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Pennhurst Mental Hospital | Pennhurst Insane Asylum | Pennhurst | Poveglia Island | Ghost Adventures | Ghost Adventures Fake

Pennhurst State School and Hospital, which sits on the border between Chester County and Montgomery County in Pennsylvania, was an institution for both the mentally and physically disabled. It is located about 7 miles from Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Pennhurst opened in 1908 with high hopes of helping disabled youths throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. However, Pennhurst’s seemingly good intentions came under question starting in the 1970s when rumors of physical and sexual abuse arose.

Pennhurst was constructed and opened in 1908 as a state school for the mentally and physically disabled. Pennhurst’s property was vast, covering 120 acres (0.49 km2). Created to house over 10,000 patients at a point in time, Pennhurst was one of the largest institutions of its kind in Pennsylvania. Half of Pennhurst’s residents were committed by court order and the other half were brought by a parent or other guardian. It was devoted strictly to the care, treatment and education of the disabled whose parents resided in Montgomery, Chester, and the surrounding counties.

Pennhurst employed a large number of staff to help assist in maintaining the facility. This staff included a board of trustees, medical staff, dental staff, and specialists in psychology, social services, accounting, and various fields of education. The grounds of Pennhurst included a 300-bed hospital, which had a full nursing staff and two surgeons on call at all times. Others at Pennhurst included members of the clergy and farming experts who grew most of Pennhurst’s food. After Pennhurst was closed, many of the medical staff began work at local Phoenixville Hospital.

Pennhurst was an essentially self-sufficient community, its 1,400-acre (5.7 km2) site containing a firehouse, general store, barber shop, and even a greenhouse. The buildings of Pennhurst were named after towns in Pennsylvania such as Chester and Devon. The original buildings were designed by architect Phillip H. Johnson. Several other architectural firms were awarded contracts for future expansions and additions: J. Bedford Wooley, William H. Dechant & Sons and Horace W. Castor. All of Pennhurst’s electricity was generated by an on-site power plant. A cemetery lay on the property, as well as baseball and recreational fields for the residents. Many of Pennhurst’s buildings were strictly for storage; however, the majority were dormitory and hospital-style living quarters for the residents. Most of the buildings were linked by an underground tunnel system designed for transportation of handicapped patients.

Pennhurst State School was closed in 1986 following several allegations of abuse. These allegations led to the first lawsuit of its kind in the United States, Pennhurst State School and Hospital vs. Halderman, which asserted that the mentally retarded have a constitutional right to living quarters and an education.

Tags:Ghost Adventures, Ghost Adventures Fake, Pennhurst, Pennhurst Insane Asylum, Pennhurst Mental Hospital, Poveglia Island

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