Napa State Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Napa State Hospital |
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| California Department of State Hospitals | |
Original Kirkbride building, c. 1900
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| Geography | |
| Location | Napa, Napa Valley, Napa County, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 38°16′41″N 122°16′01″W / 38.27806°N 122.26694°W |
| Services | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1875 |
Napa State Hospital is a special hospital in Napa, California. It helps people who need support with their mental health. The hospital was started a long time ago, in 1875.
It is located near California State Route 221, which is a highway. Napa State Hospital is one of five state hospitals in California that help people with mental health needs. It cares for many patients on a large campus that is about 138 acres big. In 2016-2017, over 2,300 people worked there, making it a very important employer in the area.
Contents
History of Napa State Hospital
Early Days and Growth
The land where the hospital stands was once part of a large Mexican land grant called Rancho Tulucay. The State of California bought this land in 1872.
The hospital first opened on November 15, 1875. It was originally called Napa Insane Asylum. It covered about 192 acres, stretching from the Napa River to what is now Skyline Park. The hospital was built to help with overcrowding at another hospital, Stockton State Hospital.
By the early 1890s, the hospital had more than 1,300 patients. This was more than twice the number it was built for! To help with this, Mendocino State Hospital opened in 1893. This new hospital helped reduce the number of patients at Napa.
The Original "Castle" Building
The first main building was known as "the Castle." It was a beautiful and grand building made of bricks. The hospital grounds also had a large farm. This farm included places for dairy cows and chickens, a vegetable garden, and fruit trees. These farms provided much of the food for the patients. The main "Castle" building was taken down after World War II.
Over the years, many former patients were laid to rest on the hospital grounds. This is a way to remember the people who lived and were cared for at the hospital.
Notable People Connected to the Hospital
- Matilda Allison – An educator who taught blind veterans at Napa.
- Dorothea Dix – A famous reformer who worked to improve mental health care.
- Frederick W. Hatch – A psychiatrist who worked as a doctor there.
- Meredith Hodges – A psychiatric technician.
- Thomas Story Kirkbride – A doctor known for his ideas on hospital design.
See also
In Spanish: Napa State Hospital para niños
- List of hospitals in California
- Matilda Allison
