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.
Hey I don't know if anyone knows a way to contact security for tours or anything. Or any photos I could look at. I'm just interested in a tour without the chance of getting arrested. I can't take a b and e seeing as I'm in the military. Just shoot an email a takeoverwithasmile@yahoo.com
Has anyone in the area ever visited the old Kaman Helicopter factory in nearby Plainfield? Huge complex, closed down many years back, still in good shape. Might be worth a look or two from some of you intrepid explorers. I know nothing of the security, access or anything, but I would like to see some pics if anybody has them. Had a couple friends worked there back in the 70s -80s. Just a passing thought.
norwich will no longer be there they are starting to get ready to tear it down so say good by this is a real fact and u will not be leave what it will be
I used to be a security guard for the Hospital and got to do a lot of exploring on the grounds. LOL my mother always used to use the phrase above when ever us kids really started to get on her nerves, "you kids are going to send me to the nut house in Norwich!" I do not believe in ghosts and I personally never had a supernatural experience there, but is it creepy? Oh yeah, and when the security detail first started, we were doing doing foot patrols alone. It was pretty nerve racking around dusk seeing and hearing things. By far the strangest place for me was the Ribicoff Research Center at the northern end of the complex. A lot of strange medical equipment was left there and the morgue was gross and seemed to still have old dried blood in some places. (It couldnt have been rust as there was no metal around) Through out my time there I never ventured into the sub levels of that building. Its an interesting place knowing the history and knowing that the worst of the worst patients were transfered right across the river to the Uncas of the Thames/Dept. of Mental Health after the hospital closed, I couldnt help but wonder if someone ever escaped would they try to make their way back to their old home? Anyway, they are buttoning that place up quick so if you want to explore it has to be right now. HEPA/Dust mask is a MUST, tons of particles in there. Also, take a flash light EVEN DURING THE DAY. Many tunnels and building sub-levels are pitch black during day light hours. BE CAREFUL, wear all black long sleeves and long pants.
I stumbled upon this site and am amazed at the draw of so many to this obscure and rather grim facility. however I understand well that it must hold a wealth of mystery ,and adventure to the exploritive dare devil and spirit seekers. the comments and pictures are priceless, for the door of opportunity is surely closing as I type these very words. Indeed ... few will enter that domain to commune with the energies there in for long....if ever again. They are paying for lots of security to gaurd a doomed group of structures .....rather strange,think ye not? If the buildings are to be destroyed, what exactly are they so concerned about? If not say vandelism. Perhaps it is the gruesome reality of the environment that they are gaurding. And so doing, are not so much concerned with what can get in,but rather ...what can get out! It does after all conjure nightmarish scenes in one's mind....the pictures....so telling....so brutally descriptive.Albeit,Imay be more sensitive to the revelation of the Norwich state Assylums ghastly crypt like innards,because my mother was a patient/prisoner to its halls for many years.She was let out a few times, and was always in terror of the possibility of return.and yet she did return...again and again.
I have a friend who is a security guard at the Norwich Insane creepy place (or i call it). He send me videos of the place and pictures, but he wont go in at night. LOL. He refuses, so make sure everyone that wants to creep in does it when he is working. He says there are only two other guards on besides him, this is a friday 7/17. If anyone wants to know more information email me at Tricianne26@yahoo.com, might be able to hook u up.
I explored norwich state hospital a few times, there is some really cool buildings to explore just make sure you wear a dust mask if you go in, also go at night wearing black and KEEP YOUR FLASHLIGHTS AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS, one of the times i had to leave my car in the park and ride lot over night it got so bad, state police showed up and pretty well chased us out (but they never expected us to not come back to my car haha). There were a few weird things that did happen to us tho, we were in the salmon building i beleive its called and a few floors below us we heard something big and metal creek then slam and there was nobody else around, also in the top of the theater there was a fan that doesnt stop spinning and when we stopped it 2 of our flashlights instanly died. BE CAREFUL IN THE TUNELLS... security came down there looking for us one night and some of them they purposely caved in so you cant sneak around, there is usually only 2 security guards on duty at a time and usually they stay in their vehicles unless your doing something stupid, also the place is filled with asbestos which as you know leads to mesthothiloma or however you spell it. The town of preston bought the property and are trying to decide what to do with it, so if you want to explore the place do it soon JUST BE CAREFUL they are all old buildings and floors can give out easy you can get cut on broken glass etc worst comes to worst you can end up dead if your not smart. And if you get caught on the premesis you will either get a fine or a fine and arrested
This place takes my breath away....... I absolutely love this site!
I have to get in, Planning on multiple attempts within the next few weeks. Any tips or advice always appreciated, unless if its advice as to why not to go....
I've always wanted to go in there and do some exploring! Thanks for the tip on the pump house by the river, I'll do some scouting on the other side before I venture in though!
dont have to be an ass i called some people and they told me that they cant talk about it and its under wraps
oh my god u saw them that must have been so cool did they have there truck out and was the camera's around them and what where they doing when u saw them... and do u know when they are filming love to meet them.. its about time they finally let filming there a real film not vh1 or some thing stupid lol
dose any body know if the enfield prarnormal sosciety is filming a show there i did see there truck in back of the asylum can any body tell me is the deal
Due to recent events with the town of Norwich. The asylum tunnels no longer stand. Norwich recently purchased the asylum issued a demo order. And demoed all the above ground tunnels.
