I found this web site on Friday by looking
for haunted areas in the northern Michigan
area. I got HOOKED. Very interesting to me.
I have lived in Traverse city all my life
and know people who have worked for the
state hospital. The building and the history
of the place really intrigue me. Browsing
the Kirkbride site I've read some entries
from people I know from the area.
Ron and Mike you did a good thing by telling your childhood memories. I sensed it was not a easy thing to do. I can't wait for the book.
Ron and Mike you did a good thing by telling your childhood memories. I sensed it was not a easy thing to do. I can't wait for the book.
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does anyone know of how to contact Heidi
Johnsons sister Gretchen?
I would like to ask if we could use a few pictures of hall-18 in my book
ronl her name is Gretchen Boekeloo. That was from the Points North Radio program you posted. Was also a picture of her standing in front of wall of photos/ she is wearing a purple sweater. She did speak on the program, but I don't have the time to go back and listen to what she talked about. She may live in the area. sorry I couldn't help you more. I also found her on facebook. Gretchen J. Boekeloo
I would like to ask if we could use a few pictures of hall-18 in my book
ronl her name is Gretchen Boekeloo. That was from the Points North Radio program you posted. Was also a picture of her standing in front of wall of photos/ she is wearing a purple sweater. She did speak on the program, but I don't have the time to go back and listen to what she talked about. She may live in the area. sorry I couldn't help you more. I also found her on facebook. Gretchen J. Boekeloo
okie wrote:does anyone know of how to contact Heidi Johnsons sister Gretchen?
I would like to ask if we could use a few pictures of hall-18 in my book
ronl her name is Gretchen Boekeloo. That was from the Points North Radio program you posted. Was also a picture of her standing in front of wall of photos/ she is wearing a purple sweater. She did speak on the program, but I don't have the time to go back and listen to what she talked about. She may live in the area. sorry I couldn't help you more. I also found her on facebook. Gretchen J. Boekeloo
okie:
Here's Gretchen's facebook link. You can send her a message through there.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gretchen ... 1581331905
Hey there everyone. I've been reading this
all night. It's past three in the morning
now (lol, I thought about stopping, but it
just never seemed to happen) and I wanted to
say hi to all the people whose lives I've
been spying on. Didn't seem right to just
fade off after all that. What you have going
on here is too important.
I'm not related to the halls, the building, the area, or the topic in any way. I'm just one of those people that stays up too late reading.
Anything I can do to help-I know it sounds strange, but I'm not joking here. You want to tell an empathetic ear something? Fine, here I am. You want someone to go trolling through newspaper or legal records? Sure, you got it. I'll do whatever I can.
Goodnight everyone. Or good morning, I guess.
Mags
I'm not related to the halls, the building, the area, or the topic in any way. I'm just one of those people that stays up too late reading.
Anything I can do to help-I know it sounds strange, but I'm not joking here. You want to tell an empathetic ear something? Fine, here I am. You want someone to go trolling through newspaper or legal records? Sure, you got it. I'll do whatever I can.
Goodnight everyone. Or good morning, I guess.
Mags
Thanks mkfarnam for the addy
Hi Mags I am like you, just wishing I could
help in some small way.
Hi Okie and Mike!
And thanks for the happy welcome Mike.
Years ago I was doing research on Northhampton State Hospital and the Save Old Main project. If anyone was wondering what brought me to this particular site, that is. I've still never been there, or been able to visit any other site, but that place had a special draw on me. Don't know why.
My mother was a county social worker in the 80s and 90s and I grew up in a home where she referred to her clients as her "kids." Ron-talking about the woman the kids called "mom" put me in mind of this. My mum worked with abused children for most of my life. She now works with disabled adults. Autism, physical disadvantages, challenged folks. Some of these adults are the kids she used to work with. Being different or having a different way of communicating still leads to confusion and violence in families. Kids under the stairs. In basements. Or worse. I'd heard too many stories about abuse in institutions or foster homes too. Course, one story is too many, but this was a lot more than one. At least now it gets into the papers sometimes instead of getting hushed up. Still, the stigma exists. And I'm sure more than not, 'incidents' are quietly handled and things move along as if nothing ever happened.
I was wondering if anyone here was or is a mentor for someone in a hospital, home, or group?
And thanks for the happy welcome Mike.
Years ago I was doing research on Northhampton State Hospital and the Save Old Main project. If anyone was wondering what brought me to this particular site, that is. I've still never been there, or been able to visit any other site, but that place had a special draw on me. Don't know why.
My mother was a county social worker in the 80s and 90s and I grew up in a home where she referred to her clients as her "kids." Ron-talking about the woman the kids called "mom" put me in mind of this. My mum worked with abused children for most of my life. She now works with disabled adults. Autism, physical disadvantages, challenged folks. Some of these adults are the kids she used to work with. Being different or having a different way of communicating still leads to confusion and violence in families. Kids under the stairs. In basements. Or worse. I'd heard too many stories about abuse in institutions or foster homes too. Course, one story is too many, but this was a lot more than one. At least now it gets into the papers sometimes instead of getting hushed up. Still, the stigma exists. And I'm sure more than not, 'incidents' are quietly handled and things move along as if nothing ever happened.
I was wondering if anyone here was or is a mentor for someone in a hospital, home, or group?
The more I think of it, it was the
summer/fall of 69 when I discovered the
water tank. The summer of 70 I was in the
new children's hospital. There was writing
on it from former patients but no crap like
whats painted on it now, I recall it read
like a bulletin board with lots of messages,
like Kilroy was here, lol. I did not leave
my mark anywhere at TCSH. It left its mark
on me.
Looking though old files I found quite a few
pictures, and a 1968 pamphlet showing 37A ,
the canteen, the lounge and the mini-golf,
it's newspaper-quality low-res but better
than nothing.
This is one I took of hall 18 looking west in 2004, testing upload here.
[img]/mnt/home/Hall-18/dcp_3181.jpg[/img]
Hope it works, newer images are 3072x2304 dpi.
This is one I took of hall 18 looking west in 2004, testing upload here.
[img]/mnt/home/Hall-18/dcp_3181.jpg[/img]
Hope it works, newer images are 3072x2304 dpi.