The Other Side: A behind the scenes tour of the South Side of Ellis Island

Welcome to the Other Side:

I take you on a behind the scenes tour of the South Side of Ellis Island. An area of hospitals and support buildings for the island that haven't been touched or open to the public for over 50 years.

 Above: View of Manhattan from Ellis Island

For many, Ellis Island was the first stop after their long journey to a better life. The American Dream started for many immigrants who stepped foot on this island. 

After a long, adruous overseas journey in typically very bad conditions, you were processed on Ellis Island for entry into the US. Over 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island from 1892 until the 1930's. Since 1990, the north side of the Island has been an operating immigration museum, however the story of the South Side of the island is forgotten by many and has primarily been untold. The south side was where immigrants who were sick (both mentally and physically) were sent for treatment. After treatment, If you were deemed fit for American Life, you were sent to the mainland to begin your own American Dream. If not, you were sent back to your country. When the hospital campus opened in 1902 it was deemed as the most extensive and modern hospital in the world. It was also the first major public health system in the Nation. In the 30's the hospital and Ellis Island saw a steep decline in immigrants due to tightening restrictions on immigration. Eventually the FBI took up offices here and then during WWII American Servicemen were treated here in addition to housing for German Prisoners of War. The last occupants were the Coast Guard who left the island abandoned in 1954. 

The following pictures were taken on an authorized hard hat trip by Save Ellis Island. For my fellow UrbExer's, I do not recommend unauthorized entry at this site.

Above and Below: Laundry

 Above and Below: Doctors Classroom

 Modern surgery techniques and treatments were taught to doctors from all around the world in this classroom which was considered a very state of the art facility and learning center.

 Above: Ellis Island South, looking at Miss Liberty

I hope you enjoyed this visit and tour of Ellis Island South. Stay tuned for behind the scenes at the Brooklyn Naval Yard coming up next. 

Regards,

Cory

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

Also known as Weston State Hospital, West Virginia Hospital for the Insane and the Kirkbride Psychiatric Hospital.

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was a Psychiatric Hospital opened in 1864 and closed/abandoned in 1994. It was owned and operated by the State of West Virginia during its entire operating life. The asylum was built by architect Richard Andrews, and constructed from 1858-1881. Originally designed to hold 250 people, it became extremely overcrowded in the 1950s housing 2,400 patients. It was forcibly closed in 1994 due to changes in treatments of patients. The hospital's main building is the largest hand-cut stone masonry building in the United States, and is the second largest hand-cut sandstone building in the World, with the only bigger one being The Kremlin. The Weston Hospital Main Building, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990. It can be seen below how it stands today. (The pic is from when I left in the early afternoon) 

 

The hospital was built by the State of Virginia in the early 1850s as the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. After West Virginia split from Virginia, the state decided to finish the construction. Following consultations with Thomas Kirkbride, then-superintendent of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, a building in the Kirkbride Plan was designed in the Gothic Revival and Tudor Revival styles by Richard Andrews. The hospital's first patients were admitted in 1864 but construction didn't finish until 1881. The Asylum was bought by Joe Jordan at an Auction in 2007 who turned it into a site for tours, haunted houses, events, and paranormal investigation tours. He currently works to restore the building but leaves most of it the way it was left when it was abandoned in 1994.

Below is an account of both my experience and my photography of the entire campus; including all buildings. 

The Asylum is located in Weston, West Virginia. 1 hour from Morgantown. 

Locked up, they won't let me out...

I chose door 2......and 3......and 1.....

Below: Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Main Entrance

Below: 4th floor housekeeping offices

 Out the window...

Down the stairwell and into the unknown

 

Where the wild things are................

Solitary.......

 Above: the main Kirkbride building Below: View of the Geriatrics bldg

 Below: beginning of Womens Auxiliary Unit photos

 When Mother Nature makes starts to take over.

Beginning of Forensics Building AKA Criminally Insane Housing.

 View of Kirkbride main building below with playground and field area.

 Geriatrics below.

 

 Stay tuned, as always ill be posting more of the abandoned, forgotten, and left behind......