Timeline of History

• 1816-1817:  Main Building erected to become Fayette Hospital
• June 30, 1817:  Building on land dedicated by Henry Clay and others
• 1819: Panic of 1819 ended the economic hopes of the Fayette Hospital
• Dec. 7, 1822:  Established by an Act of Legislature as Lunatic Asylum
• May 1, 1824: Hospital admits first patient. She was a mulatto woman named    Charity, age 21. She had never been able to walk or talk or to    partake solid food. She died within the year.
• Jan. 1, 1825: Census=33, admitted 41
• Jan. 1, 1826: Census=54, cured 17
• 1825: First of two new wings added to main building at a cost of $5,735.74
• 1826: Second wing completed at a cost of $4,405.39
• 1827: Census=71, admitted 34, discharged/died 28
• Jan. 1, 1829: Census=85, cured 7, died 8
• Jan. 1, 1830: Census=94
• 1829-1830: Two new wings were added to the previous wings
• 1831: Census=102, admitted 37
• 1832: Census=102, admitted 45, discharged 13, died 6, eloped 4
• 1832: New building constructed for $5,480.06
• Jan. 1, 1833: Census=66, cured 12, died 46
• 1833: first cholera epidemic (46 died)
• 1833: Board of commissioners= John W. Hunt; John Brand; R. Higgins;    T.P. Hart; and S. Chipley
• 1824-1834:  Census 10 yr. recap=admitted 396, discharged 150, died 159
• Jan. 1, 1835: Census=95
• 1836: Built a new building; spent on improvements and part of new bldg.=$6,018
• 1837: Census=122, admitted 63, restored 16, died 29, eloped 9
• 1839: Purchased about 8 acres of land @ $150 per acre (some from H. Clay Jr.)
• 1839: Hurricane demolished the plank fence this summer
• 1840: Built three-story brick building; spent $5,259.43 on bldg. and improvement
• 1841-1842:  Built a vault for the reception of the dead
• 1843: John W. Hunt resigned as chairman of the Asylum Committee
• 1844: Built two story building was added to the back of the “main building”
• 1844: Dr. John R. Allen, M.D. becomes the first medical Superintendent(1844-54)
• 1844: Moral Therapy was started with the use of classifying patients,    non-restraints, positive reinforcements, therapeutic activities, and   meaningful work
• 1845: Census= 153, admitted 59
• 1845: Library was established
• 1846-1847:  New building, 112’ long, 64’ wide, 12’ deep
• 1845-1847:  Miss Dorothea Dix visited the hospital
• 1848: Census=271, admitted 98
• 1848: There are 180 rooms in the Asylum
• 1849: James Strode Megowan (of Montgomery Co.) donated $1,000 “for the  purpose of adding to the comforts and amusements of the patients”
• 1849: Cholera epidemic (98 died)
• 1849: Census=223, admitted 96
• 1850: Total land=40 acres
• 1850: Cholera epidemic, physicians of Lexington aided (92 died)
• 1850: Stables and ice-house consumed by fire
• 1850: Built new brick stable, grainery, corn-house, and ice-house
• 1851: Built new building w/ 2 dayrooms, large porch or verandah, privies on   each floor w/ bathrooms and dressing rooms. A promenade of nearly  300 feet. Each ward has its dining room, w/ dumb waiters from kitchen.
• Dec. 30, 1851: Census=249, admitted 133
• Feb. 14, 1852: Fire killed two patients, dayrooms, 3 halls, 70 lodges and    three latticed verandahs consumed
• October 1852: Hailstorm damaged 300 panes of glass
• 1854: Dr. H. Perrin, M.D. becomes Interim Superintendent (1854/55)
• 1854: Cholera epidemic (54 died)
• Dec. 30, 1854: Census=190, admitted 74
• July 1855: Cholera epidemic, 34 patients and 27 employees died (incl. Dr. York)
• 1855: Dr. W.S. Chipley, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (2^nd) (1855-70)
• 1855: Dr. Chipley discovered the cause of the epidemics
• Dec. 30, 1855: Census=276
• 1856: Artesian well was commenced, bored 106’—89’ through solid rock
• 1857: Census=228, admitted 100, removed 49, died 20, eloped 1
• 1857: David A. Sayre, Esquire, gave a cast-iron fountain “surmounted with  the statue of a beautiful female grasping a dolphin, from the mouth   of which spouts a jet of water.” Placed in front of the Main Building
• 1858: Miss Dorothea visited the Asylum again
• 1859: Hospital tours conducted every day except Saturday and Sunday
• 1859: Census=228, admitted 45, removed 33, died 9
• 1824-1859:  Census recap: admitted 2,389; recovered 1,102; died 926; eloped 133
• 1860: Purchased 130 acres of land
• 1860: Overcrowded conditions require that none but the residents of Kentucky  were admitted during the last three years, although numerous applications  from abroad were received
• 1860: We received a copy, in plaster, of Hart’s statue of Henry Clay
• 1861: A tunnel was under the Main Building in which a railroad is laid
• 1862: All employees were required to take an oath of allegiance to the U.S. Gov.
