BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com
Founded by the Illinois General Assemly in 1895, the Peoria State Hospital, also known as the Bartonville State Hospital or Illinois Asylum for the Incurable Insane was a psychiatic hospital that closed its doors in 1973.
Patients diagnosed as “incurable” were housed in Illinois’ premiere mental health facility where Dr. George Zeller removed patient restraints and made a livable working environment for the staff.
Peoria State Hospital, 33-building campus opened its doors in 1902.By 1927, the hospital housed 2,650 residents. Treatment plans for another 11,000 patients were also being fulfilled.
By 1906 the facility was also used to train nurses.
Doors to the facility closed in 1972 when only about 600 patients were served on-premises.
Losing government funding, several buildings were demolished, and new property owners have tried to bring the property back to life as housing. The Bartonville government also established the property as a TIF district, hoping to spur commercial growth.
The history and stories of patients at Peoria State Hospital stay alive throughout lore, though. Several ghost stories revolve around caregivers and patients at Peoria State Hospital
Zeller wrote, “Befriending The Bereft” retelling his mysterious encounters with Manuel A. Bookbinder, a patient who worked with hospital burial crews until his death. Zeller, along with many other patients and employees said they saw Bookbinder, known as “Old Book” in his physical form after death.
Stories such as these have been picked up by storytellers and ghost hunting groups over the years.
Sylvia Shults will bring her stories from the Peoria State Hospital to the Mahomet Public Library on Oct. 22 at 6 p.m.
In “In Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital”, Shults brings her paranormal investigation to life through stories of the people who lived and work there.
The program is intended for a mature teen or adult audience. No registration is necessary.
