The Book, and How it Came About

Northern State Hospital was a story that began in my youth. Even though I did not know I would write a book at the time, I knew my experiences were anything but normal. I knew my childhood was different than most. It was there that I grew my moral compass. To begin with, most kids don’t have a parent that works at an abandoned mental institution…and most kids don’t get free roam. My adventures were different every day, as I always found something new. Dad had many characters working for him who loved to talk about the “good old days” when the hospital was at its zenith. Those times and those experiences began to shape me, I talked about them often. Finally, after being told so many times that I ought to, I began to write it down. The story came out like fluid, as if it were writing itself. I had studied so much and was told so much about the times, it was easy to slip into character and let the subject take over. The journey was not always an easy one, there were lots of twists and turns. The biggest hurtle was allowing myself to go places that as of yet, have been left undisturbed. My goal is to take the reader to a place of substance, that tugs at their heart and soul. Finally to be left with a greater understanding, of an often taboo history, from not so long ago.

State Hospitals – a Dumping Ground

Years ago state hospitals were the dumping grounds for almost all of societies unwanted.
Of course the insane always had a place, but there were others as well.
The special needs, autistic, elderly, orphaned, epileptics, and even the highly contagious.
During the early part of the twentieth century tuberculosis was claiming victims all over the world. There were so many infected people that the state had to come up with places to house them.
Fircrest Hospital in Seattle was specially dedicated to treating those with this vicious infection. But, during the teens and early twenties, there was such a huge outbreak in Washington  State, that they had to get creative with placement.
Northern State Hospital was one of the places selected.
For a short time Tb patients were brought to this hospital and placed in a segregated ward. There is no evidence that any patients at the hospital became infected with this devastating disease as a result of the new tenants. In fact, the superintendent at that time, told the state to find other places to put them.

Italian Marble Autopsy Table

Northern State Hospital once had a morgue on its premises. Up until the mid 1950s, it was perfectly legal for mental institutions and prisons to handle their own casualties. Some were interned at the institution cemetery, some were taken away for burial at other places by family members, while a greater number were cremated on the grounds, yes the hospital even had a crematorium.
During the 1920s, the morgue was built. It was in full view of all the wards, midway between the steam plant and the patient dormitories.
It was a small one story building, with just a few rooms to it.
There was a front entrance, facing the main grounds, and then there was a rear drive up entrance, so vehicles could pull up and the bodies could be easily loaded for transport, out of view.
There were several coolers in the main room, where if memory serves me correctly, nine bodies could be stored at a time.
There was a small lavatory, to one side, and on the other side of this room, was where the autopsies were conducted.
I was always fascinated by the morgue when I was a kid, probably morbid fascination, but I would go into this building every chance I could. I won’t mention everything about that place, some of those memories I’ll just keep with me for this time…a little selfishness till the time is right.
But one bit of information that really doesn’t flitter out about the hospital, was some of the incredible purchases that were made.
Back during the twenty’s, when the morgue was under construction, a very incredible purchase was made…and that was the embalming table.
This was no ordinary autopsy table, it cost $7,000 at the time.  The reason the table was so expensive, was because it was an ornate pedestal table made completely of Italian marble.
When the morgue was torn down, in the early 1990s, there was an attempt to salvage this expensive, macabre treasure, but alas, it was broken, smashed when the wall was punctured.
I won’t deny, I smirked a little.

Self Sustaining

At one time Northern State Hospital was completely self sustaining.
The hospital grew it’s own crops, raised it’s own meet, and even produced it’s own power.
The hospital was a model of self sufficiency.
Every year, once it was established, the hospital farm grew enough fresh vegetables and fruits, so that that they could be canned and enjoyed year round.
In the beef and poultry section, they raised enough meet so the patients could enjoy a balanced and well rounded diet. Enough eggs were even produced so that each patient could have at least one egg a day, as well as handle what was needed for the bread products that were baked daily. There was even surplus food donated to the surrounding community.
The hospital had it’s own fresh water source, runoff from the mountain, that enabled them to have a hydroelectric plant. The hospital even generated it’s own electricity.
In it’s hey day, the hospital was a model of what self reliance could be.

