Originally known as lunatic or insane asylums, Kirkbride buildings are remnants of an out-dated system for treating the mentally ill. Over the years they have come to be stigmatized by sometimes atrocious treatment of patients and the poor conditions that existed within their walls.

But their creation in the 19th century was an enlightened response to earlier methods of treatment. Before they became simply "warehouses" for the mentally ill, they were conceived of by Dr Thomas Story Kirkbride as the ideal place for curing insanity. The buildings were meant as an improvement on earlier asylums which were often cramped, ill-lit and generally unhealthy places. They were purposefully made to be attractive and reasonably pleasant to live in. Kirkbride asylums were situated on extensive, well-kept grounds, and the shape and nature of the buildings themselves were carefully designed to create a healthy environment with plenty of natural light and fresh air. It was believed that the structures and how they were laid out would aid in curing the insane.

When these hospitals became unsustainable because of growing populations and insufficient funding, they became the more unseemly places that popular conception is familiar with. Getting patients out of the "state hospital" environment became a priority and advances in medication and other treatments made this possible. Most Kirkbride buildings left standing today are completely or mostly abandoned. They sit crumbling and boarded up, the victims of neglect and vandalism. Most have become the subject of local legends about tortured spirits and dangerous "lunatics".

They are much more than a source for ghost stories or horrific tales of mistreatment though. Kirkbride buildings are beautiful examples of both 19th century craftsmanship and the idea that architecture can shape human behavior. They're also a kind of monument to a progressive movement to treat the mentally ill like the human beings they are -- a movement whose sometimes erratic progress is well represented by these decaying buildings.

You can learn more about these fascinating places at www.kirkbridebuildings.com which includes photographs and historical images of many Kirkbride buildings.