State Mental Hospital, Trenton, New Jersey

The Trenton Psychiatric Hospital was founded in the 1840's as the New Jersey State Hospital by Dorothea Lynde Dix, a pioneer in the care of the mentally ill. She retired at the age of 80 to a private apartment set aside for her in this facility where she remained until her death in July of 1887.

Miss Dix also founded the state mental hospital in my home state of North Carolina around the same time period. Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh is set atop of a hill, similar to how this hospital is situated in Trenton. I don't know why but I find it a bit interesting that both hospitals were set atop hills/

In any event I admire people such as Miss Dix who devoted their lives to humanitarian causes and championing better treatment of underclasses such as the mentally ill. I also admire the work of Mary Ellen Mark who spent thirty six days in 1976 living with and photographing the women of the security ward at the Oregon State Mental Hospital. Her work was published as Ward 81 in 1979 by Simon & Schuster.