LAST DAY AT NORWICH STATE HOSPITAL (FULL VERSION)

Previously shown on KZbin as Part I and II. 30 minute video production using VHS recordings filmed by NSH police officer Dave Williams when the hospital closed in October 1996. Produced at Comcast Public Access studio, Norwich, CT.

[@janetcarbone4213]

For the people who are thriving in the community, I wish you many more years. For those on the streets, God help you and take your meds. Closing these places was not the best move for all of those with mental illness.

[@stevendepolito7312]

Thank you

[@SandiByrd]

I am not familiar with the area as I live in Toronto - but historical videos like this fascinate me - I think they are SO important. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[@NickP7B]

Here 25 years after it’s closing. It’s so sad to see a place like this in complete disarray like it is now

[@lindathrall5133]

That was very nice of the security officer to help out with this project

[@BeigeEyesCroissantDragon]

Cleanest, safest state hospital we had. Closed because of its inconvenient location away from the capital...

[@scottrodriguez7982]

I mowed the grass there for a few years. Sad to see it all go. There's good fishing in the back by the river.

[@Biscuit1973]

I remember that facility because it was once in a documentary called Life After People which had the story about this hospital which opened back in 1904 & closed back in 1996 & it was torn down sometime later on & with this rare VHS recording it really brings back memories but the visions of that facility will live on from this VHS video .

[@imax8abug590]

Not torn down but they plan to this year all the equipment is still inside as well

[@brianconover3427]

Thank you for the bittersweet memories Steve and Dave. I miss my days at Norwich and so many of the people I met there. I

[@stevendepolito7312]

Glad you enjoyed it Brian

[@ronniepalmer7283]

Something I have wondered for probably most my life (my grandmother lived and worked for the hospital) if your looking at Kettle and the road to the left, Circle CS, it branches off to the left.. goes up a long driveway where there are what seems to still be 3 homes or buildings- What is or was that? This video is amazing and I’m so grateful to be able to see it.

[@BeigeEyesCroissantDragon]

@@ronniepalmer7283 those 3 homes were still lived in for a time after closing AFAIK. They werent state owned. Or so ive been told.

[@ronniepalmer7283]

@@BeigeEyesCroissantDragon what a AFAIK mean? Thanks so much

[@BeigeEyesCroissantDragon]

@@ronniepalmer7283 As far as I know. I remember cars going in/out to them in the late 90's early 2000's. I can only assume they were still lived in. Or at least being used. I got to tour most of it again today with an organized group. The recreational building at 5:57 is in the best shape. The ward across it is in shambled. The staff housing in sunset boulevard. All but 3 of them you shouldnt be on the top floor. If you can access them at all. It was nice, being allowed in as part of the photography team. Once they're all gone through and our main camera man has gone through all his shots to pick the clearest of the bunch. He'll be uploading them to FB as an archive.

[@BillGompper]

WOW. When Dave went to Whiting to continue his state job, I meet him and worked many years together. I introduced him to his now wife, Bev. We are both retired. Bill Gompper

[@Cutefrogs16]

This is Insane, I swore a recognized a man in the video, turns out it is my dad’s Uncle, Thanks for posting this !

[@stevendepolito7312]

Yes, John Avery

[@zmirecki]

​@stevendepolito7312 it is probably too little too late but do you know what may have happened to the Charter Oak tile mantle in the president's office in the administration building?

[@stevendepolito7312]

@@zmirecki Destroyed by vandals

[@zmirecki]

@stevendepolito7312 a shame and a true loss. I believe this had been the largest extant installation of tile work completed by the Hartford Faience Company. One of a kind and truly a priceless loss for the state.

[@exp4x4v6]

I pass this area almost everyday. And have since 2002. It had only been closed 8 years then. Now, the main building is gone. The remaining buildings aren't even safe to walk through. It's always been and still remains a mesmerizing place. When I was in my first year of high school it looked new-ish. Now it looks like it been shuttered for 100 years.

[@imax8abug590]

Main building is still there, I just passed by today, but many of the main office buildings and other smaller patient buildings are gone

[@MegaNickster007]

Holy sh.t!! This is awesome video!!! I've never seen the inside of Norwich State Hospital. Thank you for posting!!

[@stevendepolito7312]

Thank you

[@judyh0311]

This is a great piece of work. I'm shocked that it hasn't had more views.

[@stevendepolito7312]

Thank you.

[@jacoblavimoniere3479]

Memories of going in there as a kid in the late 90s to see the “Ghosts”

[@briansmith2363]

sad we need to protect all old buildings legislation needs be signed asap protect old buildings not enough is done protect old buildings sad and disgusting

[@MommyCassReborns]

Brian I see you looking at all the same videos I do...(Danvers) it's soooo sad they don't do more to prserve these!

[@ussindianapolis9137]

Pictures and video last longer, the land could be given back to nature

[@thomaslavin3640]

There was lots of toxic chemicals in those old buildings .lead paint... Etc ..

[@robert11751]

glad you found the film, but you could have lost the intro song

[@stevendepolito7312]

Yes, you are probably right

[@Themightymoze]

Absolutely amazing video. Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@christimon8426]

wow! incredible :) thank you for preserving this history and showing us. :)

[@stevendepolito7312]

Thank you. I was there this morning looking at what's left. :(

[@joanoneill4727]

Thank You for the memories.

[@briansmith2363]

We closed these places know and allot of people don't have place to go. The mental health system is broken needs be fixed.

[@heavyjersey]

Just lock em away huh.

