Norwich State Hospital

Founded as Norwich State Hospital for the Insane, this psychiatric hospital housed the mentally ill, those found guilty of crimes by insanity, and, intermittently, geriatric patients, chemically dependent patients, and patients suffering from tuberculosis. What began as a single building in 1904 with a patient population of 95 eventually grew to expand to over 30 buildings, with 3,154 patients in 1955. Due to the expansiveness of the campus, all buildings were connected by a series of underground tunnels mainly used for utilities, but occasionally to transport patients. Despite its presence on the state and national historical register as a place of architectural and historical significance, nearly every building has been torn down as of 2019. The town of Preston hopes in the future the land can be reimagined as a public and usable space for the town’s residents.

More information and photos available at norwichstatehospital.com