On a fall afternoon i took a trip to the camarillo state mental hospital. Another postcard of stockton state hospital, this time of the male department. Camarillo state hospitaldevelopmental center mental health designation. In the case of my paternal 2nd greatgrandmother, malinda randall montgomery bean, she spent less than a year in the oregon state hospital located in salem, oregon, in the 1940s. Camarillo state mental hospital was a psychiatric hospital for both developmentally disabled and mentally ill patients in camarillo, california. Camarillo state hospital collection john spoor broome. This site is devoted to the history of camarillo state mental hospital, which is. But decades ago it was the california state mental hospital and, it seems some of the patients are still wandering the place. The hospital had a sound reputation during the 1950s and 1960s. Ventura county star camarillo state mental hospital. The scary dairy of camarillo will frighten you to the core. Johns pleasant valley hospital 2309 antonio avenue camarillo, ca 93010. It also used to be the camarillo state mental hospital, and thousands of patients were treated there with inhumane shock treatments and. Patients some of whom were children were routinely given electroshock treatments, immersed in tubs of hot water and then wrapped in icy.
The older the records, the less chance they may still be in existence. But they will probably be stored on microfiche somewhere else by the state government. The facility was closed in the mid90s and now has been incorporated into the campus of csu stanislaus. Camarillo state hospital served as a psychiatric facility for 61 years from 1936 to 1991. Jun 20, 2016 one hospital that embodies these traits is the camarillo state mental hospital. Open as the california state university, channel islands.
Hotel camarillo tales from paranormal investigations at. Nov 06, 2002 camarillo state hospital, which closed in 1997, is being reincarnated as california state university channel islands, the 23rd campus in the csu system and the first fulltime, fouryear. While the time period im researching is the middle of the twentieth century, and these events take place in the midseventies, i couldnt pass it up. Hi carol i saw your message and i too am having a difficult time locating records on my great grandfather camarillo state hospital ca. State hospitals patient information requests faq lists where to. Camarillo state hospital developmental center mental health designation. Camarillo state hospital developmental center posts. The hospital was built in 1935 and finally opened in 1936, to house the mentally insane and disabled. Camarillo state hospital documents and oral histories. The university has retained the distinctive mission revival style architecture, and the. The hospital would remain at the location until 1997. The campus of california state university cal state channel islands is nestled in the foothills of camarillo. Camarillo state mental hospital camarillo, california. From a mere 410 patients in 1936, the population grew to 1,082 in 1937.
It was at the forefront of treating difficult illnesses, like drug and therapy procedures and. Ancestrys database california, state hospital records, 18561923 have. Mar 28, 2001 hi carol i saw your message and i too am having a difficult time locating records on my great grandfather camarillo state hospital ca. Mental patients would milk the cows and do other farm tasks in exchange for, well, nothing. Camarillo state hospital collection john spoor broome library. The dairy farm sat adjacent to the hospital grounds. After the mental institution shut down in 1997, employees rescued a trove of records and memorabilia unclaimed by state officials.
The site has been redeveloped as the california state university, channel islands. Ventura county star article this article was printed in the ventura county star september 4, 2010. Gena philibertortega is a genealogist and author of the book from the family kitchen. They now keep extensive records on how state employees spend their time. Suitcases from a state hospital attic kindle edition by penney, darby, stastny, peter, whitaker, robert, rinzler, lisa. You best behave yourself or im sending you to milledgeville. Many of the folks that passed away in camarillo state hospital are buried in san luis obispo county. Camarillo state hospital developmental center january 3, 2018 nick lozano pt, rn, pres of csea died dec 28th, 2017 funeral services to be held at reardon funeral home 511 north a st. Getting information from closed mental institution in.
