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The Pennsylvania state legislature authorizes the creation and construction of Pennsylvania State School and Hospital. It is determined to open up as an institution for the feeble minded and the epileptic. It was stated in the legislature that the institution is to be made on land with suitable conditions for the patients. It was planned to build multiple buildings to accommodate population.
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The first group of buildings of the institution are completed, located in Chester County. These buildings included the Philadelphia Building, Quaker Hall, Rockwell Hall, Franklin Hall, G Hall, Nobel Hall, Union Hall, Vincennes Hall, and Tinicum Hall.
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"Patient Number 1" is admitted to the hospital.
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(1912) From the beginning, Pennhurst was overcrowded. The institution was designed for epileptics and individuals with intellectual disabilities. However, due to the societal pressure to rid of "different person's" from the gene pool, immigrants, orphans, and criminals were placed into the facility having no other place to go. People began to become skeptical, stating that epileptics and the feeble-mined do not belong in the same institution as they require different treatment.
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(1916) The Board of Trustees suggests the addition of a female campus, proposing the addition would increase the patient capacity by 1000. With a high demand for additional space for both boys and girls the addition would be advantageous to the institution.
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(1919) Limerick Hall and Mayflower Hall are completed.
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The opening of the Pennhurst Hospital completed the development of the original campus.
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(1929) Penn Hall and the Auditorium open.
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(1930) The first buildings to be completed in the Female colony were: Pershing Hall, Buchanan Hall, Audubon Hall, and Keystone Hall. Pershing, Buchanan, and Keystone were all female buildings and Audubon Hall was an employee dormitory.
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With the overcrowding of patients, the Board of Trustees instituted a plan that the completion of two new buildings, designed specifically for female patients, would decrease overcrowding conditions by the addition of 300+ patient capacity. However, the overcrowding issue continued as application for admission rose.
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(1955) The population of patients in the institution peaks at 3,500. Two 'annexes' were opened, transferring hundreds of patients to the new facilities, creating newfound capacity at Pennhurst.
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(1966) Federal Medicare Program Initiated. State-operated facilities can now become eligible for reimbursement of operating costs.
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(1966) New Mental Health and Mental Retardation Act is passed. Authorized donation of services in community settings and institutes "base service units"
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(1968) In a five-part television news report anchored on CBS, conditions at Pennhurst are exposed. The first time the general public gets to witness the conditions and treatment.
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Filed is district federal court. The lawsuit was designed to allow children with disabilities to attend public school. All children have a right to an education, and while children with disabilities were institutionalized they did not have access to education. The case ruled for children with disabilities to attend public schools, it was resolved in 1972.
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Pennhurst becomes a historic property under the Constitutional Protection for Historic Property.
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Individuals residing in the mental institution would provide work similar to work done by those outside of a mental institution. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled to put an end to the unpaid labor in institutions.
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Pennhurst closes. Commonwealth also closes various other institutions, moving the patients to the remaining five institutions.
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In February of 2008, the lower campus of the Pennsylvania State School and Hospital was sold to Pennhurst Associates for $2 million.
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Pennhurst Historical Marker placed on Route 724 in dedication to the institution.
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In the fall of 2010, Pennhurst owners and Randy Bates worked together to turn the lower campus into a Halloween "haunted" attraction. Created shock to many, most importantly to the members of the disabled community.