I'd like to find out some real history about this place as well. Your best bet would probably be heading to the library and looking up old newspaper articles. Even then, you still won't know the truth.
I would like to know what really happened in this place before i go. Does anyone have a link to a site with some REAL history.
The padded room and the furniture destruction done to the main building was for some stupid VH1 reality show.
(from http://designedbreakdown.com/photo/norwich/index.htmlhttp://designedbreakdown.com/photo/norwich/index.html)
Fairly recently VH1 filmed an episode of a show called "Celebrity Paranormal" in Norwich Hospital (renamed Warson Asylum). The cast included Tony Little, Godfrey (comedian), Rachel Hunter (model), Traci Bingham (playmate/reality star), and Ethan Zohn (Survivor). The cast was supposed to investigate the supposedly most haunted areas of the hospital and decide which was most haunted: The Therapy Room, a Padded Cell, the Hydrotherapy Room, or the Operating Room.
VH1 managed to trash the front of the administration building by throwing furniture down the stairs, because the front desk didn't look haunted and abandoned enough, and they also created the so-called "padded cell" themselves- there actually was no such thing in real life mental hospitals, ever. The padded cell VH1 made was created from old couch cushions, covers removed. The covers were stashed in a closet 8 feet away.
I visited Norwich two weeks ago and aside from finding dirt that was shoved in a couple of the tunnels in hopes to keep people out and the tunnels to Awl and Salmon being completely sealed off, all the tunnels I traveled through hadn't collapsed yet.
I was pointed in the direction of this: www.uer.ca/forum_showthread.asp?fid=1&threadid=67841&currpage=1 New destruction.
All of the main tunells have been collapsed or collapsed from deteriortation. All of the others have been sealed shut. Quite a few of the buildings are so bad that you're taking chances of falling through floors or having a roof fall on you. Then toss in the asbestos and toxic mold and the place is definately not the safest place to be.
Does have anyone have any information about the destruction of some of the tunnels? A friend of mine told me that several of the tunnels were demolished. I want to visit Norwich for a final time this weekend, and I hope some of the tunnels will still be in existence so I take my photos and bid Norwich a goodbye.
I dont live in Norwich, but was doing some research on an asylum in Northampton, MA (which is the shit and should be checked out) I really want to visit Norwich and check this place out, but am a little hesitant because of the guards and such...I mean the place is HUGE and many of you have already been in so i know its possible. I want to know everything about this place.
it's in the penthouse building on the same floor as the swimming pool
Does anyone know which building the morgue is in?
Pudo mentiras, que queiro ganar con su juegos. Ustedes teine de pensimiento de un nina.
good luck getting in now, they r bolting up the doors n most of the ground level n 2floor windows are being boarding up. it fuckn sucks>> me n ma crew got caught they showed us on there fuckin INFRARED camera>>> they do drive off the property to catch u>>> not just the tunnels n bulinding r haunted>>> the whole ground r too an in the out-doors... i had the crazy experince in the field. on our way back to the parkin lot>> dont ask>>>dont wanna tell
the potographs made available by this site and others are both intriguing and of course disturbing. My reason for e-mailing tonight is to comment on the many "comments" "communications" I saw on this sight. The only benefits the scavengers who still prey on the very location where people most often went for refuge,,is a very cheap thrill. I am puzzeled why the photographs which are available aren't enough for these "thrillseekers" I guess it will never end..the fascination with the other side.
The hospital is located in my town and the state just brought it over for 1 dollar. many wanna turn it into a theme park but the hospital holds hundreds if not thousands of restless ghosts that seek revenge on the people who tortured them. The souls of the departed still walk the halls of the hospital. In my opinion, the state should make it illegal to walk on. I know many people who have snuck into it and they regret ever doing so.
I seem to recall, that part of the agreement was the State would continue being involved for 1 year after D.O.P., after that, the onus would fall on the Town of Preston, which is currently embroiled in a fight about the safety of their school busses. I dont really think a town the size of Preston will have the funding, particularly in this economy, to maintain the same level as the State does. Especially if the casino starts witholding is multi-million slot revenue because of the smoking issue. So, while security may currently be tightened up, I expect it to relax, if not go the way of the Norwich YMCA. Which is a big building in Norwich, been there 138 years, scheduled to close April 30. Not that any U.E. here might want to take a look around..... But remember, Kiddies, trespassing IS illegal, so DONT do it!
Now that Preston owns the property, why dont you contact them direct and plead your case? Small town might be more willing to assist than State Government, and the Town could use some positive publicity right about now. Maybe get one of the local TV stations to cover the story. Contact the Norwich Bulletin or the New London Day, see if they can print your story. Enough publicity, and someone will turn up to help.
joe pleas hit me up when your going i know ever safe way in best time is when security are changing shift.do not go on 3rd shift troop e are in an out throw out the shift. i was there 1st in to 2nd shift just to wach security they have really changed. what i mean is they are going in the building an the tunnels. before it was to catch us but know there doing just for fun. what the fuck. are do you think because preston now owns they can go were ever they want. that would really suck
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