In this guest blog post gena writes about how difficult it can be finding information about an ancestor who was committed to an asylum i. Taken in 1899, the photograph is from an entry on a patient who had died at the age. Camarillo state hospital, channel islandsoxnard welcome to the hotel california second only to the paul is dead talk that followed the beatles throughout much of their careers, rumors and legends abound about the eagles 1976 hit hotel california. As the need for these types of treatments grew, the number. Apr 28, 2016 as part of these therapy programs, camarillo state mental hospital operated a functioning dairy farm. They stored them in a broom closet until california state university opened a new campus on the property. It is unclear what will happen to the decadesold patient records once camarillo state shuts its doors in july. Camarillo state mental hospital, also known as camarillo state hospital, was a psychiatric hospital for both developmentally disabled and mentally ill patients in camarillo, california. A behind the scenes video from night stalkers july 23rd, 2010. In 1932, the california government purchased 1,760 acres of land in lewis ranch in order to build the camarillo state mental hospital.
If the mental hospital no longer exists, inquire at the local historical society or state archiveslibrary as to where their records may be located. Built in the 1930s, camarillo state was, at the time, the largest mental health facility in the united states, housing over 7,000 individuals at its peak. The state s first hospital for the mentally ill was stockton. Ghost infested college in camarillo backpackerverse. The hospital received national attention for being one of the first mental institutions to develop therapy for disorders that had previously been thought of as untreatable, such as schizophrenia. Jun 16, 2016 the facility was closed in the mid90s and now has been incorporated into the campus of csu stanislaus. In 1932, 1500 acres located within the city of camarillo, county of ventura were acquired to establish a state hospital. According to the camarillo state hospital archives. Kathy gransee, a former camarillo state employee, invited her former patient roxy shifflet, left, to live with her family when the hospital closed in 1997. The hospital at one point housed 7000 patients and over 700 staff and upon completion, was the largest mental hospital in the world. California department of state hospitals patient information.
The campus is beautiful, filled with red tiled spanish style building popular long ago. Historic asylums and sanitariums of northern california. One flew over the cuckoos nest soars off the pages and into the popular psyche of what mental institutions looked like during their existence. Camarillo state mental hospital opened in 1936 on 1,760 acres of land purchased by the state of california four years earlier. California, state hospital records, 18561923 search. Jun 16, 2017 camarillo state hospital closed 20 years ago. It was owned and operated by the hospital, as a work experience program for the patients. In the 1960s heyday of the camarillo state mental hospital, what we now know as the scary dairy actually was a functional dairy farm. More than 1,000 people died at camarillo state hospital of both natural and suspicious causes in the years before the institution for the mentally and developmentally disabled closed.
Camarillo state hospital this video takes a fascinating and indepth historical look at californias largest state run facility through the eyes of the employees who once worked there. Life in camarillo documentary about camarillo mental hospital. The name of one of the funeral directors who handled patients remains is. Mendocino state hospital napa state hospital 2100 napavallejo highway napa, ca 945586293 phone 7072535000 camarillo state hospital developmental center mental health designation metropolitan state hospital 11400 s. I did find out though that if you want records, try the state medical department or state doctor association. Its a beautiful place, set aside from the nearby city and surrounded by rolling farmlands. The state of california acquired 1500 acres in the city of camarillo, county of ventura, for the department of developmental services to build a state hospital in 1932. Napa state hospital opened on monday november 15, 1875 and is. Camarillo opened in 1936, and among all of the california state institutions. The barbaric state of care at camarillo is legendary, and seemed like something out of the inquisition rather than a place where people were healed. As part of these therapy programs, camarillo state mental hospital operated a functioning dairy farm. Getting information from closed mental institution in california, usa. The whole process has been tightened up to make sure its more accurate, said myron dimmett, spokesman for camarillo state hospital.
Mendocino state hospital napa state hospital 2100 napavallejo highway napa, ca 945586293 phone 7072535000 camarillo state hospitaldevelopmental center mental health designation metropolitan state hospital 11400 s. See more ideas about abandoned asylums, psychiatric hospital and asylum. Camarillo state hospital was touted as the largest psychiatric hospital this side of the mississippi when it opened in the mid1930s. The camarillo state mental hospital was known by a number of names, both officially and unofficially. My greataunt was admitted there some time before 1940 and stayed there until her. The dairy was run by staff members and patients of the hospital as a form of a work experience program and to help bring in some additional income for the hospital. To learn more about the oregon state hospital, visit their museum online at oregon state hospital museum of mental health.
