Glenn Dale Hospital
Encyclopedia
Glenn Dale Hospital was a tuberculosis
sanitarium
and isolation hospital in Glenn Dale
, Maryland
in the United States
. It is a large facility, consisting of 23 buildings on 216 acre (0.87412176 km²), that was built in 1934 and closed in 1981 due to asbestos
.
Though it is now closed and will be eventually demolished, for decades it was an important public health institution near Washington, D.C.
Park Police patrol the hospital grounds regularly.
Other parts of the hospital include: art rooms, staff housing, nurses' homes, playgrounds, theater, seclusion rooms, storage areas, chapels, morgues, and boiler rooms.
The buildings are characterized by broken glass, peeling paint, corroded walls and overgrown vine
s. Several of the buildings also have collapsed roofs.
The children's hospital building and adult hospital building are the most widely explored structures by local trespassers. This is primarily due to their close distance to Glenn Dale Road, a local street that bisects the hospital grounds.
Contrary to popular belief, the large incinerator present on the hospital grounds was not used for the destruction of human remains
. Instead, hospital waste was burned.
Both the children's and adults' buildings are connected by a series of underground tunnels, like many sanitariums. These walkways join the basements of both buildings together. The basements of the hospital buildings are extremely dangerous and filthy. Large pieces of rusty, sharp metal, cloth and debris hang from the ceiling, and the buildings contain large amounts of asbestos
and lead paint. Each hospital basement has its own morgue
. Today, these walkways are littered with garbage, broken glass, and graffiti
. The hospital basements are also infested with rats and bats. In addition, parts of the walkways are flooded with nearly 3 foot (0.9144 m) of water.
retirement community. The rest of the land is meant to be open space park land. In 1995, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
(MNCPPC) purchased the property from the District of Columbia. Under the deed, if the MNCPPC receives more than its cost from selling the property, it must share the proceeds with the District.
In June 2010, MNCPPC advertised for proposals to purchase the 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) hospital campus "as is" with the MNCPPC retaining the surrounding 150 acre (0.607029 km²). Final bids were due on September 14, 2010, but that deadline was extended to October 15, 2010. Ultimately, two bids were received, but the MNCPPC rejected both bids on the basis that neither bidder was licensed to operate a continuing care retirement community. In the meantime, the Countywide Historic Preservation Staff of MNCPPC is preparing an application to designate the hospital on the National Register of Historic Places
, which would make tax credits available for restoration. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 2011.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
sanitarium
Sanitarium
Sanitarium may refer to:*An alternate spelling of sanatorium, a medical facility for long-term illness or a summer resort.*Sanitarium, California, in Napa County*Battle Creek Sanitarium, made famous by John Harvey Kellogg...
and isolation hospital in Glenn Dale
Glenn Dale, Maryland
Glenn Dale is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,609 at the 2000 census...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a large facility, consisting of 23 buildings on 216 acre (0.87412176 km²), that was built in 1934 and closed in 1981 due to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
.
Though it is now closed and will be eventually demolished, for decades it was an important public health institution near Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Park Police patrol the hospital grounds regularly.
Grounds
The hospital grounds consist of several buildings:- Children's Nurses' Home
- Children's Hospital Building
- Residence "D" Dormitory
- Building "C" Nurses' Home
- Building "F" Duplex House
- Building "D" Doctor's House
- Building "G" Duplex House (Superintendent's Residence)
- Building "E" Doctor's House
- Adult Hospital Building
- Warehouse and Mechanics Garage
- Heating and Power Plant
- Sludge Bed Enclosure
- Sedimentation and Control Building
- Water Softener House
- Pump House
- Employee Building
- Laundry
- Residence "C" Dormitory
- Hot House
- Four Apartment Building No. 1
- Four Apartment Building No. 2
- Paint and Repair Shop
- Incinerator
Other parts of the hospital include: art rooms, staff housing, nurses' homes, playgrounds, theater, seclusion rooms, storage areas, chapels, morgues, and boiler rooms.
The buildings are characterized by broken glass, peeling paint, corroded walls and overgrown vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
s. Several of the buildings also have collapsed roofs.
The children's hospital building and adult hospital building are the most widely explored structures by local trespassers. This is primarily due to their close distance to Glenn Dale Road, a local street that bisects the hospital grounds.
Contrary to popular belief, the large incinerator present on the hospital grounds was not used for the destruction of human remains
Human Remains
Human Remains is a British black comedy television series written by and starring Rob Brydon and Julia Davis. It consisted of six episodes that aired in 2000. Each episode documented the relationship of a different couple, all of whom were played by Brydon and Davis and all but two of whom were...
. Instead, hospital waste was burned.
Both the children's and adults' buildings are connected by a series of underground tunnels, like many sanitariums. These walkways join the basements of both buildings together. The basements of the hospital buildings are extremely dangerous and filthy. Large pieces of rusty, sharp metal, cloth and debris hang from the ceiling, and the buildings contain large amounts of asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
and lead paint. Each hospital basement has its own morgue
Morgue
A morgue or mortuary is used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification, or removal for autopsy or disposal by burial, cremation or otherwise...
. Today, these walkways are littered with garbage, broken glass, and graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
. The hospital basements are also infested with rats and bats. In addition, parts of the walkways are flooded with nearly 3 foot (0.9144 m) of water.
Proposed sale
In 1994, Maryland enacted a law that requires if the grounds are sold, they are supposed to be used as a continuing careContinuing care
A continuing care community, also known as a life-care community, is a type of retirement community where a number of aging care needs, from assisted living, independent living and nursing home care, may all be met in a single residence, whether in an apartment in a congregate housing facility, a...
retirement community. The rest of the land is meant to be open space park land. In 1995, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...
(MNCPPC) purchased the property from the District of Columbia. Under the deed, if the MNCPPC receives more than its cost from selling the property, it must share the proceeds with the District.
In June 2010, MNCPPC advertised for proposals to purchase the 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) hospital campus "as is" with the MNCPPC retaining the surrounding 150 acre (0.607029 km²). Final bids were due on September 14, 2010, but that deadline was extended to October 15, 2010. Ultimately, two bids were received, but the MNCPPC rejected both bids on the basis that neither bidder was licensed to operate a continuing care retirement community. In the meantime, the Countywide Historic Preservation Staff of MNCPPC is preparing an application to designate the hospital on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, which would make tax credits available for restoration. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 2011.