I’ve been busy in the basement! Here are three new articles I’m working on that will hopefully appear in future issues of the Pueblo Lore:
Article 3: What Insanity Looks Like
This explores a series of old photographs taken by Dr. Hugh Welch Diamond (1809-1886) that were later used by Dr John Conolly in a series of 13 papers. The photographs were converted to drawings on stone, and we have a set of them in the Museum! Here’s plate 4, which depicts the looks of Melancholy passing into Mania:
Article 4: The Thirteenth Street Review
Did you know that the patients in the Colorado State Hospital had their own self-published newspaper? Yep. It was called “The 13th Street Review” and contained all sorts of interesting things written by patients. I am on the lookout to locate more copies of this publication. We have approximately 22 issues here in our collection, but there may be many more copies out there somewhere, and we’d love to collect ALL of them. It was started in 1939 and was so successful they published it daily for over 20 years!
Article 5: A Busy Saturday in August of 1908!
This article is practically writing itself, as it jumped out at me and demanded attention. While paging trough one of our old books (a Daily census that tracked which patients were admitted and discharged through the years 1898-1922), I was surprised to see a whole bunch of names written as admissions on one Saturday back in 1908:
I Didn’t know why so many women would be brought in on that one particular day. So I searched through old newspapers and found some information. I also worked with Zoi (our wonderful intern) on her research. She’s studying which Hospital building were built, and when they opened for business…
The details will be in the article when I finish writing it.
Colorado State Hospital Museum 
I am enjoying reading more about the history of the asylum/state hospital! I am a researcher/historian writing about the asylum and state hospital until around 1960. I am hoping to find more records from patients or about what patients did at the asylum/hospital every day. I am particularly interested in learning more about how they described their environment and the kind of work they did (or how others described their work and lives). How can I get in touch with you to learn more about the records? Thank you!
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Hi Cassie!
I will email you and we can get started. Thanks for reading!
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I learned the my Great Grandmother was committed to the State Hospital in 1920. Is there a way I could research those records?
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Good morning, sorry for the late reply! I can definitely look into it, if you have the county she may have been admitted from? Thank you for your interest!
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My husbands grandfather’s sister was admitted here, I believe, by her husband. She had 4 children in quick succession and it was probably postpartum depression. Her name was Virginia Barragree. They were living in Canon City in the 1950 census. I know her family tried to get her out, but I believe she died in some home in 1986. Are there any records accessible?
Thanks,
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Hello! I would be happy to check out the records when we return! We are currently getting a new driveway, and hoping to be open soon!
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thanks so much!
Gave another family member that was in the hospital in Pueblo at the same time!
Love to find out more!
Laura
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Thanks!
I believe that the father of Virginia was in the home in Pueblo! Are there records for that one? Didn’t realize there were 2 members in one of the homes. And we drove through Pueblo and Canon City this summer. I wish I would have known.
Laura
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