Odd as it is, postcards of camarillo state mental hospital were sold to tourists who visited the hospital and many were used to write notes to people back home, such as this one which i found on an auction site online. Now csu channel islands, former employees of the closed mental hospital gathered recently to remember. Jun 14, 2017 the camarillo state mental hospital was known by a number of names, both officially and unofficially. Historic asylums and sanitariums of northern california sfgate. The hospital originated in response to overcrowding at stockton asylum, the first state hospital. Camarillo state hospital, which closed in 1997, is being reincarnated as california state university channel islands, the 23rd campus in the csu system and the first fulltime, fouryear. Camarillo state mental hospital, camarillo, california.
Hospital officials also launched their own internal investigation on the matter. My greataunt was admitted there some time before 1940 and stayed there until her death in 1967. About california, state hospital records, 18561923 this collection contains case books and descriptions, commitment registers, and indexes for patients admitted to or discharged from mental hospitals in the state of california for the years 18561923. Two of the better known monikers were the hotel california and hotel camarillo. Jul 30, 2006 part 2 of 4 of employee orientation for camarillo state hospital in california shot in approx. Housing over 7,000 people at its peak, the video traces what it was like to live and work at this architecturally beautiful facility. Part 2 of 4 of employee orientation for camarillo state hospital in california shot in approx. Taken at former camarillo state mental hospital at the old unit 44 building, which some investigators considered the most active unit on the entire campus. Not all mental hospitals will release records to relatives, particularly those removed a. Has anyone had any luck getting patient records from camarillo state hospital, which closed in 1997. Camarillo state hospital workers recall their calling. According to the table on that page, the records for.
Mental health patientadvocates around the state have banded together to form. Researching ancestors who were committed to asylums, using. When mental institutions are discussed in the united states, our minds go to dark places. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. If you are a georgia native of a certain age, a scolding. In most cases, these confidentiality laws prevail over any request for patient records from an entity, including. Housing over 7,000 people at its peak, the video traces what it was like to.
The university has retained the distinctive mission revival style architecture, and the bell tower in the south quad has been adopted as the symbol of the university. In 1932, 1648 acres of that agricultural land were purchased by the state of california and a year later, 10 patients and 3 employees came to camarillo state. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the lives they left behind. The auburnhaired birth mother, a mental patient at the state hospital.
Camarillo state mental hospital now known as california. Patton was southern californias primarily mental hospital for quite a long time. The camarillo state mental hospital patients list odd as it is, postcards of camarillo state mental hospital were sold to tourists who visited the hospital and many were used to write notes to people back home, such as this one which i found on an auction site online. One hospital that embodies these traits is the camarillo state mental hospital. State hospitals patient information requests faq lists where to request records. Camarillo state mental hospital, also known as camarillo state. Life in camarillo documentary about camarillo mental. The hospital was originally open from 1936 to 1997 and then reopened in 1999 as california university. In 1872, a site was selected and work began for the erection of the 500bed, four story, gothic hospital building. It was the pioneer in treating illnesses that were thought to be untreatable, such as developing drugs and therapies for schizophrenia and dealing with autism. The campus of what used to be camarillo state hospital is practically.
Patients would milk the cows, grow vegetables and do other farm tasks in. I was actually led to this book, which was published in 1976, by some research i was doing on camarillo state hospital in california. Mar, 2016 camarillo state hospital served as a psychiatric facility for 61 years from 1936 to 1991. The hospital was designed to house 7000 patients and over 700 staff, making it the largest mental hospital in the world upon its completion. Camarillo state mental hospital was a psychiatric hospital for both developmentally. Central state hospital in milledgeville, ga the tragic and heroic true story of one of the largest mental institutions in the united states. Not all mental hospitals will release records to relatives, particularly those removed a few generations.