Tuesday, February 7, 2012

State Hospital/ Belchertown

As I sit here shifting through a pile of research and history on this particular location, I still get an icy chill down my spine. I will give you a quick history of the Belchertown State School for the "Feeble minded"  It may shed some light on why so many people, including myself believe this place to be haunted.
The state school was built in 1915,  it sits on exactly 876 acres.  It opened its doors to residents in 1922.  On November 15, 1922 the school held its opening ceremony during which 65 boys were brought in from Fernald.  Fernald was the "sister" school to Belchertown.  On November 24, 1922 128 boys were placed in the care of the Belchertown State school, they too came from Fernald.
At its maximum Belchertown housed 743 patients by 1926.  All of which were young boys, girls to women and men of all ages.  Its appears that this was a facility closer to a prison then a "school"
There was not much education that was provided to these patients.  It was an place for people who were mentally ill and unable to care for themselves.  Besides being over crowded, it had a reputation for sexual and physical abuse.  It also suffered a vermin infestation. Conditions were rapidly crumbling.  All of which was over looked by staff.  It was a time where jobs were scarce and people took what they could get. Yet the patients who filled the wards of Belchertown State School were the ones who suffered.

1 comment:

  1. i was walking around there and a child screams and a walked over there and there was a white figured boy that vanished

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