THE HAMILTON ASYLUM
When the original hospital was built it was called the Asylum for the inebriated, and was designed to house 200 patient with alcohol problems. The drunks stayed away, so the Hospital closed and made some changes and reopened as the asylum for the in sane in 1876. The name changed again to the Ontario hospital and later to the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital.
The Ontario hospital with its official title when this picture was taken about 1899 had extensive acreage devoted to agriculture. Working in the fields served as therapy for the patients and made the institution self-sufficient. The farm at one period produced food for 2000 patients and staff. This photo was taken looking west from the Gatehouse, formerly John Browns farmhouse on west 5th st.
The hospitals buildings beyond the fields are from right the Barton building 1875, East House 1884 later named Century manor and Orchard House towards the left, of the picture only the gatehouse and Century Manor remain standing today.