• Dec. 30, 1862: Census=231, admitted 43, removed 33, died 16
• 1863: Total land=170 acres
• 1863: Gas was introduced for lighting
• 1863: Megowan property (corner of Mulberry and Water St.s) rented for $400 yr
• 1822-1864:  Estimated expenditures for those 40 years= $977,804.48
• 1865: Census=255, admitted 59, removed 28, died 14, eloped 3
• 1865: Received a fountain of pure Italian marble, placed in front of the building
• 1865: Fences were used for fuel by “lawless men,” vegetables from gardens  stolen and a portion of the stock. Much plundering of grounds.
• 1866: 40 acres of land was purchased
• 1866: Census=251, died 10
• 1867: Purchased 28 acres, fronting on Newtown Pike
• 1868: New building for females with the center having four stories with a    basement and the wings were three stories (440’ X 38’-78’)
• 1868: New building for Negro lunatics, 85’ X 44’ with three stories and basement
• 1868: Built a laundry and boiler house two stories high (85’ X 40’), and a gate-  house w/ iron gates consisting of two rooms, each 14’ square
• 1868: Total land=238 acres
• Dec. 30, 1868: Census=320 (can accommodate 520)
• 1869: Census=430, admitted 230, discharged 181, died 30, eloped 5
• 1824-70:  Census recap: admitted 3,350; discharged 1,529; died 1,151; eloped 145
• 1870: Dr. John W. Whitney, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (3^rd) (1870-73)
• Sept. 23, 1870:  Fire originated in gas-house; bakery, roof of laundry and engine-   house were also destroyed.
• 1870: Full capacity of 520 was reached with 100 attendants
• 1871: Dr. Whitney protested overcrowded conditions by refusing to admit   150 patients
• 1871: Census=536, admitted 142
• 1872: Dr. Whitney resigns
• 1872: Census=551 (capacity still 520)
• 1873: Dr. George Syng Bryant, M.D. becomes Superintendent (4^th) (1873-75)
• 1874: Water supply increase is badly needed
• 1874: Every other Friday a dance w/ Prof. Mucci’s band
• 1874: Census=536, admitted 103, removed 67, died 26, eloped 2
• May 1, 1875: Violent storm occurred, which tore off roof of female department,   damaged much of the rest, blew off chimney tops and rendered a    brick gable unsafe. Rain flooded the upper wards. Cost to correct   this= $1,741.71.
• 1875: Dr. R.C. Chenault, M.D. becomes Superintendent (5th) (1875-80)
• 1875: Census=526, admitted 81
• 1877: Reservoir completed, large enough for one million gallons. To be filled  with waste water that runs off from the large spring.
• 1877: Semi-monthly dances, w/ limited number of public invited
• 1877: Census=566, admitted 137
• 1879: Windows in the “old building” removed and replaced by large, airy ones
• 1879: Main sewer, which was of stone, has been replaced w/ terra cotta pipes (15”)
• 1880: Dr. A. W. Bartlett, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (6^th) (1880-81)
• Dec. 30, 1880: Census=566, admitted 158, discharged 53, died 30, eloped 3
• 1881: Dr. W. O. Bullock, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (7^th) (1881-83)
• 1881: First telephone installed
• 1882: Census=619, admitted 178, recovered 61, died 44, eloped 2
• 1883: Dr. R. C. Chenault becomes Superintendent for 2^nd time (8^th) (1883-87)
• 1885: New building with three stories to fill gap between male and female wards.  The first story is used for offices and the second and third for wards.
