Mouldering State Hospital

Originally built to be a prison, this sprawling campus was repurposed after community complaints into a state hospital. Operating from 1924 until the mid 90’s, It is currently being demolished.

A rotary phone sits on the ground of a room on the second floor, covered in a carpet of vegetation.

Fallen piano and original patient mural in one of the bowling alleys

One of several bowling alleys, with patient art

Ground floor of one of the larger, more recently abandoned buildings

Water damage and black mold

Many of the buildings, even the more recently abandoned, have suffered from severe water damage which has turned a lot of them into gorgeously surreal settings, where even on upper floors moss and algae coat walls and floors. A lot of the wallpaper has succumbed to interesting patterns of decay, and those few areas still retaining carpet tend to be the worst, trapping the moisture.

Theatre/auditorium, down the hall from a gym

Floorplan and instructions for evacuation in case of a fire

A fallen radiator cover becomes a planter box

The mossy carpet is only interrupted by the debris fallen from the structural crossbeams in the room

Patient art

Decay and runoff from rusting metal streaks glass

Built to  be a prison, the buildings are already naturally incredibly well sealed and secure. Getting in and out is difficult, especially with the property owners continuing to keep the buildings locked down and patrolled. This constant boarding of doors and windows, few of which are broken has further created a greenhouse environment within the buildings, rusting metal and encouraging plant growth.

An old laundry hamper filled with moldy, damp clothing

A wide variety of molds, fungus and spores are found in one of the original prison buildings

Connector corridor between dorm buildings

This building, of identical construction to the mouldering one, remains surprisingly more intact and cleaner

    • Mark Bender
    • December 8th, 2011

    Hauntingly beautiful photography. Thanks for posting-

  1. January 27th, 2012

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