The Things You Miss

When you are little you have no comprehension that all things are not permanent.
You come into the world with beautiful oblivion as to all that is around you.
You take for granted that all will stay the same and what gives you comfort will not go away.
When you are little, and with a childs mind, you grow accustom to things that are silly to some, but mean the world to you.
Sometimes those feelings never change, even when you grow older.
You long for that special place and the feelings that it gave to you. You long for the exhilaration you had when you were young and the invisibility that it provided.
Everyone should have a special place.
I was lucky to have mine.
Only now when I go to see it, it looks worn and tired just like me. I have discovered, we have so much in common. It continues to teach me many lessons.
Time in some ways has betrayed us both.
Its structure has developed many cracks, and I have many wrinkles.
That wonderment of discovery has given way to sober reality. When I look at my special place now, it is no longer through the eyes of youth, but through ones of experience…and in some ways, I appreciate it more. It’s like an old dear friend that you don’t run across very often. But when you do, you’re thrilled to see ‘um.
When I visit Northern State now, it is very bittersweet.
When I see it now, I start to think of it and me in the third person. Back to when we were not so decrepit…and for brief moments we get a pass on time.
My thoughts go back to seeing everything fresh, and the excitement that invoked. For a little while I get to remember what it was to be young again.
…and for that, I will always be grateful.

The Day governor Dixie Lee Ray came to the Hospital

In the fall of 1979, Governor Dixie Lee Ray and, then senator, Mike Lowry, came to Northern State.
The reason was that my father wanted to show them the newly reopened campus.
Dad wanted a veterans hospital to be put there.
In preparation, YACC, made a scale model of the entire campus. It was impressive.
Doc Jones, the famous superintendent, was even in attendance.
The governor, seemed truly impressed with the campus and all the amenities already in place.
It was a shame that she lost the election.
After she was out of office, the Veterans Hospital proposal faded away.

Sometimes Escapes Would Happen

I was in contact years ago with the daughter of a doctor who resided on Northern State’s grounds while it was still a mental institution.
Though the hospital was pretty good when it came to security, the occasional escape would take place.
She told me, one night she had been hired to watch over one of the doctor’s children while he and his wife went out for the evening.
While they were out, an escape happened.
Proper notification had been made to all the residents, so, she was on alert.
After a short while, she began to hear a rustling around in the shrubbery under a window outside the residence.
She made a call to the main hospital.
Soon she saw, flashlights coming towards the small gingerbread style house.
They rounded up the patient, right where she had reported the sounds.

Harassment of the Job Corps

Job Corps today occupies a good number of the old patient dormitories now on the Northern State Hospital campus.
Over the years strange events have been circulated by the students there.
Tales of past tenants coming into contact with present ones.
Here are just a few examples…
It is said that one of the dorms, that started out coed, had to be made strictly male, because the female students were being harassed so badly by an unseen prankster, a female spirit.
Girls getting up to use the restroom late at night would have their clothing tugged at and feel like they were constantly under watch.
In the gymnasium, sports equipment would be moved around randomly, causing the students to believe, something was going on.
To add a little coaboration about the gym…during the 50’s, workmen complained that they were being harassed by something unseen, that put them on edge. Tools being moved around, excetera.

Northern State Hospital Book

One day, during the summer of 1980, I was picking blackberries in back of the institution barn. Dad had told me not to wander too far, but as the day progressed, and the pickings got better, I lost track of time and distance. Before I knew it a good portion of the afternoon had slipped me, and one of Dad’s employees was sent to fetch me.
At first the man jokingly chastised me for wandering off so far. Then he enlightened me as to where I had been picking all afternoon.
The institution cemetery.
I didn’t believe the man at first, this looked like no cemetery I had ever seen.
The grass was overgrown and brown. Remnants of an old rotted wood fence semi lined one portion. Blackberries were growing wild throughout it.
I looked at the man confused, and I guess he felt the need to prove it to…

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Northern State Hospital Book

If you dare to imagine what the first views of a new patient would be, this would be one of them.
A lone door showing through a nurses station at the admitting ward.
Right here countless guests to Northern State started their journey to recovery through this door.
Given their circumstances, I’m sure there were a wild range of emotions.
Ones of uncertainty about what lay ahead of them. Feelings of hopelessness as to this was what had become of them. I’m sure deep contemplation for some was abound.
Several decades later, all that is left, is an imprint for us to ponder the lives of those who walked through this door.

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