The state began the long process of deinstitutionalization in the 1960s, releasing patients to group homes or other institutions. Even with this success, the site was forced to close as water drainage from the nearby town was flooding out the area. New wings were added to the original building and a new dining hall and chapel were built. The mansion is rumored to be haunted by the spirits of Albert Charles Houghton, the first mayor of North Adams, and his family, who died in a car accident in Vermont in 1914. If you are one of the many who seeks adventure, exploring abandoned places and historical landmarks, continue reading to discover our top 15 best abandoned places in Massachusetts. The facility was self-sufficient, putting residents to work. Stone relief on the wall in one of the pens displays a crest of the city of Boston encircled by two large bears and the year 1912. Admittedly, not much is documented online about this Fire Control Tower. At the time it was prohibitively costly to keep the site in operation. Slowly the horrific conditions of Belchertown State School were brought to light. People have reported full body apparitions, cold spots, slamming doors and some claim that the ghost has actually appeared and spoken to them. One resident, Thomazine Tammy Younger was dubbed the Queen of Witches since she intimated anyone who passed through the area. Founded in 1841 by transcendentalist leaders George and Sophia Ripley, the Brook Farm Institute of Agriculture and Education was envisioned as a utopian community where residents would work together to sustain the operation of the farm. The massive Ventfort Hall mansion is rumored to have a few ghosts under its roof, and witnesses say sometimes the spooks even touch people. A ghost named Elizabeth likes to throw things, slam doors, and stomp in the halls. The hotel was run by the Walworth Brothers who had other businesses in manufacturing throughout Boston. Husband Teddy Wharton and a servant girl also have been seen, as well as an old-fashioned gentleman believed to be Whartons lover, who Forest Park Cemetery, aka Pinewoods Cemetery, is an 1897 graveyard known for its locally told ghost stories. During the 70s the theatre would continue to offer continuous shows from one until 11:00 PM. One of the 13 original colonies, Massachusetts, technically a commonwealth, is known for the landing of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims. Plunkett Memorial Hospital, aka the Old Asylum. Eva was known as the "I Don't Care" Girl because of her famous song. The last resident Cornelius Black Neil Finson was found freezing to death living in a vacant cellar. The abandoned site became popular with urban explorers and pictures of the interior of the buildings surfaced on the internet. Each building housed separate living quarters for the married couple who administered the dormitory; they were assisted by a schoolteacher and a laundress. Many elements of the Kirkbride building were sold or auctioned off, including timber, marble, iron gates, antique plumbing fixtures, and slate roofing tiles. Below are 18 of my favorite abandoned places throughout the state. Rutland Prison Camp supplied enough food to supply the prison as well as the nearby town of Worcester. Fords Folly was named after none other than Henry Ford who tried to build a town here in 1923. There are a number of run-of-the-mill "campfire stories" about Snyder's Lake. The house was built in the 1890s for Albert Charles Houghton, President of the Arnold Print Works and first Mayor of North Adams, Massachusetts. The Lyman School for Boys was established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1886 replacing the State Reform School built nearby in 1846. Legends say that the Native Americans believed this place to be cursed and used it as a burial ground. She has been known Jennings Hall is reported to be the inspration for horror author Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel "The Haunting of Hill House" and its 1963 movie adaptation. Visitors to Boston should check it out while they still can. Today, the property is on the market and nearly all the windows are boarded shut. Tall Gothic spires rose from the eight wings that radiated from the 130-foot tall central tower. Lovecraft's horror stories and Batman's Arkham Asylum is now a condominium complex. The hospital focused on psychiatric care and was originally named the Medfield Insane Asylum. The dam which is still visible today was designed to protect the area from water flowing down Hop Brook. 