My mother was a patient in Dixmont for four years, from 1963 to 1967. In that time, she underwent 23 shock treatments and was on thorazine. After her release, she lived alone in govt. housing, in an apartment in Rochester with no sunlight and barely enough room to turn around in. I remember accompanying my father to see her at Dixmont on a few Sundays. Dad visited her for two years, then he could not do it any longer. I was 11 years old when Mom was committed.
I lived in Athens, Ohio for awhile and visited the Kirkebride insane asylum built there. It is now called the ridges and fortunately, it has been preserved by the university (Ohio University) there. It is a beautiful building. I loved this video.
Hi, The music is by a group called Halloween, Alaska. On every CD they produce they add the instrumental versions as mp.3 files. They've been great supporters of my video work. Check them out!
I would love to see the asylum in Athens. Can you tour the building?
@jillclimbs You can tour the bottom floor of the main building. It has been converted to an art museum, but you can still see the architecture and the hand-laid tiling. Other buildings that the asylum used are the studios for the art grad students. There is also an auditorium up there that used to be part of the old asylum. The only building that wasn't really taken over by the university is the old TB ward. There is a lot of nature trails up there as well, and they are all beautiful.
Political correctness led to the closing of mental hospitals in the seventies. Today, the people who should have been in those places are free to do as they please (Jared Loughner being one example).
The only one left in western pa (that I know of) is Warren State Hospital in Warren, PA. There are definitely others in various states but little by little they are all closing.
@jillclimbs Mayview state is still there, near bridgeville. It's shut down, it'sa really neat place to explore. They are starting to tear down buildings now, its not gonna be there much longer. There are still about 5 State hospitals still functioning in pa.
u know i have been wondering, is there still old hospitals, like this one. that are still working hospitals?? cause most of them seem like they are shut down.
In the 1850's till? They sure made these hospitals big!! Alot of people at the time. I am wondering also where did have the 1,000 patients go. out in the world, died ect. wow!
State hospitals do have an amazing history. But the development of new meds and treatments enabled many patients to live 'normal' lives. As the last state hospitals close the truly mentally ill are now found in nursing homes. Sad for them... Difficult for the other residents (elderly) to deal with.
The cemetery has been preserved. It has volunteer caretakers. The Walmart actually didn't get built. They started excavating and the site landslid blocking Rt 65. The developers ended up in court in LOTS of trouble owing LOTS of money in damages. People say the ghosts caused the slide. :) I'm not superstitious but it's a nice thought.
oh by the way i visited google earth and once you know where it was you can see the blight on the earth from quite far away. it's a shame i know the buildings where old and the site is attractive but they could have saved a small building for a museum. after all sarah dix was the first one too try too treat the insane with some respect and dignity
that was a beautiful video. i grew up in ben avon and i have visited the grounds before but too see that historic building go too walmart thats a real shame i am glad the landslide stopped walmart. hopefully the people that lived there will find peace and the quiet they deserve.
Thanks for your comments. Today the front page of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette had an article about the closing of Mayview State Hospital. It's south of Pittsburgh in Bridgeville. Tomorrow is its last day of operation. I'm hoping it has a better fate than Dixmont did... I plan on 'visiting' Mayview in the spring with video camera in hand.
Thank you so much for what you wrote. I was recently trying to describe to someone what it felt like to know that Dixmont's days were numbered and to feel an urgency to commemorate it in some way. You give me reason to think I succeeded... Thank you
i remember when we broke went there 7 years ago and me and my buddy were the ones that smashed open the morgue room right before we got busted by the guy in the pickup truck who watches the place and the kilbuck township cops!! those bastards!!
Great Video, I got the chance to spend 2 entire days on the property. it was a very creepy but very cool place. other than the teenage hoods coming thru it was very peaceful. I went thru the buildings and tunnels and even explored the big water tank way up on the hill.
I miss the place. I would have loved to make it back there again before the doozer hit. Thanks for the great video.
Wal Mart Will eventually take a fall for taking all of these historical sites that it is taking... All it takes is for them to buy more, more, more. "Wal Mart! We're all about having money and numerous stores!"
Very nice documentary, awesome video construction skills. Perfect audio to go with the pictures. The place had to be haunted, 1300 patients pass away from brain surgeries etc...
hey you still can but you cant ride where they're working but there are still a lot of trails up on the top. just reply if you ever want to go up and i can get premission for you, even w/o calling you should be fine but still, rather be safe than sorry
I was talking to my dad's buddy who I bought me dirtbike off of. He said he drove his bike through the building. His friends step dad owns the land behind it or something they would make there way to the building. Walmart owned the Kirkbride at the time they went through though.
you live near Dixmont i used to ride throught the buildings wit my quad i still ride up there but its not the same. I MISS DIXMONT i loved walking through all the places and buildins
The only thing Dixmont was haunted with was it's history. The history will always be at that site.
