Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital was a hospital in Marlboro Township, New Jersey which was operated by the State of New Jersey. Construction of the hospital began in 1929.When first constructed, the hospital was composed of 17 “state of the art” cottages and central buildings. It first opened in early 1931. According to the site plan, the hospital’s campus was on 468 acres (189 ha). There is a perimeter fence which completely enclosed the property. The land was mostly a rural environment. When it closed, the hospital was on 594 acres (240 ha), having enlarged the grounds over the years. It opened with a capacity to accommodate 500-800 patients. The grounds construction continued after opening and when completed, the hospital was expected to have a capacity of 2,000 patients
Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital had a history of problems. For example on November 2, 1979, 131 patients became ill and four patients died of food poisoning. The suspected cause was Clostridium perfringens.On May 9, 1987, the eighth probe was conducted by the Public Advocate’s Office into patient deaths.
A woman who disappeared 48 hours before the hospital noticed her missing was found frozen to death outside. A woman was restricted to liquid food due to an eating disorder, choked to death when someone gave her a peanut butter sandwich. A patient died from brain swelling caused by a sodium deficiency noted in her charts 6 weeks earlier yet left untreated. A man who was strapped to a bed for 80 hours over 5 days died from blood clots caused by the restraints (which must be loosened every two hours). The hospital closed in 1998 following a 1993 investigation by then State Senator Richard J. Codey, during which he went undercover at the hospital and found rampant patient abuse, wasteful spending, and other illegal practices
From November 1942 to October 1946 the Mennonite Central Committee opened a Civilian Public Service Camp on the ground of the property. The camp was identified as CPS 063-01.The Mennonites are restricted from military service and some men of that faith chose to serve the country by helping out at the hospital. Most of the men served as ward attendants. Over the four years the unit grew to one hundred and three men, many married.The medical director of the hospital personally selected the first twenty-five men from Medaryville, Indiana CPS Camp No 28 and Henry, Illinois CPS Camp No. 22.
Marlboro was informed by the U.S. military that it would be using the property for military training. This training exercise includes using explosives in and around the buildings on the property.
When the hospital closed, the water treatment facilities still serviced some of the buildings in the community. Currently, there is one functional facility left. Its water facilities still serve an adjacent building, the addiction treatment center; New Hope.
Since its 1998 closing, the abandoned hospital has become the focus of numerous local legends. An abandoned slaughterhouse on the property fueled legends of a murderous farmer. It was said that the farmer would lure you down “death row,” as he had to two slain hospital guards. Trespassing at the slaughterhouse became a frequent problem, and the township publicly stated that trespassers would be prosecuted.According to an issue of Weird New Jersey magazine, and the book “Convergence,” shadow people were often spotted in, or around, the slaughterhouse. The slaughterhouse was razed. Demolition of the buildings began in May 2014 and has since completed.
All photos were taken by i toomanytuxedos / Creative Commons