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Location DB > United States > Kansas > Topeka > Topeka State Hospital
 Name
Topeka State Hospital
 Viewing Options
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 Database Info
created by peterbillionaire on 12/17/2006 6:14 PM
last modified by Emperor Wang on 11/25/2022 8:28 PM
 Viewability
Publically Viewable Publically Viewable
This location has been labeled as Demolished, and therefore can be viewed by anyone.
 Overview
 Description
The Topeka State Hospital (formerly the Topeka Insane Asylum) was a publicly funded institution for the care and treatment of the mentally ill in Topeka, Kansas, in operation from 1872 to 1997.

Hummer Sports Park now occupies its space.
 Basic Information
Type: Building
Status: Demolished
Accessibility: Easy - it's gone
Recommendation: forget it - It's gone!
 Physical Information
Address

Topeka, Kansas
United States
Owner:
  • See a map of this location
  •  Hazards
  • asbestos
  • rust
  • unsafe flooring
  • water
  • air quality
  •  Interesting Features
    Very interesting tunnel system lays underneath the campus.
     Security Measures
  • fences
  • welded doors
  • wooden boarding
  •  Historical Dates
    Built: 1879
    Closed: 1997
     Required Equipment
  • flashlight
  • breathing mask
  • gloves
  • head protection
  •  Recommended Equipment

     History
    1872 - The hospital first started operations.

    1879 - Topeka Insane Asylum opens its doors.

    1900's - There are rumors of patients being abused, neglected, or raped. Patients were often left confined or chained for long periods of time.

    1913 - The Kansas legislature passes the first sterilization law in the state, directed at “habitual criminals, idiots, epileptics, imbeciles, and insane”. 54 sterilizations occur over the next seven years.

    1917 - The Kansas legislature passes another sterilization law targeted the same groups, but eliminated the courts’ approval from the decision.

    1940s - Reforms take place at the hospital, after rumors/reports of abuse, rape, and neglect.

    1951 - It is discovered that patient John Crabb, a fifty-nine-year-old immigrant from Denmark, was in fact NOT clinically insane, and had been wrongfully incarcerated at the hospital.

    1961 - Sterilizations cease. At there peak in 1930, the state sterilized at a rate of 10 for each of 100,000 state residents. Most, at least early on, sterilizations take place at the State Hospital in Topeka.

    1992 - Stephanie Uhlrig's (a music and activity therapist) body was found in the bathroom in one of the buildings on the grounds. Kenneth D. Waddell, who had been placed in the custody of state mental health authorities after having been found not guilty by reason of insanity for the charge of aggravated battery is charged with her murder. Waddell was initially housed in the Adult Forensic Ward meant for higher risk patients, but had been moved to general population because of budget constraints.

    1995 - The United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, finds the hospital nor its staff responsible for the death of Stephanie Uhlrig. "While Uhlrig's murder was undeniably tragic, it was not the result of reckless and "conscience shocking" conduct by the state mental health administrators sued in the instant case".

    1988 - The hospital loses its accreditation to receive federal Medicare and Medicaid payments. The Health Care Financing Administration determined that the State had omitted two patients from its inspection of care review at the hospital.

    1996 - A patient named James Stout is admitted. Mr. Stout had sexually assaulted two female staff members at another state hospital prior to his transfer, but that fact is not communicated to TSH at the time.

    1997 - The Kansas Legislature decided to close one of its three mental hospitals. TSH is chosen and closes its doors on May 17th.

    2001 - Cynthia Turnbull, a psychologist at the Topeka State Hospital from 1993 until closing, sues her employer and the state for sexual harassment (James Stout) and states she was sexually assaulted by a patient. Quote from US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit record "He knocked her to the ground, undressed her and digitally penetrated her, bit and choked her, and repeatedly threatened to kill her".

    2010 - The historic center building and several others are demolished early in the year. By June the center administration building is also demolished.

    The Cemetary - Of the 1,157 graves there, only 16 have headstones. During the 1999/2000 session, the Kansas Legislature authorized construction of a memorial for people buried in the cemetery, including a plaque identifying the memorial, fencing to go around the cemetery and the inscription of the names of the dead.
     Media Coverage
    https://www.cjonli...lding/16498833007/

    -------Links below this line were broken or dead on 11.2022-------

    http://www.ksnt.co...EuuqMhnNbbUxQ.cspx
     Future Plans
    Center building is going, the auditorium is a roof-less shell. It's coming down soon.
     Stories


    Add your own story
     Photo Galleries
    Click to view gallery
    Historical Images
    Sun, Dec 17th, 1899
    posted by Kurt
    13 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    peterbillionaire's gallery
    Sun, Dec 17th, 2006
    posted by peterbillionaire
    18 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    peterbillionaire's gallery
    Mon, Sep 24th, 2007
    posted by peterbillionaire
    11 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    peterbillionaire's gallery
    Mon, Sep 24th, 2007
    posted by peterbillionaire
    23 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    TSH
    Wed, Jan 23rd, 2008
    posted by Esoterik
    22 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    iFUBAR's TSH Pics
    Wed, Jul 28th, 2010
    posted by iFUBAR
    10 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    Topekaaa
    Tue, Jul 19th, 2016
    posted by Kurt
    10 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    Google Street images
    Wed, Mar 29th, 2023
    posted by fr00tCake
    2 pictures


    Add your own photos

    Mark all galleries as Seen
     Web Links
    https://law.justia...3/255/1238/478223/

    http://www.kirkbri...eka-State-Hospital

    http://en.wikipedi...eka_State_Hospital
     Contribute

    Edit this Location
     Moderator Rating
    The moderator rating is a neutral rating of the content quality, photography, and coolness of this location.

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     Validation
    This location's validation is current. It was last validated by Emperor Wang on 3/31/2023 12:58 AM.

     Latest Changes
  • on Mar 31 23 at 0:58, Emperor Wang validated this location
  • on Mar 29 23 at 17:29, fr00tCake added some pictures to a gallery
  • on Mar 29 23 at 17:28, fr00tCake created a new gallery
  • on Nov 25 22 at 20:28, Emperor Wang validated this location
  • on Nov 25 22 at 20:28, Emperor Wang changed the following: History
  • on Nov 22 22 at 18:01, fr00tCake changed the following: History
  • on Nov 22 22 at 17:58, fr00tCake changed the following: Latitude, Longitude, Co-ordinate Accuracy, History, Accessibility, Recommendation, Media Coverage, Description, Web Links
  • on Dec 19 20 at 14:52, Emperor Wang validated this location
  • on Dec 19 20 at 14:51, Emperor Wang changed the following: Description
  • on Dec 19 20 at 14:48, Emperor Wang changed the following: History
  •  Forum Threads about this Location
    New Thread
     SubjectStarted ByRepliesViewsLast Post
    You must log in for this feature to work.UpdateEsoterik311485/31/2010 8:51 AM by Gringo Loco
    You must log in for this feature to work.The historyEsoterik19971/25/2008 9:23 PM by Esoterik
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