Crownsville Hospital Center

Crownsville Hospital Center is a former psychiatric hospital located in Crownsville, Maryland. It was in operation from 1911 to 2004.

History

The Crownsville Hospital Center was established as the Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland in 1911. The hospital was built in response to the urgent need for a facility that could provide specialized care for African American patients, who were segregated from the white population at the time. The hospital was renamed Crownsville State Hospital in 1912, and finally Crownsville Hospital Center in 1963.

The hospital was initially designed to accommodate 1,100 patients. However, by the 1950s, the patient population had swelled to over 2,700, leading to overcrowding and poor living conditions. The hospital was also the site of several controversial medical experiments during the mid-20th century.

The Crownsville Hospital Center was closed in 2004 due to budget cuts. The property is currently owned by the State of Maryland and is being considered for redevelopment.

Facilities

The Crownsville Hospital Center was situated on a 566-acre property. The hospital complex included several buildings, such as patient wards, a medical building, a chapel, a cafeteria, and staff housing. The hospital also had a farm, which provided food for the patients and served as a form of occupational therapy.

Legacy

The Crownsville Hospital Center is remembered for its significant role in the history of psychiatric care in Maryland. However, the hospital's legacy is also marred by controversies surrounding its treatment of patients and its involvement in unethical medical experiments.

See also

• History of psychiatric institutions
• Mental health in the African American community
• Racial segregation in the United States

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  Crownsville Hospital by Webb Zahn