Adams-Nervine Asylum facts for kids
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Adams-Nervine Asylum
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 990–1020 Centre St., Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 8.6 acres (3.5 ha) |
| Built | 1875 |
| Architect | J. Pickering Putnam et al. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, French Mansard |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004456 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Closed | 1976 |
| Added to NRHP | June 1, 1982 |
The Adams-Nervine Asylum was a special place built to help people who were struggling with their nerves or feeling very weak. It opened in 1880 in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. The asylum was located on a beautiful piece of land near Bussy Park and the Arnold Arboretum.
A man named Seth Adams bought the land for the asylum. He made his money from a sugar refinery. When he passed away, he left a large sum of money, $600,000, to create a place that would help people who were poor, weak, or had nervous conditions, but were not considered to be "insane." The trustees of his estate bought more land in 1879 to expand the asylum. The Adams-Nervine Asylum closed its doors in 1976.
Contents
How the Asylum Helped People
The Adams-Nervine Asylum followed the ideas of Thomas Kirkbride, a doctor from Philadelphia. He believed in a special way of treating patients called "moral treatment." This meant creating a home-like feeling for patients and treating them with respect and dignity.
- Patients were not isolated.
- They were encouraged to move freely.
- Their individual needs were important.
The asylum aimed to help people feel better by providing a calm and supportive environment.
Who Stayed at the Asylum?
The first patient arrived at the asylum on April 11, 1880. Most of the patients were unmarried women. Doctors at the time believed that their "nervousness" often came from working too hard or taking care of others.
- Almost half of the patients were teachers or did housework.
- About 20% were housewives.
- For housewives, stress, worry, and not enough sleep from family problems were common reasons for their conditions.
One well-known patient was Alice James, the sister of famous writer Henry James and psychologist William James. She stayed at the Adams-Nervine Asylum in the summer of 1883.
Doctors knew that many patients had been struggling for years or had a naturally weak nervous system. For these patients, even a short stay could offer great relief. It helped them regain strength and courage to face their daily lives again. Patients usually stayed for about four months, and rarely longer than six months.
Buildings and Design
The Adams-Nervine Asylum complex has three large buildings and four smaller ones.
- The oldest building, the J. Gardiner Weld House, was built around 1875. It was designed in the French Mansard style, which has a special kind of sloped roof. This building later became the asylum's main offices.
- The Adams House was built in 1880 and was for female patients.
- A separate house for men was finished in 1895. However, men made up only about 25% of the total patients.
- The Director's House had a different look, with a more balanced and classic style known as Colonial Revival.
The Adams-Nervine Asylum was named a Boston Landmark in 1977. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, recognizing its historical importance. Today, the buildings have been turned into condominiums and apartments.
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