12 Staggering Photos Of An Abandoned Hospital Hiding In Minnesota
Nearly 200 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, a forgotten part of Minnesota history rises from among the lakes of Otter Tail County. Opened just 32 years after Minnesota officially became a state, the Fergus Falls State Hospital is a beautiful building with a long history. Beyond its chipped paint and crumbling woodwork, the abandoned hospital stands as a reminder of the early days of Minnesota – and of medicine.
Fergus Falls State Hospital - originally called the Third Minnesota Hospital For The Insane - opened to patients in 1890. It was built to treat mentally ill patients in northern Minnesota.
By today's standards, the hospital is quite beautiful. But it was actually built to be as plain as possible, with little difference from one wing to the next.
The design was known as the Kirkbride Plan, a style of building championed by Thomas Kirkbride. The buildings were meant to be large and imposing, with patient wings set at right angles to the central administration building.
As treatment methods changed to involve more drug therapy in the mid-20th century, more patients were able to leave the hospital. The hospital was forced to expand its purpose beyond mentally ill patients.
The hospital's name changed to the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center in 1985. The following year, the hospital was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Still, the population continued to decline.
After its last patients were moved to other facilities, Fergus Falls Regional Hospital closed in 2005. The building still stands, though there has been debate over whether to tear it down or redevelop it. For now, it remains a fascinating time capsule of over a century of medicine.
Betsy is a Minneapolis-based writer who's lived in Minnesota for 20 years. If you know of any amazing Minnesota restaurants, nature areas, or other attractions, feel free to let her know about them at brathburn@onlyinyourstate.com or on Twitter @betsyrathburn.