Quite the contrary, the campus is comprised of about 65% of the hospital s original structures. Built in the late 1800s, it was the largest building in the state at the time of its construction, more than a mile in circumference. Because of the nature of the hospital, information on a patient cannot be released except on a signed consent from a relative. The facility was authorized in 1927 by the 55th illinois general assembly with its first patients arriving in december 1930.