The hospital first opened its doors in 1904 in Norwich, Connecticut. It was built in an idyllic location chosen for its therapeutic properties overlooking the River Thames.
The Norwich Insane Asylum was built isolated from civilization, which worked to its benefit as it began to grow during its early years sprouting new buildings that accompanied the original construction (see aerial view of the hospital here). These new construction projects included patient wards, staff cottages, laboratories and workshops. All of the structures were interconnected by a large network of underground utility tunnels. These tunnels transported electricity, hot water, and patients to various areas on the grounds. The hospital remained self-sufficient, almost like a small town, with its own power plant, pump house, working farm, kitchen, theater and church.
Over 3,000 patients and 1,000 employees were residents on the asylum grounds in the 1950’s.
Slowly patients began to leave Norwich State Hospital due to deinstitutionalization and it permanently closed its doors in 1996. Since then time has basically stood still on the property with a few exceptions. Currently there is talk about converting the grounds into a theme park, but nothing has been set in stone.
After a long tedious drive we leave the car in a commuter parking lot close to the buildings. Ever the vigilant group of explorers we notice a State Trooper making his rounds and dive into the forest for cover. Luckily we outsmarted the police yet again and after regrouping walk along the Thames River for a few hundred feet. We finally see the abandoned pump house looming in the distance and decide to make this our entryway into the campus.
This site has a reputation for being well guarded, well patrolled, and does not take kindly to trespassers. I am always on edge when exploring across the Atlantic and the numerous “State Property – No Trespassing” signs that litter the grounds did not bode well for my paranoia. Instead of exposing ourselves above ground to security and prying eyes, we decided to take the underground route through the utility tunnels.
Using the tunnels we explored many buildings without ever being forced to go outside. This method of travel was soon confirmed to be the safest. On our first attempt to venture outside we were only a few feet away from a security officer in a black uniform. Fortunately he didn’t look our way and we quickly receded back into the tunnel network. For a while we hid in the abandoned theater so we could look around the campus without being seen.
This encounter with security dampened our spirits and made our visit a whole lot shorter than we would have liked. We made our grande exit through the empty chapel, this allowed us to avoid walking back through the forest. As we were walking back to the commuter lot to pickup our car we noticed the State Trooper had been watching us as we suspiciously walked down the road. I wonder where we went to and were coming back from?!
Archive document introducing a new therapy (click to enlarge):
Special thanks to Dr. Bob for sharing the old postcards.
Pretty freakin boring round here without Sparkles... where she at? I heard she disapeared...anyone know where shes hiding?
That was a nice way to pay Homage to your friend. Unfortunately with everyone knowing the current security situation at NSH, that place is going to be picked clean of everything not tied down. I hope the cards are returned but unless something is done to prevent them from being taken again, the same thing will happen. Maybe bringing some clear lacquer and putting a couple coats over them would help.
About 6 months ago a man died very unexpectedly in Norwich.... the hospital was something he always wanted to explore... I put his 2 different funeral cards on the stage in the Theatre Dance Hall now they are gone...his name is Gunnar N if anyone knows about how his memorial was taken or why please post here. the cards belong there.
blah blah blah blah blah blah
ahh i was a little too lazy this weekend, i wanted to get out there and explore with limited gaurds but i didnt get to. hope you all had some fun and everybody has got to post pics!!! so did anybody hear about how pfizer just fired a lady for saying that she got infected with a man made disease that they made there at pfizer? yeah i just heard about it this morning. maybe she was in the underground labs and somehow escaped? wonder if she saw the gatekeeper down there? i definatly want to interveiw this lady. so ive noticed its been quite around the paige, especially with bomb shutting up...
I feel like crap but.... You did make me smile. I love you so much and I had a lot of fun this weekend. You're the best. I want to go this weekend. Maybe we can visit the morgue? (do you remember now? hehe)
Best weekend ever...! our saga continues... I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! and I hope your smilin this morning after you read this.. Ill see you soon...
Yeah..I was there today..There was only one guard. The SCC car was parked in the very front of the hospital..no one in it. There was a state cop doing radar right near it..Then there was a white suv parked facing kettle..as martin said.. Easy in..easy out. However..this guard that was on today seemed to have a lead foot compared to the slow poke's that used to drive the grounds..on more than on occasion the guard blew by us at 40mph. haha
Dude your way off...Murphy security has 1 guard for the Norwich side of campus. 1 guard. 1 vehicle. the Preston side has 1 guard from SSC remaining. 1 vehicle. so its 2 different Co's working the site for now...abt 3weeks till a final descision is made. and the chiller is the bathroom only. its not staffed any longer. those are facts. so get your shit straight...and a 93$ ticket isnt exactlly trouble is it? and we have been in a few times since new guard rotation began...easy walk in and out...
been doing recon. there are still gaurds there. it is a new company but they do have 2 cars per shift. if you guys are gonna post details like that make sure they are correct before you do. it could get many people in trouble if they listen to incorrect info.they are using the old chiller as there office.