I've been in Dixmont numerous times. Day and night. Above and underground. There was nothing "Paranormal" about it. It was a 144 year old building being taken over by mother nature. It just looked creep.
i no the only thing that really creeped me out was the doors that always slamed and once my dad broke down wit the trailer and went to get somthing to fix it and he came back wit his hand gashed open he needed like 15-20 stiches but i was little so i was pretty freaked out
what is the music you used for this video?!?
omenofisolation 9 months ago
My mother was a patient in Dixmont for four years, from 1963 to 1967. In that time, she underwent 23 shock treatments and was on thorazine. After her release, she lived alone in govt. housing, in an apartment in Rochester with no sunlight and barely enough room to turn around in. I remember accompanying my father to see her at Dixmont on a few Sundays. Dad visited her for two years, then he could not do it any longer. I was 11 years old when Mom was committed.
vwbug1971 10 months ago
I lived in Athens, Ohio for awhile and visited the Kirkebride insane asylum built there. It is now called the ridges and fortunately, it has been preserved by the university (Ohio University) there. It is a beautiful building. I loved this video.
What is the music you used? It is amazing.
lquelette 11 months ago
Hi, The music is by a group called Halloween, Alaska. On every CD they produce they add the instrumental versions as mp.3 files. They've been great supporters of my video work. Check them out!
I would love to see the asylum in Athens. Can you tour the building?
jillclimbs 11 months ago
@jillclimbs You can tour the bottom floor of the main building. It has been converted to an art museum, but you can still see the architecture and the hand-laid tiling. Other buildings that the asylum used are the studios for the art grad students. There is also an auditorium up there that used to be part of the old asylum. The only building that wasn't really taken over by the university is the old TB ward. There is a lot of nature trails up there as well, and they are all beautiful.
lquelette 11 months ago
such a shame the building was not heritage listed...the brickwork is amazing...surely the cost of demolition verses repair is academic...a shame.
Theghostswithin 1 year ago
why is it that every single mental hospital in the country are closing
1986Lonelyguy 1 year ago
Political correctness led to the closing of mental hospitals in the seventies. Today, the people who should have been in those places are free to do as they please (Jared Loughner being one example).
tonasse 1 year ago
Interesting that these "newest" treatments were really primitive., even barbaric
TheSwords99 1 year ago
@AJH0014 Where do you live?
jillclimbs 1 year ago
great video... glad u were able to get such views!
arlichar11 2 years ago
Did they just make a parkinglot ontop of the graveyard or did they move it?
Uttelito 2 years ago
The only one left in western pa (that I know of) is Warren State Hospital in Warren, PA. There are definitely others in various states but little by little they are all closing.
jillclimbs 2 years ago
@jillclimbs if you are talking about state hospitals aka mental places there is one in Danville PA if you have ever heard of it
nvidia56 1 year ago
@jillclimbs Mayview state is still there, near bridgeville. It's shut down, it'sa really neat place to explore. They are starting to tear down buildings now, its not gonna be there much longer. There are still about 5 State hospitals still functioning in pa.
marshalljimduncan 1 month ago
u know i have been wondering, is there still old hospitals, like this one. that are still working hospitals?? cause most of them seem like they are shut down.
13svincent 2 years ago
In the 1850's till? They sure made these hospitals big!! Alot of people at the time. I am wondering also where did have the 1,000 patients go. out in the world, died ect. wow!
LYNXVAL 2 years ago
State hospitals do have an amazing history. But the development of new meds and treatments enabled many patients to live 'normal' lives. As the last state hospitals close the truly mentally ill are now found in nursing homes. Sad for them... Difficult for the other residents (elderly) to deal with.
jillclimbs 2 years ago
If they tore it down for a walmart, what did they do with the 1000's of bodies buried on the site? Would'nt want to shop at that walmart!
jerywilliams 2 years ago
The cemetery has been preserved. It has volunteer caretakers. The Walmart actually didn't get built. They started excavating and the site landslid blocking Rt 65. The developers ended up in court in LOTS of trouble owing LOTS of money in damages. People say the ghosts caused the slide. :) I'm not superstitious but it's a nice thought.
jillclimbs 2 years ago
I laughed my ass off at the wall mural of the people at 4:13. The guy with horns and the guy with blood coming out his eyes, creepy but funny.
jerywilliams 2 years ago
What a gorgeous tribute. Thank you.
isriffrandeldead 2 years ago
Thanks for your positive feedback. Glad you enjoyed it. :)
jillclimbs 2 years ago
Breathtaking! Very Nice Work! Check Out My Brook Run Slideshow.
jillpoo3 3 years ago
Amazing! Beautiful! Thanks for putting this up!
