Read Aloud the Text Content

This audio was created by Woord's Text to Speech service by content creators from all around the world.

Text Content or SSML code:

The Saint Lawrence State Hospital opened in 1890 and shut down in 1985. The construction started in 1888 after overcrowding that was occurring in other state hospitals throughout the United States. The total cost of the construction and its expansion throughout the years was 1.5 million dollars. The site of the State Hospital was chosen at an area of Ogdensburg 1400 feet from the Saint Lawrence River. The buildings were designed to house roughly 2,000 patients after the expansions. The facility became overcrowded by the hundreds and a total of 3,741 deaths occurred there. The State Hospital was designed to be an autonomous community, which it was. The grounds consisted of two infirmaries, one for patients and one for employees. There was a medical/surgical building also known as the Pritchard Pavilion in which many deaths occurred. They would experiment with lobotomies and shock therapy. They had their own police station, fire station, powerhouse, and 900 acres of farmland including farm animals, and cow barns which consisted of 200 cows and 30 farm horses. They grew enough fruits and vegetables to feed the patients, employees, and animals. There were workshops such as chair repair, and clothing, and during WWI they closed down almost all activities except for shirt-making and bandage wrapping. In 1904, the training school for nurses was constructed which was one of only 23 in New York. A tuberculosis building was constructed in 1905 and was named Inwood. The deaths that occurred during the century included suicide, accidents, murder, negligence, and natural deaths. The deaths included many patients, lots of doctors, nurses, attendants, and the families of employees. There was even a famous person admitted there named Audrey Munson, a film actress, notoriety, and model. Audrey was known as “America's first supermodel” and was one of the first American actresses to appear nude in a non-pornographic film. She died at the age of 104. Now, the State Hospital sits abandoned and full of asbestos. The state of New York will not allow anyone in the buildings for any reason and they say this is because of its condition and the asbestos. Even the Ghost Adventures crew was turned down when they inquired about it. It is my dream to obtain access to the grounds, even if I have to sign a waiver. My research and driven me more than ever to want access so I hope Tik Tok can blow this up to gain attention to this historical hospital.