Fergus Falls State Hospital
aka Fergus Falls Regional Treatment CenterFergus Falls, Minnesota
Established 1888, still standing.
Architect: Warren Dunnell. Kirkbride style.
Fergus Falls RTC, in western Minnesota, faces an imminent demolition threat as of late 2006.
Looking back at its first five and a half years in operation, the Fergus Falls Weekly Journal proclaimed, " No State in the union has provided more generously to its wards and unfortunates than Minnesota...Of the fifteen or more public institutions in the state, the greatest, the most complete, the most perfectly constructed,is the state hospital for the insane in FergusFalls...The hospital here is a model institution..."Intertwined with host community, both city and asylumswelled with local pride. Built to treat mentaldeficiencies, the state hospital was welcomed by thecity as an economic opportunity. Unique amongMinnesota institutions in its planning andconstruction, it existed within an American systemalready 140 institutions strong by 1880.Influenced by them, along with its own geography,the hospital represents a blending of majortreatment and architectural issues within a localconstruct".
from a paper by Ben Leonard, with permission.
A lot more information is coming in the future.
Many of the modern images here were photographed by Joel.
Other Images:
The Fergus Falls Regional Treatement Center has its ownhomepage.