Meh..haha.
Looking for fellow explorers/photographers to check this place out. We should get a (small) group together and make a day. Anyone interested, feel free to shoot me a message: xgrannyballsx@yahoo.com.
no first shift security but there is one guard on 2nd an 3rd shift poor jerk good luck have fun
..okay okay..maybe this should be hush hush for now. In fact..we aren't even sure for how long this will be true
Guards gone...free for all!! get yer asses movin! no more BS...its on..
So..you have to pay 4 grand to have permission to do whatever you want for 3 days.. i see how it is.
‘Ghost Hunters’ going home Reality TV crew wrapping up work at former mental hospital
Tali Greener/ NorwichBulletin.com By DEBORAH STRASZHEIM Norwich Bulletin Posted Mar 12, 2010 @ 12:02 AM Last update Mar 12, 2010 @ 10:22 AM Preston, Conn. — The reality television show “Ghost Hunters” filmed Monday, Tuesday night and Wednesday night at the former Norwich Hospital property in Preston and gave the town a location fee of $4,000.
Kent Borner, chairman of the Preston Redevelopment Agency, said filming is nearly complete, except for one day of filming outside. He does not know what, if anything, the ghost hunters found.
“I know for sure they were in the administration building,” Borner said. “And they were talking about getting into the tunnels.”
He said the crew may also have gone into the Ribicoff building, where medical procedures and operations were performed. The Ribicoff was also the site of the hospital’s morgue.
The former Norwich Hospital has been thought for years to be haunted, perhaps by the ghosts of its patients.
“Ghost Hunters” premiered in 2004 on the Syfy Channel and investigates paranormal activity. Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, plumbers by trade, run The Atlantic Paranormal Society based in Warwick, R.I., and research various sites.
Supervising producer Matthew Meltzer said the group has completed its investigation at the hospital but now must examine two days of evidence, a time-consuming process.
“They have to review all of the audio and video they collect there. It’s all in real time. They can’t fast forward,” he said.
Meltzer said he hopes the Preston segment will be one-hour long, but it depends on what’s found. The episode likely will air in May, he said.
The Norwich State Hospital for the Insane opened in 1904 and served as a mental health facility for decades. It was renamed Norwich State Hospital in the 1920s and had a population of thousands in the 1950s.
The hospital closed in 1996.
I just shitcanned aim/yim, had some craziness goin on- but I'll make a new one, or you can hit me up at phucphace@gmail.com. I'm at hell, I mean work anyway and can only respond so much. But yea hit a broham up.
Do you use AIM or anything like that..Wanted to talk to you.
A nighter would work well for me since I get out late and could do it pretty much any night. I'm always down if not workin' if anyone wants to hit a place up.
G.E..google earth.. i'm slow...lol
I really like these Bing maps..Thanks for sharing much better than the google aerial shots. Birds eye get's you right in there. However..im not sure what the G.E you mentioned is.
I haven't quite gotten enough confidence in the Power Plant site..There is only one way in..and it's a big sketchy haha..but we could make plans for a night op I'm sure. That site would NOT be possible for a solo infiltration at all by any means. However..we could work something out I am sure.
G.E./ bing maps-the birds eye view is the Shiz ,+ just poking around the interwebs. Traditional recon is good but for nori you have to get on site any way to do that so...Hey, did you ever do that power plant-I'm down!
e-recon?
Well, all I'll say is either way if you wanna go just do some e-recon, get your gear ready and do it up. It honestly isn't that bad getting in if you use a little ninja-ness and have a plan, broad day light or midnight I've been going pretty frequently and usually have no problems at all. Even the close calls just evade and keep on splorin', don't freak and always keep your eyes and ears on your surroundings, know your next move ahead of time, have options and when in doubt know your way out. I heard from a very, very reliable source on the game plan and will share that story soon enough. But I can't say shit right now, wouldn't count on anything anyway. I will say, if you really want to go- go soon! Happy esplorin' on a shitty note, there is con. Equipment showing up! Just saw a backhoe and a port-o-potty as I'm writing this, fuk fukity fukfukfuk I hope this isn't starting yet...
That's pretty sweet you don't have to work. Plans on hangin' out with lady gaga?
I'm yawning too but I don't have work tomorrow
You can watch it on YouTube or ov guide. It's one of a kind and it's the only us film banned from release for reasons other than obscenity or national security, this says alot. The ban was lifted a few years back.
yawning to the silence today. boo
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