Records of Southwestern State Hospital, 1887-1963

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

As of September 11, 2019, medical records will be open 125 years after the date of creation or after date closed, whichever is later. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that individually identifiable health information of a decedent be protected for 50 years following the date of death of the individual (45 CFR 164.502(f)).

Protected health information (PHI) as defined under the Privacy Regulations issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) includes, but is not limited to, personally identifiable information such as names, addresses, and social security numbers. Restricted material may include, but is not limited to: patient lists, patient admission registers, treatment registers and medical record files. Please contact Archives Research Services for further information.

Terms of access:

All researchers must sign a research agreement to use archival material. This agreement specifies that confidential or personally identifiable health information (PHI) less than 125 years of age that may be encountered during research will not be recorded, published, publicized, or re-disclosed to any other party for any purpose. Improper use and/or re-disclosure of privacy protected information is a breach of confidentiality which could result in the loss of access to the archival collections housed and maintained by The Library of Virginia, and could result in legal penalties (Code of Virginia, 18.2-186.3). Please see the "Use Restrictions" section of the finding aid for additional restriction information.

Preferred citation:

Records of Southwestern State Hospital, 1887-1948. [Cite specific accession], State records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Creator:
Southwestern State Hospital
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Records of Southwestern State Hospital, 1887-1948. [Cite specific accession], State records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Contains a variety of records that document many of the day-to-day operations of Southwestern State Hospital. The records date from the year the hospital opened (1887) and include architectural drawings, financial records, supply and inventory ledgers, letter books, Executive Committee and Special Board of Directors' meeting minutes, and patient case books. The case books provide the most information on patient life at the hospital and also document mental health treatment during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Biographical / historical:

In March 1884 the Virginia General Assembly appointed a board of commissioners to select a site for a new lunatic asylum for white citizens to be built west of New River. The board selected a 208-acre site in Smyth County and in August 1884 the General Assembly gave the board the power to purchase the land for thirty thousand dollars and granted the county the right to issue bonds as well. In November 1884 the General Assembly formally established the Southwestern Lunatic Asylum, near Marion, Virginia. Dr. Harvey Black, J. Hoge Tyler, Thomas J. Boyd, D.D. Hull, Dr. John S. Apperson, N.L. Look and F.B. Hurt were appointed to the building committee which was tasked with overseeing the construction of the hospital.

Dr. Harvey Black became the first superintendent of Southwestern Lunatic Asylum when it opened in May 1887. Dr. Robert J. Preston and Dr. John S. Apperson served as assistant physicians, and Mr. C.W. White was appointed as steward to oversee the day-to-day business operations of the hospital. The patient population grew steadily and over time several buildings were added to the hospital's campus including a tuberculosis treatment building, a building for the criminally insane, the Davis Clinic, and the Harmon Building. For much of its early history, the hospital was mostly self-sufficient through the utilization of its own farm for meat, milk, and vegetables. Other early hospital superintendents include Dr. Robert J. Preston (1888-1906), Dr. Daniel Trigg (1906-1908), Dr. J.C. King (1908-1915), Dr. E.H. Henderson (1915-1927), and Dr. George A. Wright (1927-1937).

One of the hospital's most influential superintendents, Dr. Joseph R. Blalock, served from 1938 to 1971 and was the force behind many changes in treatment including the use of psycho-surgery, drug therapy, and vocational rehabilitation. By the mid-1970s, deinstitutionalization had greatly diminished the patient population as mental health treatment became more community-focused. In 1981, the Virginia Department of Corrections took over the care and treatment of adjudicated criminally insane patients at the hospital. This institution is adjacent to the hospital and is known as the Marion Correctional Treatment Center. In 1986, the General Assembly passed legislation providing for the demolition and reconstruction of much of Southwestern State Hospital. The new Bagley Building was constructed to house 177 patients in an integrated care design with living and treatment areas in one place. All adult patients were moved to the new complex in March 1990.

The hospital has gone through two name changes in its history. In 1894 the General Assembly passed legislation changing the name from Southwestern Lunatic Asylum to Southwestern State Hospital. In 1988, the name was changed to Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute.

Acquisition information:

Accession 23890 transferred by Southwestern State Hospital, Marion, Virginia, 29 October 1952.

Accession 24773 transferred by Southwestern State Hospital, Marion, Virginia, 20 May 1958.

Accession 54181 transferred by Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute, Marion, Virginia, 14 May 2024.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into the following series:

  • Series I. Administrative Records, 1887-1944
  • Series II. Architectural Drawings and Site Plans, undated
  • Series III. Finance and Supply Records, 1887-1948
  • Series IV. Letter Books and Correspondence Records, 1901-1915
  • Series V. Meeting Minutes, 1887-1936
  • Series VI. Patient Records, 1887-1918
Physical description:
62 volumes