Spring Grove Hospital Center facts for kids

The Spring Grove campus as it appears today.

1853 architect's rendering of the proposed new buildings for the Maryland Hospital for the Insane at Spring Grove. Construction was completed in 1872, though the buildings were eventually demolished in 1963.

Spring Grove Hospital Center is a special hospital located in Catonsville, a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland. It helps people who need care for their mental health.

This hospital started in 1797. It is the second-oldest hospital of its kind in the United States that has been open all this time. Today, Spring Grove Hospital has 425 beds. About 800 people are admitted and leave the hospital each year. The hospital helps teenagers and adults with mental health needs. It also offers long-term care and special evaluations for legal cases. The hospital grounds are also home to the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. This center is famous for its studies on the causes of schizophrenia, a brain disorder. In May 2022, the land where the hospital sits was given to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC).

Richard Sprigg Steuart, who helped build the hospital at Spring Grove.

History of Spring Grove Hospital

Early Beginnings in the 18th Century

Spring Grove Hospital was founded in 1797. It is the second-oldest mental health hospital in the United States. Only the Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia, which started in 1773, is older. Over the years, this hospital has had many names. These include The Baltimore Hospital and The Maryland Hospital for the Insane. Its current name is The Spring Grove Hospital Center.

The hospital was first built to care for people with Yellow Fever. These were people who could not afford medical care. It was located away from the city of Baltimore. In 1840, the hospital began to focus only on caring for people with mental illnesses. In 1873, the original buildings were taken down. The hospital then moved to a new location called Spring Hill. The first hospital site is now where the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is located.

Growth and New Buildings in the 19th Century

The current hospital site was bought in 1852. The old buildings were no longer big enough. Dr. Richard Sprigg Steuart was the head of the hospital's board. He worked hard to get money from the Maryland government. This money was for building a new hospital at Spring Grove.

Dr. Steuart worked with Dorothea Dix, a social reformer. In 1852, Dorothea Dix gave a powerful speech to the Maryland government. Dr. Steuart led the group that chose the hospital's current location in Catonsville. He even gave $1,000 of his own money to help buy the land.

The land for the hospital was 136 acres. It cost $14,000 to buy. Most of this money, $12,340, came from private donations. The land was bought in 1853. However, building the new hospital was delayed by the Civil War. The hospital was finally finished in 1872. At that time, people said it was "one of the largest and best appointed Insane Asylums in the United States."

Dr. Steuart's brother, Major General George H. Steuart, had two sons with mental illnesses. This might have been why Dr. Steuart was so interested in Spring Grove Hospital. He cared deeply about helping people with mental health conditions.

Dr. Steuart's building was the main hospital building for almost 100 years. It was known by names like "The Main Building" or "The Administration Building."

Changes in the 20th Century

Dr. Steuart's buildings were taken down in 1963. Newer, more modern buildings replaced them.

From the 1960s into the 1970s, Spring Grove Hospital Center was a place for important research. Scientists studied new ways to help people with mental health challenges. This research was part of what was called the Spring Grove Experiment. The studies looked at how certain substances might help people with various conditions. This included helping people recover from addiction and managing conditions like schizophrenia. They also explored ways to support people with serious illnesses.

Future of the Campus

In 2014, Baltimore County made plans for the hospital campus. They wanted to create a new park for the Catonsville community. This park would be about 8.8 acres. There were also plans for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) to expand its campus. UMBC had rights to a part of the Spring Grove property.

In May 2022, the governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, suggested giving the hospital campus to UMBC for $1. The Maryland Board of Public Works voted to approve this plan. Governor Hogan and Treasurer Dereck E. Davis supported the agreement. Comptroller Peter Franchot did not agree with the sale.

See also

• Spring Grove Experiment