Inside Oregon State Hospital: A History of Tragedy and Triumph

By Diane L. Goeres-Gardner and John Terry

Seen through the eyes of the patients who lived there, "Inside Oregon State Hospital" examines the world of the Northwest's oldest mental hospital, established in 1883. In desperate attempts to cure their patients, physicians injected them with deadly medications, cut holes in their heads, and sterilized them. Years of insufficient funding caused the hospital to decay into a crumbling facility with too few staff, as seen in the 1975 film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Today, after a $360 million makeover, Oregon State Hospital is a modern treatment hospital for the state's civil and forensic mentally ill. In this compelling account of the institution's tragedies and triumphs, author Diane Goeres-Gardner offers an unparalleled look at the very human story of Oregon's historic asylum.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: May 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781625844965

Diane L. Goeres-Gardner

Author Diane L. Goeres-Gardner is an award-winning writer specializing in Oregon history. A retired educator living in Douglas County, she is a fifth-generation Oregonian whose ancestors settled in Oregon in 1852. She has written two major books on Oregon’s early criminal justice system. The Douglas County Museum of Natural and Cultural History was established in 1969 and houses an extensive library of artifacts, literature, and photographs related to Roseburg. The dedicated staff and volunteers were vital participants in compiling the 200 images in this volume.

Reviews for Inside Oregon State Hospital

[amy sylvester · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I would describe this book as a reference book. I was hoping for more personal interest stories but instead the book is filled with lists, statistics and very detailed descriptions of the physical hospital. If you are looking for VERY detailed information about the OSH you will find it here but if you are looking for human interest stories best look elsewhere.