Kirkbride Buildings - Historic Insane Asylum Architecture

How do I find records from my great great grandfathers admissions to S,.C. Lunatic Asylum in the 1850’s??? He was a physician and did well the rest of his life.

Good evening,
I am trying to locate any information on my decesased mother. She use to work for the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. She attended/graduated from what she refered to as “The Old Columbia Hospita”. At one time she had a photo her entire class becaues I believe they were the first black graduating class of black nurses. I should would appreciate any help or guidance you maybe able to provided. Thank you.

Missing my mother,
Rhonda Owens

Interested in photos of the Asylum and cemetery and any history or articles connected with the institution over the years…some records of patients may be found at the SCDAH in Columbia…

For those in search death and burial records for patients who were buried BY the hospital, call the DMH – they have a database of burials. If the family took them home or made other arrangements, they won’t know. Most folks in the old days didn’t want anyone to know their family members were sick, so graves just got numbers a lot of times or they buried them in one of Columbia’s cemeteries instead of their home towns.

Patient records are confidential for 75 years. Anything older than that should be available at SC Archives and History.

Hope this helps.

I am searching for information regarding a distant aunt, Miss Texianna Davis, who was a resident there from about 1900 until her death 1905. I would like to know her burial place.

Where are the videos of the State Hospital? Are the not available for viewing. Thanks, Diana

Requesting all information and records pertaining to Charlie F. Landreth who died there on April 14, 1925.

Sorry, I was at the bottom of this page and I mistakenly touched the “Comment”.

We would gratefully appreciate your help with this request. If we do not get our information together now, it will be lost forever. This is very important to our family. Please help us to have our history complete.

Thank you,

Joan and Jerry Landreth

Hello,
I was just reading some comments posted here reference the South Carolina State Hospital for the Insane. The The South Carolina Dept of Archives and History in Columbia has the records from the State Hospital until the early 40’s. You can scan through the hand written books for your family members information. I found my gggrandfather from 1922 who died there.

There is limited information written in the books which did not tell me anything new except his exact admission date. To get more information about the reason for his / her admittance you must look through the doctors evaluation reports which were done prior to being admitted. However, I was told that when the records were brought to the Archives from the hospital many were missing…figures!! So there is a good chance there may be no records left. It is worth the time though. You can cal the archives @ 803-896-6100. They are open Tue through Sat, closed Sun and Mon. They also have a website that is useful as well….. South Caroline Archives.

I hope this helps someone. I am returning there next week and if someone would like for me to look up and get copies from the Hosital Records just drop me a note at my e-mail and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Randy