Abandoned: Echoes of the Past

By Christie Seyglinski

Abandoned: Echoes of the Past takes readers on a visual journey into the present-day state of three of America's abandoned psychiatric hospitals. Neglected, forgotten, and slowly deteriorating over the years, these hospitals now stand as a shadow of what they once were. Their foreboding exteriors entice visitors, often provoking thoughts of what stories could still be lingering inside the hospital walls. The hospitals now serve as an eerie, haunting, yet captivating reminder of their often-tormented histories. The images captured by historian and photographer Christie Seyglinski are emotive, thought-provoking, and haunting, as they provide a glimpse into the forgotten history and state of ruin inside these once remarkable hospitals. From once-impressive grounds to their present state of neglect and ruin, Abandoned: Echoes of the Past takes readers on a photographic journey inside these imposing structures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9798890615428

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Buffalo Psychiatric Center

Kings Park Psychiatric Center

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

About the Author

cover.jpg

Abandoned

Echoes of the Past

Christie Seyglinski

Copyright © 2024 Christie Seyglinski

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2024

ISBN 979-8-89061-541-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89061-649-4 (Hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-89061-542-8 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

For my mom, dad, sister, niece, family, and my Jack.

There is no reason why an individual who has the misfortune to become insane should, on that account, be deprived of any comfort or even luxury.

—Dr. Thomas Kirkbride

Buffalo Psychiatric Center

Buffalo Psychiatric Center, formerly known as the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane and today known as the Richardson Olmsted Complex, first opened its doors to patients on November 15, 1880. The hospital was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson in 1871, with ground-breaking in 1872. Construction began on the central building and the eastern wings first, not reaching completion until late 1880. The five western wings were to follow, with their construction occurring between 1891 and 1895. The hospital was comprised of 203 acres, which included a working farm that offered a multitude of functions for the patients. Thought to help the