42.39304, -71.20514Photo Credit: Kurt uer.ca. The building was abandoned but acquired by the Church of Scientology during the 1990s. The public-exposure and changing societal view of mental illness started the deinstitutionalization of the hospital in the mid-1970s. Get the latest news, guides and updates, straight to your inbox. From the time of the Pilgrims, adventure seekers have long sought out this state. A large fence was erected around the property in 2000 to discourage urban explorers and looters. Many employees who lived at the facility, now jobless, stayed behind as caretakers for the now-abandoned property. This abandoned neighborhood is now a park filled with beautiful trees, wildflowers, and hints of its past. The buildings now sit silent as a grim reminder of how we treated those different from us, and how some preyed on the vulnerable for the greater good. After At the Capitol building, some say ghosts walk at night. The hospital is one of the most famous abandoned places in Massachusetts after it was used as a filming location for Shutter Island. From historic prison sites, to state hospitals, modern day explorers will find a variety of urbex adventures to choose from. While efforts were made, repair costs were estimated at $4.5 million, with ultimately nothing happening from their efforts. Outside of special events, the property remains abandoned. The 110-acre site contained administration buildings, family and bachelor living quarters, a chapel, and a bowling alley. Rutland Prison Camp was constructed in 1903 to rehabilitate criminals with minor offenses. When the war ended, the site was purchased by the Lutheran Church, which operated an orphanage and later, a treatment center and school. Many of the boys sent to the school had committed severe crimes but some were merely guilty of truancy, poverty, or stubbornness. Despite housing some violent criminals, the institution had no gates or locked doors and resembled an open campus prep school. Becket Quarry is free and open to the public, making it one of the more interesting free abandoned places in Massachusetts to visit. Prisoners picked crops, planted seeds, and took care of the farms cows and chickens. Things spun out of control at the school with many incidents of violence and arson requiring police intervention to restore order. The facility would quickly grow to include over 72 buildings across nearly 200 acres of land. The inspiration for H.P. The dam stretches just under 1000 feet in length and towers 30 feet over the woodlands. Instead of researching treatments and administering therapy, patients existed on the most minimal care the overtaxed system could provide, and the results were a nightmare. Address: 9 Furnace Street, Building 4. In 1886, the Lyman School for Boys opened leaving the present facility empty. The Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center was the oldest publicly funded institution that assisted those with mental disabilities. Unlike other abandoned asylums this empty institution welcomes visitors, just don't go in the buildings. Without enemy ships, cargo could traverse to other more resource-rich areas for settlement. Cohoes Music Hall was where she made her debut--and was booed offstage. DHS held over 2,400 patients during its peak operations and employed many controversial treatments including lobotomy, insulin shock therapy, electric shock therapy, and medication abuse. The entire building was closed and boarded up in 1989 when it became one of the most famous abandoned places in Massachusetts. The hotel offered beautiful views of the Connecticut River and surrounding mountain ranges. Jennings Hall is a gray stone mansion reportedly used by the college's music department. When this is the case, its important to have a good-quality backpack. The Annex went dormant for several years after the war ended, but was reactivated during the Korean War as a storage site for several of the Navys experimental nuclear depth charges. There are many famous abandoned places in Massachusetts to satisfy your curiosity and taste for adventure. A stone tower pokes out of the trees in North Truro making you feel as if youre back in the middle ages. Many reports were filed about the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of the residents. To access the tunnel, visitors can park near the Wachusett Reservoir dam and walk northeast along Route 62 until a crumbling stone trestle comes into view. Feasibility studies were undertaken to determine how much of the original building could be restored and incorporated into the new building. The boys also worked the farm, cooled the food, and repaired and maintained the buildings, all skills intended to be used upon their release at age 21. In 1971 parents sued the school and made headlines in the local paper. hbspt.forms.create({ There are rumors you can access the tunnel somewhere close to Emerson College as well. But this Cold War-era relic stands abandoned and dilapidated. Hours: Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The Jenny Lind Tower is actually the last remnants of the Fitchburg Railroad depot located in Boston. In 1934 the site was abandoned and the prisoners were moved. Today these stones are one of the last remaining signs that anything other than the forest was ever here. At the intersection of Route 20, Route 8 North, and Bonny Rigg Hill Road, take Bonny Rig Hill Road and turn left onto Quarry Road. Several old buildings and bunkers, as well as sections of the railroad tracks, remain visible from the parks hiking trails. Of all the abandoned places in Massachusetts, the Fernald State School has one of the darkest histories on our list. Additional structures were built on the campus to alleviate overcrowding and the Bryan Building (known as Camp Joy) was opened. Fencing soon surrounded the grounds but the structures remained abandoned and neglected. 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