Kirkbride Buildings - Historic Insane Asylum Architecture

On Sunday April 18th, there will be a special ceremony  in honor of those buried in the four cemeteries at Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It will take place in the hospital’s chapel at 2PM. Directions and further information can be found in this invitation: Bryce Hospital Cemetery Memorial Dedication Ceremony (1.52MB PDF File).

While relatives of patients, former patients, friends and hospital employees are especially invited, the event is open to the public and all are welcome. Following the ceremony and a reception, there will be a tour of Bryce’s Kirkbride building.

Related to this story is a relatively new web site: Bryce Hospital – Historic Preservation Project. It’s not quite complete, but there’s already a lot of historical data contained there and it’s worth taking a good long look through it. Also included on the site is information about volunteering for or making donations to the historical preservation project.

Forum member Jenca mentioned there’s going to be an historic walking tour of the Warren State Hospital grounds this Spring. It’ll take place on Wednesday, April 14th from 1PM to 3PM. The tour is offered by the Warren Forest Higher Education Council and is open to the public. The tour will not enter any hospital buildings. Participating will cost $10 per person. You will have to contact Warren Forest Higher Education to register which can be done by phone or by mail. Here are some details…

Historical Walking Tour of Warren State Hospital
CRN: 4513, 2-hours, April 14, Wednesday from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Cost: $10
Warren State Hospital has been an integral part of the community for decades, yet very few of us know the history and significance of this institution. Enjoy a guided tour of the grounds along with rare photos depicting its history and treatment options for patients. Lecture will meet at Hi-Ed located on the Warren State Hospital Grounds. Call 1-814-723-3222 for more information.

Image courtesy of the Oregon State Library

The upcoming tour of Oregon State Hospital’s historic J-Building has turned out to be more popular than it’s organizers anticipated: State Hospital Public Tour a Hot Ticket. 210 people have already signed up for the tour and a number of registrants had to be placed on a waiting list. If enough people continue to sign up, the state’s Department of Human Services will consider holding another tour. (more…)