]> phc_dix_photo_coll_FINAL Finding Aid of the Dorothea Dix Hospital Photograph Collection, circa 1890-2000 Processed by: Archives staff and YAIO intern Aaron Cusick; machine-readable finding aid created by: Aaron Cusick &hdrNcDncsa; 2009 Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: 2009 Description is in English Finding Aid of the Dorothea Dix Hospital Photograph Collection, circa 1890-2000 State Archives of North Carolina &tpNcDncsa; Descriptive Summary State Archives of North Carolina. Dorothea Dix Hospital Photograph Collection, circa 1890-2000 Materials in English 1 ca. 3 linear For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Public Services Branch, State Archives of North Carolina. Dorothea Dix Hospital, fomerly known as the The State Hospital at Raleigh, was named for Dorothea Dix (1802-1887), an activist who worked for improving conditions for the mentally ill in hospitals and asylums. Dix influenced North Carolina legislators to remove mentally ill inmates from prisons and to create a state institution where they could receive treatment. A location was chosen in the countryside a short distance outside of Raleigh, North Carolina . The first patient was admitted on February 22, 1856, and, fifty-one males and thirty-nine females were admitted during the next nine months. During the early twentieth century the hospital continued to add more buildings to the facility in addition to new patients. By the 1930's there were over 2,000 patients. Situated on a 425 acre tract of land on the south side of the city of Raleigh, there are more than 120 separate buildings on the site, many of which were constructed during 1910-1930 and 1960-1980. The buildings are used for patient care, offices, shops, warehouses and other activities in support of the hospital. The photographs in this collection include images of the hospital's buildings, facilities, staff, and residents. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Available for research.

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Preferred Citation

[Identification of item] PhC.143, Dorothea Dix Hospital Photograph Collection, circa 1890-2000, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC, USA.

Acquisitions Information

The photographs in this collection were pulled out of the state agency records of Dorothea Dix Hospital shortly after the records were transferred to the State Archives in August of 2008.

Processing Information

Processed by Archives staff and YAIO intern Aaron Cusick, 2009

Encoded by Aaron Cusick, 2009

Historical Note

Dorothea Dix Hospital, fomerly known as the The State Hospital at Raleigh, was named for Dorothea Dix (1802-1887), an activist who worked for improving conditions for the mentally ill in hospitals and asylums. Dix influenced North Carolina legislators to remove mentally ill inmates from prisons and to create a state institution where they could receive treatment. A location was chosen in the countryside a short distance outside of Raleigh, North Carolina . The first patient was admitted on February 22, 1856, and, fifty-one males and thirty-nine females were admitted during the next nine months. During the early twentieth century the hospital continued to add more buildings to the facility in addition to new patients. By the 1930's there were over 2,000 patients. Situated on a 425 acre tract of land on the south side of the city of Raleigh, there are more than 120 separate buildings on the site, many of which were constructed during 1910-1930 and 1960-1980. The buildings are used for patient care, offices, shops, warehouses and other activities in support of the hospital.

Collection Overview

The photographs in this collection include both interior and exterior views of the hospital's buildings and facilities, color transparencies of aerial views of the facilities from 1966, and a copy of the elevation and diagram for the "North Carolina Hospital for the Insane" by A.J. Davis, taken from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photographs of staff and patients show a blood donation drive circa the 1940s, a Halloween party from 1946, and Christmas parties circa the 1960s. An oversized composite photo shows physicians and male nurses from the late 1890s or early 1900s. Negatives from circa the 1990s depict group shots of the nursing staff. A series of six photographs documents the 2000 Spring Festival. Other photographs include an exhibit at the 1929 NC State Fair of crafts made by hospital patients, women in a field picking soy beans, an unidentified Polaroid of two men, a priest and young boy fishing on a pier, and the grave marker of Dorothea Dix located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Collection Arrangement

The collection is arranged in approximate chronological order.

Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

Geographic Terms Cambridge (Mass.) Raleigh (N.C.) Subject Terms Blood donations Dix, Dorothea Lynde, 1802-1887. Dorothea Dix Hospital (Raleigh, N.C.) Halloween Halloween costumes Health care Hospital patients Hospitals Medical care Mental health care Mental hospitals Mental illness Nurses Patients Physicians Psychiatric clinics Psychiatric hospital patients State Hospital (Raleigh, N.C.) Related Collections

Additional information on topics found in this collection may be found in the Manuscript and Archives Reference System (MARS) http://mars.archives.ncdcr.gov.

Container List Series 1: Oversized Material circa 1890

Oversized composite photo of the physician and male nurse department at the State Hospital, Raleigh, NC (Dorothea Dix Hospital). Housed with the other oversized photograph collection items.

Series 2: Standard sized photos, circa 1890-2000

This series includes both interior and exterior views of the hospital's buildings and facilities, such as the Spruill, Wright, and Dobbin buildings, and views of the kitchen, dining hall, operating room, and pharmacy lab. A series of color transparencies show aerial views of the facilities from 1966. Also included is a copy of the elevation and diagram for the "North Carolina Hospital for the Insane" by A.J. Davis, taken from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photographs of staff and patients show a blood donation drive circa the 1940s, a Halloween party from 1946, and Christmas parties circa the 1960s. Negatives from circa the 1990s depict group shots of the nursing staff. A series of six photographs documents the 2000 Spring Festival. Other photographs include an exhibit at the 1929 NC State Fair of crafts made by hospital patients, women in a field picking soy beans, an unidentified Polaroid of two men, a priest and young boy fishing on a pier, and the grave marker of Dorothea Dix located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

PhC143_2_1 Ward 351 and Sewing Room, circa 1890-1900

Four photographs showing women seated in a hallway and working in the sewing room.

PhC143_2_2 NC State Fair Exhibit, 1929

Two photographs of an exhibit at the NC State Fair of crafts and items made by patients at the State Hospital.

PhC143_2_3 Halloween Party, 1946

Eight photographs of a Halloween party with patients in costumes and playing games.

PhC143_2_4 Blood Donation, circa 1940s

Four photographs of nurses and people in line to donate blood. These photographs were probably taken during World War II.

PhC143_2_5 Clippings

Two clippings from unidentified sources. One depicts nurses administering insulin shock therapy to patients, and the other is a bird's-eye view of the "North Carolina Insane Asylum"

PhC143_2_6 Elevation and Plan

Copy of the Elevation and Plan: "North Carolina Hospital for the Insane at Raleigh" by A. J. Davis (1803-1892), taken from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Negative number MM62280 B.

PhC143_2_7 Building Exteriors, circa 1940s-1950s

Four photographs of exterior views of hospital facilities including, Spruill Building, Dobbin Building, Wright Building, and the male wing.

PhC143_2_8 Building Exteriors, circa 1960s-1980s

Eleven photographs of exterior views of hospital facilities.

PhC143_2_9 Aerial Transparencies, 1966

Eight color aerial transparencies of hospital facilities.

PhC143_2_10 Building Interiors, circa 1950s-1960s

Ten photographs of interior views of hospital facilities, including the operating room, kitchen, occupational therapy room, pharmacy lab, and dining hall.

PhC143_2_11 Women in field, circa 1950s

One photograph of women, presumably patients, in a field picking soy beans.

PhC143_2_12 Staff Christmas Parties, circa 1960s

Two photographs of hospital staff during Christmas parties. Both photographs are captioned and identify the staff members.

PhC143_2_13 Staff Party, circa 1990s

Seven photographs of unidentified staff at a party.

PhC143_2_14 Nurse Negatives, circa 1990s

Fifty frames of negatives of group pictures of nursing staff.

PhC143_2_15 Polaroid, circa 1990s

One Polaroid of two unidentified men.

PhC143_2_16 Dorothea Dix Gravemarker, circa 1990s

Two photographs of Dorothea Dix's gravemarker located in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

PhC143_2_17 Spring Festival, 2000

Six photographs with captions of the Rehabilitation Therapies Department's Spring Festival.

PhC143_2_18 Miscellaneous, circa 1940s-1950s

An unidentified image of a priest and a young boy fishing on a pier. Does not appear to be directly related to Dorothea Dix Hospital.