From Womb to Tomb: The Story of Binghamton state hospital

The front of the Binghamton State Hospital, 2010

Photo Credit: Unknown via U.S. National Park Service

The media have sold you the idea that asylum inmates wore straitjackets in padded rooms and spoke gibberish. American Horror Story (2009), Girl, Interrupted (1999), and Shutter Island (2010) have painted a consistent picture of the lives of the mentally ill in mental hospitals. But does that picture reflect the reality of life in New York asylums during the 1960s and 1970s? Taking a dive into newspapers from the 1960s and 1970s says otherwise. Built in 1864, and originally named the United States Inebriate Asylum, the Binghamton State Hospital gained notoriety as the first hospital in the nation to treat alcoholism as a disease (1). It treated both the young and old who struggled with mental health issues.

While the institution was initially a celebrated addition to the community, it suffered from financial mismanagement and two fires that almost burned down the newly constructed “Castle on the Hill” (2). After only 20 years of operation, the institution shut down and left to molder until 1879, when the state took possession of the site and renovated not only the fire-damaged main structure but also invested in more buildings. In 1890, the “Castle” now emphasized treating and curing patients rather than isolating them away from society.

Woodcut illustration, 1882

Photo Credit: Henry Kollock/"State of New York"

In the late 1950s, the Binghamton State Hospital was home to around 3,400 patients and doubled its staff to implement new, intensive therapy programs (3). In 1961, patients cost the state an average of $2,053 per year (approximately $19,500 in 2022 dollars) (4). By 1962, the hospital was home to 1,200 employees and 2,500 patients (5). The nearly 1,000 patients decrease in just a few years was often credited to the effectiveness of the new treatment programs. Binghamton State Hospital saw its fair share of turbulence in the 1960s. State auditors claimed that the hospital was severely overstaffed and giving too many benefits to its employees, including room and board subsidies and food costs that still followed 1943 price ranges (6). However, by 1965, the hospital bounced back from any overstaffing claims and expanded its roster of employees (though they reportedly had some difficulty with filling the positions). The hospital obtained a $99,000 grant (nearly $900,000 in 2022 dollars) to develop a treatment program aimed at teenagers (7).

In 1968, hospital workers across the state had organized a strike, bringing about a grand shuffle of patients to institutions that were not terribly affected by the strike. The majority of Binghamton State Hospital’s staff did not participate in the strike and received upwards of 300 new patients (8). Even with this influx, the yearly patient population was still decreasing steadily, sitting around 2,100 by the end of 1968― half of which were identified as geriatric individuals (9).

The start of the 1970s brought about unexpected financial issues once more. Statewide budget cuts plagued a multitude of state hospitals and Binghamton was no exception. By June of 1971, Binghamton State Hospital had laid off 28 employees and the state had a workers’ strike brewing once again. Union leaders were confident that they would have complete participation this time (10). With their workers unionized, state hospitals continued to treat and release patients at a steady pace.

By the end of the ‘long Sixties,’ mental health programs continued to improve, especially regarding geriatric patients. The average length of geriatric hospitalizations was only 38.5 days in 1972, a far cry from the permanent incarceration the mentally ill suffered when asylums were first established (11). Binghamton State Hospital continued to function for another twenty years before closing in 1993 due to structural collapse and years of poor maintenance practice (12).

Interior of the abandoned Binghamton State Hospital, 2004

Photo Credit: Unknown via nysasylum

The reality of state hospitals did not revolve around straitjackets or padded rooms. Instead, they were focused on staying financially afloat and implementing treatment programs to rotate patients in and out of the system as quickly as possible. The Binghamton State Hospital was not immune to financial hardships, but it succeeded in the 1960s and 1970s when other state hospitals in the United States were struggling. This institution, once a critical service in the Binghamton community, lost its grandeur and purpose. However, it remains the mysterious "Castle on the Hill," awaiting a new story.

Endnotes

(1) National Park Service, “New York State Inebriate Asylum”, July 26, 2017, https://www.nps.gov/places/new-york-state-inebriate-asylum.htm.

(2) Betsy Buechner, “BSH Was Literally Built on Failure,” The Sunday Press, July 2, 1967.

(3) “Benefits Seen In Clinical Treatment Plan,” Binghamton Press, April 28, 1958.

(4) “The Toll of Mental Illness,” Binghamton Press, April 30, 1961.

(5) Jerry Handte, “Three Major Legal Safeguards Protect Rights of Mentally Ill,” The Sunday Press, July 22, 1962.

(6) “State Hospital ‘Overstaffed’ by $100,000, Says Levitt,” Binghamton Press, January 27, 1964.

(7) Keith George, “New World Ahead for State Hospital,” The Evening Press, September 21, 1965.

(8) “Hospital To Get 300 ‘Guests’,” Binghamton Press, November 16, 1968.

(9) Jerry Handte, “Use of Wilson Called Boost In Helping BSH Treat Aged,” Binghamton Press, November 18, 1968.

(10) “Strike Cancellation ‘A Relief’,” Binghamton Press, June 16, 1971.

(11) Leo Griffin, “Now Geriatric Patients May Go Home Sooner,” The Sunday Press, October 1, 1972.

(12) Laurie A. Kimball and Karla M. Eisch, “National Historic Landmark Nomination,” 8, July, 1997, https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/96000814_text.