Discover the Intriguing History of Oregon Asylum

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - June 3, 2013 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Oregon Asylum by local author Diane L. Goeres-Gardner. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories from the Oregon state hospital.

The Oregon State Insane Asylum was opened in Salem on October 23, 1883, and is one of the oldest continuously operated mental hospitals on the West Coast. In 1913, the name was changed to the Oregon State Hospital (OSH).

The history of OSH parallels the development and growth in psychiatric knowledge throughout the United States. Oregon was active in the field of electroshock treatments, lobotomies and eugenics. At one point, in 1959, there were more than 3,600 patients living on the campus.

The Oscar-winning movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was filmed inside the hospital in 1972. In 2008, the entire campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and the state began a $360-million restoration project to bring the hospital to modern standards. The story of OSH is one of intrigue, scandal, recovery and hope.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or online.  

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States.  Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places.  Have we done a book on your town?  Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com/.