FYS 121a  The Evolution and Transformation of the Northampton State Hospital
This seminar explores the rise and demise of the Northampton State Hospital, its impact on the city of Northampton's character and development, and the current planning process around the redevelopment of the site. The Northampton State Hospital grounds lie adjacent to (west of) Smith College. The facility was opened in the mid-1800s as the third hospital for the insane in Massachusetts. At its height, a century later, it had over 2,000 patients and over 500 employees. In 1978 a federal district court consent decree ordered the increased use of community-based treatment as one part of a process of deinstitutionalizing the mentally ill in Western Massachusetts. In 1993 the hospital was officially closed. Now, 154 acres of land and 45 buildings on the "campus" have been made available by the state for reuse and future development. As a case study of socio-economic change and public policy, this seminar will explore the history of the Northampton State Hospital, deinstitutionalization and the hospital's closing, and the prospects for the site. Students will develop background and skills, including map reading, site visits, and historical research, to prepare material for local historical libraries and to contribute to the planning process for the redevelopment of the hospital grounds. Enrollment limited to 16 first-year students. (E) {H/S} WI. 4 credits
Tom Riddell,
MW11-12:10 F11-11:50