[@ericablaschke3497]

I agree. Hospital are now a revolving door. People are able to access proper help out in the community end up in ER. I work in Hartford we have creepy places and tunnels to

[@janetcarbone4213]

@@heavyjersey No provide them appropriate services to meet the need.

[@briansmith2363]

sad we need to start protecting abandoned buildings sign a bill called abandoned building act bill. This building was left to rot.

[@MommyCassReborns]

sooo sad :( like a bunch of stories and history just...gone

[@ussindianapolis9137]

Eh... just an asylum... full of fucked up shit 😂

[@BeliaLastes]

My older sister had a friend name Donna who was in and out of this hospital from the time she was in highschool till it closed, she had schizophrenia, really nice girl when she was on her meds but when she'd stop taking her meds she'd wind up back at Norwich State hospital 😢. Don't know if she's still alive we haven't seen or heard from her in years, hopefully she's alive and doing well 🙏🏼❤

[@MIKES0029]

Let’s all take a minute to collectively thank the police officers protecting the still open state hospitals across the country.

[@philipk3526]

Great video. Do you have the full Jimmy John interview?

[@thegreatindoorswithedandmi7880]

I did maintenance at a bowling alley for years. I felt sad too because the people all lost their job and their second home. Weird

[@mikestarr6204]

😅 4:11-4:30 Damn..u had me there thinking.. 💭 "wth didn't he watch this thing? Its upside down!" 🤣

[@gailspaw5521]

Look at the Tall Grass 😮

[@chieindah4076]

Why the hospital was closed? I am an asian and very interested in everything about abandoned hospitals and asylums in UK

[@thomaslavin3640]

Budget cuts. State of Connecticut didn't want the legal responsibility any more . Insurance costs and medical costs too sad. So they basically dumped them on the street or what ever family they could find

[@stevendepolito7312]

This is not in UK

[@v.e.s2884]

Dammmm it looks so different now

[@NickP7B]

Hello, Steve. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about Norwich State Hospital. I have to do this for an important project. If you could do so, that would be great. Thank you.

[@stevendepolito7312]

What would you like to know?

[@richardmenard676]

I found this so interesting I grew up in Norwich i would see these buildings while riding in the car with my parents on route 12 I always wondered what was inside I now live in MD i miss Norwich

[@jogog9204]

This couldn't be the last day cause all that equipment can not be hauled away in such little time

[@stevendepolito7312]

Yes it was the last day. I was there and personally supervised the closing of the Gallup building. You are right in that it took 1-2 years to fully empty the buildings of useable equipment.

[@proseb4bros976]

Jogo g You'd be surprised how much stuff gets left behind. My mom worked in a developmental center owned by the state; when it closed down, the state left pretty much everything. Even new equipment that the facility just received.

[@ianlombardo9758]

Steven DePolito did the ambulance get sold off or transferred to another facility?

[@stevendepolito7312]

Probably sent to CVH in Middletown

[@enjay131ify]

And what is hat banging piano noise for?

[@gailspaw5521]

I thought Canteen was called only In Prisons and Military ur kidding

[@alexandersalas268]

The buildings with the Green walls and the wood lobby- either Lodge or Kettle right?

[@stevendepolito7312]

Lodge Building

[@stevendepolito7312]

It was the lobby and first floor of the Lodge building in that particular scene. The scene starts in the basement of the Kettle building and goes through the tunnel connecting Kettle to Lodge. Once through the first floor of Lodge, the scene continues by going through the long tunnel that connected to the Russell building Rec center.

[@itzprozack]

does this place still exist? I'm an UrbEx photographer

[@stevendepolito7312]

Only about 20%. Inaccessible

[@itzprozack]

+Steven DePolito Really wish they'd just leave these places alone, They're history, Thank you for the reply

[@stevendepolito7312]

Agreed

[@stevendepolito7312]

Its history

[@adriannathealien9245]

itzprozack it does exist illigal to go in though

[@GreenDragon1941]

Dang it was nice but then disrepair many videos of explorer's

[@fuffycheese3006]

I kinda wish they had just abandoned this place. Imagine how cool it would be to explore this place on your own

[@jeffbuckland3353]

They did some of the buildings are still there

[@djcastano1180]

I got to go in and explore several times in high school. Lots of local kids did although we weren’t supposed to.

[@jonathonmacfeat3587]

@@djcastano1180 I just moved here, I see cameras and stuff and scoped out entrance ways, how would you explore it?

[@alicebenoit2904]

i enjoyed this but where did all the patients go ?

[@janetcarbone4213]

They’re cured. Have you watched the news lately ? We have a lot of mentally I’ll people who live in the community getting no services but the have their rights.

[@KellyDFlynn]

@@janetcarbone4213 cured?!

[@janetcarbone4213]

@@KellyDFlynn Sorry. Bad joke from my experience in de institutionalizing ppl who weren’t ready to be placed in the community and had to be placed anyway. That’s what the staff/team would say when community discharge was discussed and then shake their heads

[@PapawsDadillacOEMplus]

Was the cantine in the OT building?

[@stevendepolito7312]

Yes, in the Russell Building

[@stevendepolito7312]

For the last few years the canteen was in the Ribbicoff building

[@memecat4878]

So sad . What a waste of resources. Where have all the people gone?

[@Asw12681]

pretty much turned out onto streets.....it's very sad

[@janetcarbone4213]

Read the paper. Especially the New York ones. You’ll find them alright

[@gailspaw5521]

Why hidden away from The World😢

[@gailspaw5521]

Imagine That😮!!!

[@briansmith2363]

If Obama wanted real change we would start protecting old buildings.

[@heavyjersey]

Ohhh stfu 🤣