Medfield State Hospital -- A Nice Place to Visit [PHOTOS]

Have you ever walked through the former Medfield State Hospital property? 

Sunday was a perfect day for a stroll through the property that is at the center of so much debate in town.  

I have to say I was amazed at the number of buildings, their architectural characteristics, and the layout of the campus. What a place it must have been in its hey-day. 

I highly recommend checking out through the property when you can; it is open for passive recreation from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Until then, take a few minutes to click through our photos to get a feel for the campus, its buildings, its open space, and its character. 

FYI, according to a security guard, an "X" sign on a building means that building is completely contaminated while a "/" sign means it is partially contaminated. 

Tell us more!  Have you toured the campus? What do you think about it? Any thoughts on what should be done with the buildings? Do you notice a difference now that the Clark Building is down? Tell us in the comment section below.

About the former Medfield State Hospital

The former psychiatric rehabilitation facility opened in 1892 and closed in April 2003 due to a decline in patients. At one point, the hospital had over 1,500 patients. Its population was considered by the Kresge company when it decided to build a store in Medfield not realizing that half the townpeople were non-shopping residents at the state hospital; that store is now Lord's. By 2001, the hospital had less than 150 patients. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and has been used in two major motion pictures -- Shutter Island and The Box -- as a filming location. The town of Medfield continues to discuss re-development plans for the site. 

To read more about the former state hospital, click here.