Former Traverse City State Hospital Site
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The Traverse City State Hospital Site (Northern Michigan Asylum) is comprised of steep wooded slopes, rolling meadows and wetlands surrounding a central campus.

Building 50, the former Traverse City State Hospital, built in 1885 was the centerpiece of the site and was designed by Gordon W. Lloyd (1832-1905).  Gordon was an English/Canadian architect of the early 19th Century.  He was known as one of the leading Midwest architects of Episcopal churches and cathedrals during this period.  The "Kirkbride Plan" was a popular design for mental institutions and is reflected in Building 50.  The yellowish colored bricks used in the construction of Building 50 where cast in the Markham brickwords located in Greilickville, now a suburb to the northwest of Traverse City.  The bricks were hauled by mules to the construction site on special flat cars which ran on wooden 2 by 4 tracks.  Slate from Michigan quaries was used for the roof.

Building 50 consists of three main floors a basement and an attic.  There are three wings on the north side of the building which, were used for the female patients.  The south three wings are almost identical to the north wings and were used for the male patients.  Connected to the back of the female and the male sections were two infirmary wings.  Originally these sections were seperate buildings.  A chapel was added behind the orginal center section which, in the 1960's was demolished due to a fire and replaced with a newer section that is known as Building 50-A.

After 1885, as the population of the "asylum" continued to grow, it became necessary to construct "cottages"  and other buildings.  The cottages housed anywhere from 60 to 125 patients each.

In 1901, attention was given to beautifyin the grounds.  Dr. James Decker Munson, Superintendent (1885-1924) would bring from his travels around the world trees which, could be added to the landscaping at the asylum.  Legend has it that upon bringing a cluster of trees from one of his many trips, Dr. Munson would call the farm manager, and together they  would go out to an area that seemed suitable for planting, and he would pick up a number of stones equal to the amount of trees he had brought with him.  Upon finding what appeared to be a desirable spot, Dr. Munson would toss the handful of stones onto the ground, and the trees would be planted where the stones had fallen.

The large farm operation during the early years of the "asylum" contributed a great deal to the dietry requirements of the patients.  Great attention was given to the building of an outstanding herd of Holsteins, and in the years to come the hospital was to possess one of the finest herds found anywhere in this area of the country.  One notable Holstein was Traverse Colontha Walker, the world's champion cow, bred, owned and developed by the Traverse City State Hospital.  In 1957, due to the rising costs of labor, lack of patient help and other circumstances the farm operations were discontinued, and by the late 1970's the Traverse City State Hospital closed.

More information about the history of the former Traverse City State Hospital can be obtained by contacting the
State of Michigan Archives.  You may also purchase a booklet called "Through The Years" which outlines the history of the hospital from the Grand Traverse Commons Redevelopment Corporation for a small fee of $3.00 to cover printing costs.
Historic Photos