Medfield State Hospital: Did You Know?

This is part of a series written by the Medfield State Hospital Vision Committee.

Did you know that the Medfield State Hospital operated self-sufficiently since its inception in 1896?  

Through the years, the facility grew its own fruits and vegetables and raised beef, pork and chicken.  

The hospital obtained water from wells and Farm Pond in Sherborn.  An on-site power plant provided heat and electricity.  

Additional facilities included a laundry, a soap manufacturing facility, a mechanic’s garage and two railroad spurs for convenient delivery to key access points within the property. 

In its heyday in the 1920s, the hospital population was greater than that of the town yet required nominal usage of municipal resources.

For further information on the Medfield State Hospital join a walking tour of the property on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m., and visit www.mshvision.net or www.facebook.com/MSHVision.