This Creepy Asylum Near Portland Is Still Standing… And Still Disturbing
If you want to do something a bit off the beaten path this weekend, how about take a walk through Oregon history at the Oregon State Hospital’s Museum of Mental Health. Situated in the still-standing building of the original mental hospital, touring the hospital provides both an interesting look at the people once housed here, as well as many of the near-insane ways they have been treated over the years. Built in 1883, this hospital has a lot of stories to tell, and thankfully, you can visit and learn all about them in this creepy building rich with history.
Located in Salem, many parts of the original building still remain in use, while others are shut off due to disrepair. A newer wing was completed in 2011 where much of the patient care takes place today.
You can stroll the campus when you tour the hospital. It is estimated that two-thirds of the population here were both mentally insane and found guilty of a crime.
So many terrifying stories haunt these walls. In 1942, 47 people were killed and many others sickened when poison used to kill bugs was accidentally used in place of flour in the kitchen.
Exhibits line the halls which were once filled with patients. The museum made its way into pop culture when used as the filming location for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," and still stands today as the state's only psychiatric hospital.
The hospital has garnered much controversy over the years for subpar patient care, as well as losing 1,500 cans of patient remains. If these walls could talk, they would certainly have something to say.
The children's wing of the hospital closed in 2005, but the history of adolescent care can also be explored here.
The Oregon State Hospital Museum for Mental Health is located at 2600 Center Street in Salem, and is a great place to visit for anyone interested in Oregon history or mental health.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
