This is an old underground boiler. Those were found down in the tunnels,


click image for a full-sized view

One thing that's not shown in any of the pictures is The old smoke stacks from the boiler rooms and main kitchens. Back then, those things had black smoke rolling out of them like the factories.

I just realized its Friday, Because of a few really good questions which were ask of me this week , by way of this forum, emails, and telephone, I found a lot of memories.
I am at another blank in my mind once again. I think I will shower, shave and live a little.
BTW the book "Where Buffalo Roam" is on coarse and the first draft is expected to be on the publishers desk in about 3 months.
From time to time I will be posting ex-certs from the book on my website, http://www.hall-18.com .
Keep the questions coming by way of this forum.

Note! For a few days my website will be offline as I am moving to a new server.

Thank you
Ron

yes Mike I remember the iron lungs very well. They were huge! Very scary. I think my mom said they were for people with polio.
As far as the tunnels...Ronl I think your right about the sound reverbating out of them. But then the ghost hunters are making a lot of their own fears. The wind, trees rustliing...there are a lot of stories out there on the web about these abandoned places being haunted with the souls that lived there. It's nice that you and Mike are telling the truth and putting some of these rumors to rest! There will always be those that choose not to believe the truth and belive these asylums are haunted.
I am glad that others are finding you guys and I hope more will come. You have done a great job...I am sure this is not easy for either of you...remembering the past. Kuddo's to both of you:)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsph ... 000508403/

Here is another site for Photo's. Mike I didn't see any of the smoke stacks you mentioned...but will keep looking. This guys has quite a nice assortment of pics.

mkfarnam wrote:I didn't realize that Ron had already explained our method of turning the lights off and on.

That's ok Mike, I do that all the time! lol No worries

mkfarnam wrote:One thing that's not shown in any of the pictures is The old smoke stacks from the boiler rooms and main kitchens. Back then, those things had black smoke rolling out of them like the factories.

Looking at those huge smoke stacks with the black smoke rolling out of them...must have scared the pants off you. It would me.

Ron,
I work with developmentally disabled adults. I have become facinated with historical asylums and have been researching online. Then I came upon your posts. What happened to you and so many others was so wrong. I am sorry that your childhood was so f*cked up. I would like to say how amazingly strong you are: to find the courage to go back to that dark scary place in your past and bring it all out again-and share it with others. I hope that writing will help you to put it behind you. It never goes completely away, just slides back down to that dark place in our pasts. A councelor once put it to me this way: You are the engine of a train with many railcars. Each railcar contains experiences in your life. Sometimes they start banging around and trying to break out. Don't ignore it, because it only gets louder. Open the railcar, acknowledge the contents, "Yes, that is a terrible thing from my past, it was f*cked up and I didn't deserve it, but I survived it, and I'm moving past it." Then close the door and continue your journey.
Hope that helps?
~T

WELCOME Writeright1967,
Thank You for posting.
How did you come across this site?

What you said makes sense. We have be looking for other patients or even staff members who were there around the same time but I'm sure many of those who were doped up like zombies lived short lives.
We did find one Assistant who worked there in the mid 60's and has bad memories of the place, but would rather not post his feelings at this time.

Mike

Hi Mike,
I've been doing research on Autism and other disorders in order to better understand-and help-the people I work with. In researching the disorders, I came across the institutions. I study art, architecture, and literature in college, so the Kirkbridge buildings facinate me. One link lead to another, and I happened upon this page. The rememberences of yours and Ron's are very important on two levels: as an outlet for those who survived the atrocities perpertrated at these facilities, and also to make others aware. I can't help seeing parallels to the Nazi camp survivors stories. Keeping evil quiet and hidden allows the wounds to fester and spread. Bringing them out into the sunlight, exposes them to the healing process. I wish you all healing and peace.
~T

Although these were later called Hospitals, the only reason the name "Asylums" was superceded to "State Hospitals" was to give those outside the walls a most positive attidude on what actually went on inside the walls.
They were never intended for curing, healing or for that matter even improving anyones illnesses.
After gaining a little more education, I realized (and I have no doubt that Ron was well aware of this at a young age) that TCSH for one, was the last step in "removing embarressment from the eyes of society".
The patient were used as guinea pigs for practicing and testing new treatments and medication.
So you can thank Ron and I for the new "Medical Break throughs".
I'm just kidding

I just found some fairly detailed history on asylums, treatments and changes.
If anyone may question what Ron and I have posted,this history will verify
most everything said. It also tells you about old treatments that were banned but then later reintroduce.
It's very interesting
Mike

http://www.toddlertime.com/advocacy/hos ... asylum.htm

Very interesting, and very disturbing.
Again, I can't help but draw parallels between the "hospitals" and the Nazi camps. Hitler had his doctors perform many experiments on the Jewish captives. What we know about underwater pressure and its affects on the human body come from the tests that monster performed on the Jews. I remember reading that the Americans were faced with the dilemma of "Do we use all of the information recorded from these experiments to help mankind, or do we destroy it?" They opted to use it. I feel it should have been buried with the remains of the people upon whom these crimes were perpetrated.
It's good that you can joke about what happened to you. But only you all who have been there have the right to do so. I'm so angry because those horrible things happened to you and so many others, the same way I get angry all over again when I hear or see something pertaining to the Holocaust. As much as I want to go back in time and save everyone from every atrocity ever committed, I cannot. What I can do, is listen. Listen and educate myself and others so that we can stop it in our time.
~T

re-phrase....
 

If anyone may question what Ron and I have posted

,this history will verify
most everything said. It also tells you about old treatments that were banned but then later reintroduce.
It's very interesting
Mike

After posting I noticed that an earlier post could easily be misinterpeted. So I'll rephrase it.
 

If anyone may question what Ron and I have posted

By saying, "If anyone may question" meaning anyone who may not have read this from the begining or read somethings that were posted earlier.
Mike

sorry i haven't been around, I had a heart attack and was sent to Miami to have the heart worked on, just go home today. I am very tired and weak.

Ron, I'm happy to hear that your still with us. I was getting worried for awhile. Has your heart attack caused any severe restrictions?
Just try to relax and take care of yourself.
Your in my prayers..
Mike