This Valentine’s Day was the best ever, and it wasn’t for any romantic reason either. My friend Maya and I drove out to an abandoned mental institution (dream come true) and explored two of the numerous buildings in the complex. I found the place because one of my Flickr contacts had been there the previous weekend and had taken some really great shots and was kind enough to give me some tips on how to find it. When we arrived it was so much more amazing than I could have imagined. I thought maybe there would be a few buildings, but there were more than I can even remember. I have already decided that I am going to make a map of the complex, number the buildings and jot down notes on what’s in each one so that I can remember which ones I have been in and which ones are worth going back to. Believe you me . . . I will be going back there a number of times, it is my new playground.

While we were there we ran into another photographer who told us a bit of history about the place. The place was supposedly started in the 1920s as an institution for the mentally retarded and was finally closed down in 1991. There is not much information online about it, but it appears that it had a pretty sordid past full of abuse and experimentation. I hope my excitement about the asylum does not come off as callus, as I can’t even imagine the horrors that people must have suffered in institutions like this, but I feel so lucky to be able to explore this rusty and undoubtedly asbestos-filled complex that has so much history just lying all over the place. It’s really like something out of a film, but I guess what they say is true, “Fact is stranger than fiction.”

These are just a few photos, more can be seen here, and I will continue to add them as I go back.

We didn’t make it into this building . . .

I could spend all day taking photos of peeling paint (lead anyone?)

I have a soft spot for red chairs and light blue/green backgrounds

I like the idea of nature reclaiming man-made buildings

Maya found this very appropriate Valentine sticker on a door. Creepy and appropriate!