Magnoodles 3 years ago
oh by the way i visited google earth and once you know where it was you can see the blight on the earth from quite far away. it's a shame i know the buildings where old and the site is attractive but they could have saved a small building for a museum. after all sarah dix was the first one too try too treat the insane with some respect and dignity
wolfe71 3 years ago
that was a beautiful video. i grew up in ben avon and i have visited the grounds before but too see that historic building go too walmart thats a real shame i am glad the landslide stopped walmart. hopefully the people that lived there will find peace and the quiet they deserve.
wolfe71 3 years ago
Thanks for your comments. Today the front page of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette had an article about the closing of Mayview State Hospital. It's south of Pittsburgh in Bridgeville. Tomorrow is its last day of operation. I'm hoping it has a better fate than Dixmont did... I plan on 'visiting' Mayview in the spring with video camera in hand.
jillclimbs 3 years ago
Fuck Wal-Mart
metallica202000 3 years ago 2
no wonder why the there was a land silde
the ghosts of dixmount are pissed at them
for demolishing it
bonedrag8621 3 years ago
Agreed. Couldn't they have at least TRIED To have restored it?
camuimsgackt 3 years ago
wow! scary!
playmaker06 3 years ago
Thank you so much for what you wrote. I was recently trying to describe to someone what it felt like to know that Dixmont's days were numbered and to feel an urgency to commemorate it in some way. You give me reason to think I succeeded... Thank you
jillclimbs 3 years ago
i remember when we broke went there 7 years ago and me and my buddy were the ones that smashed open the morgue room right before we got busted by the guy in the pickup truck who watches the place and the kilbuck township cops!! those bastards!!
fromthepgh 3 years ago
And they're also tearing down all the drive-in theaters too.....
morggy39 3 years ago
Great Video, I got the chance to spend 2 entire days on the property. it was a very creepy but very cool place. other than the teenage hoods coming thru it was very peaceful. I went thru the buildings and tunnels and even explored the big water tank way up on the hill.
I miss the place. I would have loved to make it back there again before the doozer hit. Thanks for the great video.
phantomphinder 3 years ago
Wal Mart Will eventually take a fall for taking all of these historical sites that it is taking... All it takes is for them to buy more, more, more. "Wal Mart! We're all about having money and numerous stores!"
turkishvan11 3 years ago
Agreed.
Walmart officially SUCKS.
bandgeeksrule011 3 years ago
Very nice documentary, awesome video construction skills. Perfect audio to go with the pictures. The place had to be haunted, 1300 patients pass away from brain surgeries etc...
ejspinn 3 years ago
I still see the bare hillside everytime I return from visiting my mother in West Virginia. And everytime I am filled with sadness.
jillclimbs 3 years ago
Rip Dixmont i miss it so much. now there is no were to go ghosthunting anymore unless anyone knows any other places
tornado188 3 years ago
hey you still can but you cant ride where they're working but there are still a lot of trails up on the top. just reply if you ever want to go up and i can get premission for you, even w/o calling you should be fine but still, rather be safe than sorry
sessi249 4 years ago
I was talking to my dad's buddy who I bought me dirtbike off of. He said he drove his bike through the building. His friends step dad owns the land behind it or something they would make there way to the building. Walmart owned the Kirkbride at the time they went through though.
Do you live in Kilbuck?
Ryan2588 4 years ago
Awesome video!!! I freakin' miss Dixmont! This history was amazing. It's crazy seeing a window still up in the top floor patient window at 2:10
Do you have this video for download?
Ryan2588 4 years ago
you live near Dixmont i used to ride throught the buildings wit my quad i still ride up there but its not the same. I MISS DIXMONT i loved walking through all the places and buildins
sessi249 4 years ago
Nice. My dads friend rode dirtbikes up there. I would have loved to ride dirtbikes through dixmont. That would be awesome.
Ryan2588 4 years ago
man wtf
tweak114 3 years ago
whats the creepest thing you saw there a picter a spirit or just the place itsself?
tweak114 3 years ago
The only thing Dixmont was haunted with was it's history. The history will always be at that site.
I've been in Dixmont numerous times. Day and night. Above and underground. There was nothing "Paranormal" about it. It was a 144 year old building being taken over by mother nature. It just looked creep.
I miss Dixmont!! :(
Fucking walmart.
Ryan2588 3 years ago
i no the only thing that really creeped me out was the doors that always slamed and once my dad broke down wit the trailer and went to get somthing to fix it and he came back wit his hand gashed open he needed like 15-20 stiches but i was little so i was pretty freaked out
sessi249 3 years ago