Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded is located in Belchertown, Massachusetts. It was established in the early 1900s to house and treat people with mental illness, but developed a dark reputation for abuse and squalor.
Read on for more details about this unfortunate page in Massachusetts history, and then watch the footage from YouTube user “Brian Cattelle” for a look inside the ruins of the school.
The Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded first opened its doors in 1922. It’s stated mission was to care for people with mental illness and disabilities.
Wikimedia Commons/Jaklun
Though it was called a “school,” the institution actually didn’t dispense any sort of education to its residents, which were considered patients.
YouTube/Brian Cattelle
Though it operated throughout the first half of the 20th century without scrutiny, horrifying rumors eventually began to circulate about the living conditions at the facility.
YouTube/Brian Cattelle
It was reported that patients were kept in overcrowded dormitories and that many were left to wander the grounds without supervision, purportedly covered in their own excrement.
YouTube/Brian Cattelle
People who visited the “school” also stated that patients were having healthy teeth removed in order to make feeding them easier, and that some were strapped to their beds all day.
YouTube/Brian Cattelle
Changing attitudes towards mental illness and investigations into conditions at the facility led to the closure of Belchertown State School in 1992. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
YouTube/Brian Cattelle
Today, the ruins of Belchertown State School are slowly decaying. Check out the video below for a peek inside this troubled institution.
YouTube/Brian Cattelle
Wikimedia Commons/Jaklun
YouTube/Brian Cattelle
The video above comes courtesy of YouTube’s “Brian Cattelle.” Please note that exploration of the ruins of Belchertown State School is not permitted and trespassers may be charged.
Do you know of any other spooky or abandoned spots in Massachusetts? Drop us a line in the comments!
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