Dorothea Dix Hospital
Encyclopedia
The Dorthea Dix Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located on Dix Hill
in Raleigh, North Carolina
and named after mental health advocate Dorothea Dix
.
In 1848, Dorothea Dix visited North Carolina and called for reform in the care of mentally ill patients. In 1849, when the North Carolina State Medical Society was formed, the construction of an institution in the capital, Raleigh, for the care of mentally ill patients was authorized. The hospital opened in 1856 and was named later in honor of Dorothea Dix.
The hospital grounds at one time included 2354 acres (9.5 km²), which were used for the hospital's farms, orchards, livestock, timber tracks, maintenance buildings, employee housing, and park grounds. The great majority of the land was later sold, and, in the last two decades, developed into North Carolina State University
's "Centennial Campus," the state Farmer's Market and other projects.
The Dorothea Dix Hospital was at one time slated to be closed by the state by 2008, and the fate of the remaining 306 acres (1.2 km²) was a matter of much discussion and debate in state and local circles. As of October 6, 2008, according to the News & Observer, state officials were calling the facility "Central Regional Hospital - Raleigh Campus." But in 2009, the state announced that Dorothea Dix Hospital would not be closing and would not be a "satellite" of CRH. It was announced in August 2010 that a lack of funding meant the facility would "shut its doors by the end of the year."
A thorough history of the hospital was published in 2010 by the Office of Archives and History of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.
Dix Hill
Dix Hill is the informal name for a high, rolling expanse of land in Raleigh, North Carolina.The Dorothea Dix Hospital, a historic institution caring for the mentally ill, is located on the site.Dix Hill is referred to in David Sedaris's novel Naked...
in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
and named after mental health advocate Dorothea Dix
Dorothea Dix
Dorothea Lynde Dix was an American activist on behalf of the indigent insane who, through a vigorous program of lobbying state legislatures and the United States Congress, created the first generation of American mental asylums...
.
In 1848, Dorothea Dix visited North Carolina and called for reform in the care of mentally ill patients. In 1849, when the North Carolina State Medical Society was formed, the construction of an institution in the capital, Raleigh, for the care of mentally ill patients was authorized. The hospital opened in 1856 and was named later in honor of Dorothea Dix.
The hospital grounds at one time included 2354 acres (9.5 km²), which were used for the hospital's farms, orchards, livestock, timber tracks, maintenance buildings, employee housing, and park grounds. The great majority of the land was later sold, and, in the last two decades, developed into North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
's "Centennial Campus," the state Farmer's Market and other projects.
The Dorothea Dix Hospital was at one time slated to be closed by the state by 2008, and the fate of the remaining 306 acres (1.2 km²) was a matter of much discussion and debate in state and local circles. As of October 6, 2008, according to the News & Observer, state officials were calling the facility "Central Regional Hospital - Raleigh Campus." But in 2009, the state announced that Dorothea Dix Hospital would not be closing and would not be a "satellite" of CRH. It was announced in August 2010 that a lack of funding meant the facility would "shut its doors by the end of the year."
A thorough history of the hospital was published in 2010 by the Office of Archives and History of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.