• 1885: Census=565, admitted 102, discharged 121 (overcrowding turns many away)
• 1886: Connected to city water system
• 1887: Census=599, admitted 172, discharged 133, died 53 (capacity now 700)
• 1887: Dr. F. H. Clarke, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (9^th) (1887-96)
• 1887: Measles and dysentery epidemic attacking patients, officers, and employees
• 1889: Addition to colored building completed
• 1889: Census=882, admitted 216, discharged/died 161 (Asylum very overcrowded)
• 1892: Census=756, admitted 196, recovered 62, died 66
• 1893: New smoke stack
• 1894: New Administration Building w/ offices and sleeping apartments for physicians
• 1894: New building for the residence of the superintendent and family
• 1894: Total land=250 acres
• 1895: Census=776; admitted=167; discharged/died=153
• 1896: Dr. W. F. Scott, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (10^th) (1896-97)
• 1896: Totals= 8 white male wards, 11 white female wards, 3 colored wards,   23 male attendants, 28 female attendants, 1 male and 1 female superintendent
• 1896: Built cold storage
• 1897: Dr. Edward W. Wiley, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (11^th) (1897-1900)
• 1897: Sewage contaminated water supply; Laid new mains to city water
• 1897: Typhoid epidemic- 36 cases between August and October
• 1898: Census=861, admitted 246, recovered 69, discharged/died 202, eloped 5d
• 1899: Vacuum heating system installed
• 1899: Connected with the city sewer system
• 1899: Benjamin W. Dudley infirmary was completed to care for the sick
• 1900: Dr. J. S. Redwine, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (12^th) (1900-07)
• 1900: Under care=1168; admitted=277; discharged=39; died=55
• 1901: Telephone system installed connecting all buildings and wards
• 1902: 3,200 ft. of fence added to the east side of grounds
• 1903: Census=1213 (wards very crowded)
• 1905: Bowling Alley constructed
• 1905: Iron fence built along 4^th street; 756 ft. at a cost of $1,024.00; contract  awarded to Stewart Iron Works of Cincinnati, OH (March 1905).
• 1906: Laundry Building constructed
• 1907: Census=953
• 1908: Dr. R. L. Willis, M.D. becomes new Superintendent (13^th) (1907-11)
• 1908: Dances are given bi-weekly in the amusement hall
• 1911-1913: New larger porch added to administration building ($4,000)
• 1911-1913:  Built new dairy barn w/ 60 cow capacity ($5,000); new slaughter house
• 1911-1913:  Motto: “Come what may, the law of kindness must prevail”
• Jan. 2, 1912:  Hospital named Eastern State Hospital
• June 30, 1915: Census=1,373
• 1917-1919: Census=1,431 w/ capacity of 1,200
• 1918-1918:  Flu epidemic
• 1920-1921:  Slogan: “Patients First”
• 1922-1923: Census=1,400 w/ 154 employees
• 1922-1923:  Built male attendants building
• 1924: Census=1372, admitted 535
• 1925: Census=1471, admitted 530
• 1926-1927: Sawdust beds were instigated for sanitary reasons
• April 25, 1928: Nurse’s home/living quarters completed (36 beds)
• 1931: Census=1845
• June 30, 1933: Census=1,756 (capacity 920); wards are badly overcrowded
• 1934: New building completed, first building erected since 1901
• 1935: Census=1921
• 1939-1943:  Renovated male and female wards; purchased 150 acres
• 1945: Major therapies-Electro and Metrozol shock treatment, Malarial fever therapy
• 1945: Census=1,996 (largest number); admitted=526
• 1946: Electro-shock therapy=56 treated; Malarial treatment=21; Anti-Leutic treat- ment averaging 65 treated per week
• 1950: First full-time psychologist hired
• 1950: Census=1745; admitted=640; released=635
• 1950-1951: Built Wendell building
• 1952: Insulin therapy began in May
• 1954: Administrative building employee quarters made into offices
• 1954: Census=1,798 w/ 231 employees
• 1956: Sold 300 acres to IBM
• 1957: Allen building was opened w/ 160 beds for acutely ill
• 1957: Census=1,725 w/ 506 employees
• 1957: Farming was terminated
• June 24, 1967: Census=999 (first time under 1,000 since 1890’s)
• 1970: Census=639 w/ 488 employees<