Kirkbride Buildings - Historic Insane Asylums Forum

The metal gate behind Building 50 at Traverse City State Hospital has been stolen. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of the gate, please call The Village at Grand Traverse Commons at (+1) 231.941.1900.

The night it was stolen, a group of 20 at facebook was given a tour.
http://www.facebook.com/Ronny.Larson#/p ... 878?ref=mf

I just checked and it is gone. A couple weeks ago, it was just knocked over. But it is gone. I thought maybe since it was knocked over, they moved it somewhere until it could be fixed. If it was stolen, they do not have the whole thing. I don't know what they would want with only part of a gate. This is what it looks like now.


click image for a full-sized view


click image for a full-sized view

It will be a very sad thing if the gate cannot be recovered.

Dave, do you know how the gate got knocked over?

Kirkbride wrote:Dave, do you know how the gate got knocked over?

I do not. I was walking around the Hospital and assumed it was stolen at first glance. However as I walked closer, it was knocked down. The concrete base holding the left side of the fence was very weak and perhaps fell over on it's own. Has the Minervini group officially reported it was stolen? I am just wondering if it was just moved until it can be fixed.

Here are the last pics I had taken of the fence before it came up missing.


click image for a full-sized view


click image for a full-sized view

Here are some older pics of the fence that I took.


click image for a full-sized view


click image for a full-sized view


click image for a full-sized view


click image for a full-sized view


click image for a full-sized view

I hope it wasn't a scrapper who stole it, otherwise it might not ever be found.

Dave Slayer wrote:Has the Minervini group officially reported it was stolen? I am just wondering if it was just moved until it can be fixed.

The Village Commons' Facebook page stated it was stolen. Not sure if that qualifies as official, but if they said it there, I'm sure they reported it to the police as stolen too.

BTW: great pictures, Dave. I don't know why I didn't take more when I visited. Now I may never get the chance to do so:(

Yeah, let's hope it wasn't a scrapper. I get the feeling it's not though since (I believe) the gate is just iron or steel and not something more attractive to a scrapper like copper. Maybe I'm wrong about that though. I'm not too savvy about scrapping or metals either.

Kirkbride wrote:BTW: great pictures, Dave. I don't know why I didn't take more when I visited. Now I may never get the chance to do so:(

Thanks! Do you think you could use one of these pictures for the Traverse City State Hospital page?

Thanks for the offer. I've considered using other people's photos on the site (since several people have generously offered), but I haven't decided to do so yet. I still don't feel right using other people's contemporary photos for some reason.

I'll probably change my mind eventually though, and if I do I'll contact you about it.

Kirkbride wrote:Thanks for the offer. I've considered using other people's photos on the site (since several people have generously offered), but I haven't decided to do so yet. I still don't feel right using other people's contemporary photos for some reason.

I'll probably change my mind eventually though, and if I do I'll contact you about it.

Thanks. I am thinking about making a book of the Kirkbride using some of my pictures. No one has made a color book of the place yet and I am considering doing so. I would like to wait until they rebuild the administration section though. That may be a few years but definately worth the wait!

Yeah, I'd say it's definitely worth the wait too. That would be cool to put out a color photo book. If you do, be sure to let me know about it and I'll promote it.

Any recovery or word on the stolen gate?

I haven't heard any news which I assume means it hasn't been found or returned yet.