Photo: "Theatre Gold"

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The Laurelton State Village for Feeble-Minded Women of Childbearing Age opened in 1917, with 36 patients, and was the first facility of its kind designed to segregate and care for "feeble-minded" women from puberty through menopause. The facility was established on the principles of eugenics and the premise that one’s intelect or mental deficiency was hereditary and the segregation of those individuals was crucial to ensure they did not reproduce and pass down those genetics.
 

Despite the hospital's dark history, this theatre was quite beautiful. I loved the worn texture of the wooden seats, the missing tiles on the ceiling playing a game of Tetris and the beautiful massive windows with gaudy golden draperies. 

Photo: "Theatre/Gymnasium"

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I've been spending a lot of time sorting through images for the website re-design and when I stumbled upon this one last night, I wanted to share it. It's not the most beautiful or technical photograph, but it serves as a great historical photograph of this space just prior to demolition. 

When I had the chance to photograph the location early last year, the demolition process was already underway. In the theatre, many seats had been removed and shoved against the walls and plastic was covering the doorways. 

Photo: "Theatre Remains"

Theatre, Mare Island Naval Shipyard

The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was founded in 1854 in Northern California and was the only shipyard on the West Coast, until 1891. The base was in operation for almost 120 years before closing in 1996. 

Photo: "Safe Co Theatre"

Many former asylums contain theatres, so I am used to stumbling upon them now and again, but finding one inside the administration building of The Safe Cabinet Company in Ohio was a bit of a surprise.  Sadly all the seats had been ripped out. 

Photo: "Batons & Catwalks"

Backstage in the catwalks of Noble Hall, an early 1900's era theatre in Connecticut, the batons are tied off with decaying rope.

Photo: "Marches"

Sheet music left backstage in Noble Hall, a Connecticut psychiatric hospital theatre. 

Photo: "Afflicted"

Draperies still hang on batons backstage inside Noble Hall, an early 1900's era theatre on the grounds of a semi-active psychiatric hospital on the East Coast. 

Photo: "Asbestos"

Dawn inside Noble Hall, an East Coast psychiatric hospital theatre built in 1908 in the Colonial Revival style. 

Photo: "Mezzanine"

Noble Hall, an 830-seat theate belonging to an East Coast psychiatric hospital, was constructed in 1908 and designed by architect William D. Johnson. 

Photo: "G-1"

This state hospital opened in 1868 as a partially completed public mental health hospital. It was constructed under the Kirkbride plan with one main building placing administration in the center and patient wings on either side. By the time the hospital was completed in 1874 it was already experiencing overcrowding and though much construction was done over the next few years, the hospital remained overcrowded well into the early 1900's. Noble Hall, the hospital's theatre was designed by William D. Johnson and constructed in 1908 in the Colonial Revival Style. This 830 seat theatre was two stories tall, containted central projector pavillion houses and three arched entrances. 

Photo: "Intimidate"

Built far from civilization, Norwich State Hospital opened its doors in 1904 with just one building and ninety five patients. As the campus grew, the buildings were connected via a series of utility tunnels to help with the transport of patients and employees. As with most asylums of the time, the campus expansion also included a private power plant, farm, bakery, laboratory and theatre.