This Abandoned Sanatorium In New York Has A Fascinating History
By Lisa Sammons|Published September 01, 2021
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Lisa Sammons
Author
Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
Any Empire State resident knows that the state has a fascinating history. We’ve played an important role in so many pivotal periods in American history, from colonial times to the Civil War. You can learn a lot about the past by exploring our numerous historic sites and buildings, including the now-abandoned Jackson Sanatorium. Let’s take a look…
In 1854, just a few years after Dansville was incorporated, a spa opened in the area. The owner believed that the sulfur springs in the area could cure a variety of ailments.
The spa later closed and was later reopened as "Our Home on the Hillside," a facility that housed people with developmental disabilities and those suffering from stress.
The doctor that owned the facility, Caleb Jackson, believed in healthy living and eating. He called his mixture of milk-soaked bran and graham flour "granula" and fed it to his patients. Jackson also invented Somo, a grain-based coffee substitute that lacked caffeine.
After the Civil War, the building was a popular lecture site for speakers like Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. The building was destroyed in a fire not long after the war and rebuilt as the "Jackson Sanatorium."
Spas and water-based health resorts fell out of favor in the early 20th century. A two-year nursing school was opened at the property, but the facility filed for bankruptcy in 1914.
During World War I, the U.S. government used the sanatorium as a psychiatric hospital. After the war, another health resort was opened, then a hotel, but both closed.
As you can see from the photos, the building has now fallen into disrepair. Plans have been bandied about to turn the building into yet another medical facility or hotel, but as of now, no progress has been made.
Are there any other abandoned buildings in New York you’d love to know more about? Share your ideas in the comments below, or nominate a place here!
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