Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Upsets Mental Health Advocates
March 25, 2008 by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
According to The Charleston Gazette article Groups protest ‘lunatic asylum’ name, a pre-Civil War mental hospital in Weston, West Virginia has – after undergoing several name changes spanning the 19th and 20th centuries including “West Virginia Hospital for the Insane,” “Weston State Hospital,” and then simply “Weston Hospital” – gone back to using its maiden name of “Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.”
Unsurprisingly, many mental health groups in West Virginia are outraged. Folks from the Mountain State Direct Action Center, the West Virginia Mental Health Consumers Association, the West Virginia Mental Health Planning Council, and the West Virginia Americans with Disabilities Act Coalition have either already spoken out or are expected to in the near future.
What may be more surprising is that I – both a consumer, an advocate, and a ninja against stigma – am not at all outraged. I’m actually intrigued.
Lots of people are fascinated with mental health-related subjects. I’m one of them. Terribly fascinated. I don’t know why, really. Our brains, our thoughts, what makes our brains work the way they do, what makes us think the thoughts we think…all of it. I’m just terribly fascinated. It’s probably sick, really. So, when I read the article in its entirety and learned that the hospital’s new owner, Joe Jordan, and the facility’s historical consultant, Edward Gleason, have plans to develop “educational exhibits showcasing the ‘renaissance in psychiatry,’” I was, well, fascinated.
I want to learn more about the history of mental health. I want to be exposed to how mental illness used to be treated. I want to view the time line and appreciate how far we’ve come. Is that so wrong? No, I don’t think so.
Although Gleason stated -
“In America, we strive to present our history as it really was, blemishes and all,” Gleason wrote. “We are not the Soviet Union, which invented the past by altering names, places and events, to support what had been judged politically correct by contemporary powers.”
- Scott Miller, the director of the Mountain State Direct Action Center, says Gleason and Jordan are trying to “glorify” what was once a “living Hell.”
With what I know thus far, I certainly don’t think they’re trying to glorify anything. I think they’re trying to present history as it happened. (What’s the old saying? “Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it”?) Isn’t that why the Willard Suitcase Exhibit was created? To not only remember the patients for the people they were, but to also illustrate the “living Hell” mental health treatment used to be and help us appreciate how far it’s come?
Those of us with an ounce of class and intelligence don’t use words like “crazy,” “lunatic,” or “nut case” regarding mental health anymore; however, the class and intelligence we have now doesn’t erase history, and I’m all for any preserved relic of history that teaches us about the past and helps us learn and make better decisions in the future. (Of course, this isn’t to say that I’m for “Psycho Path,” the dirt bike race event held on hospital grounds. That’s just ignorant and I’ll of course be awarding an A.S.S. Award to whomever created it.)
Constant vigilance, my friends. We can keep sight in the fight against stigma without losing sight of what we’re fighting against.
For more information about the hospital, visit Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
Great points on why this particular use of the word “lunatic” isn’t all bad. I agree with you completely and am myself fascinated with the subject. There are a lot of overly simplistic views on the history of asylums which often focus on the negative aspects. More even-handed, and respectable educational resources are needed, and hopefully this will somehow work out into one.
I’m a bit skeptical though when I hear about the “Psycho Path” races and “Hospital of Horror” tours…
“Hospital of Horror” tours? Oh, man, I missed that. That’s just ignorant, too. I’m considering sending a letter to the owners, letting them know that I’m completely in favor of their educational intentions, but appalled by their poor name choices.
You know, I spent a good amount of time yesterday researching this hospital and landed at http://www.kirkbridebuildings.com (I see you’ve listed it! Are you the owner?), which led to me learning even more about Kirkbride and the Moral Treatment – something I wasn’t very familiar with. Now, I’m even more fascinated.
I’m only about 3 1/2 hours from Weston. (I’m in southern West Virginia.) I may start seriously thinking about making a trip up there this summer.
Check out the calendar on their site for a full list of activities (and activity names): http://www.trans-alleghenylunaticasylum.com/Calendar.html
To be fair, they’ve taken on a huge risk and are trying all they can to generate some interest and revenue to help save a beautiful historic building. I’m on the fence about a lot of their ideas and activities. I really want to see them succeed, but I do think they cross the line with some of these provocative titles.
(Yeah, that is my web site.)
They’ve canceled the bike races and the “hospital of horrors” isn’t a tour but an event for halloween. Surely you see what a chance this would be for gathering funds for the repairs that are so badly needed on that asylum.
Ethan: Great Web site, and thanks for the link! I’d also like to see them succeed in raising the funds to properly preserve the place in non-stigmatizing ways.
Deacon: I think I make it pretty clear in the post that “I’m all for any preserved relic of history that teaches us about the past and helps us learn and make better decisions in the future.” (<- yep!) So yes, on that part, I wholeheartedly agree.
However, if the only way to obtain the resources (money) to preserve such a relic is by hosting events as disgustingly and ignorantly titled as “Psycho Path,” then, no, I’m not for that. I’m glad they’ve canceled the bike races – no, I take that back. I’m glad there is no longer the name of “Psycho Path” associated with bike races on the property. I think the bike races themselves would have generated money to help them. I truly hope the owners succeed in generating revenue. They may get a bit of help from me this summer, as I’d love to drive up and tour the place.
Alicia, thank you for your comments. I am very interested in mental health, in all periods of time. But I am also offended at the “psychopath” references, and especially the T-shirt they have advertised in their online gift shop. I WANT this place to be open and education- not a mental health theme park just as a way to drum up revenue for the area. If they were to consult with the advocates and let them help improve the building they would be doing a great service to the community and to the history we are creating today. “Nothing about me without me”. The mistakes we made in the past were because the people had no say in how they were treated. LET’S LEARN FROM THIS! Today, I live in a society where the concerns of persons with mental illness are heard and respected, not brushed aside and contested for the sake of business. This is their history too!! The people I am speaking for lived there and they are still living in our community today- and they are insulted, and scared of how the marketing ploys are going to impact the stigma they live with every day.
I don’t know who pulled the psycho path thing out of the air but that is not the name of the mud bogs! So before you go pointing fingers find out facts! The name goes back to when the building was being built that was the name of it there was not a single patient one in the asylum under the lunatic name so it should not offend anyone! Everyone had a chance to buy it and name it anything they wanted so those of you that have a problem with the name get over and move on and find something more productive to do with your time! These people are great people! They are trying to preserve the building and trying to bring business and employment to this town which is so desperately needed!
@ Tala – The “psycho path thing” wasn’t “pulled out of the air.” Several people have commented about it here, and I read an article about it myself (and even linked to it in this post); however, if you’ll look a few comments above, you’ll see that Deacon let us know that it (psycho path) had been canceled (which, I’m assuming, is why my link in this post no longer works). If you need further proof that no one here at this specific blog (myself and commenters included) pulled it out of the air, go to Google and type in “Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum psycho path” – you’ll see that many people were discussing it.
It’s true that everyone had a chance to buy the property and “name it anything they wanted,” but not everyone has 1.5 million dollars just lying around (if they did, the community wouldn’t be in such desperate need of income). Please keep in mind that just because these people don’t own the property doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to express their concern over the stigma they feel this adds to the topic of mental health. By caring, these people – these mental health advocates – are already doing valuable, productive things with their time. It’s thanks to people like these mental health advocates that mental health has come as far as it has.
For the record, I feel that any facility that can promote awareness of the history and progress of mental health – without adding to stigma – is a good thing. Even better if it can bring business to the community. I come from a small town in southern West Virginia and I realize all to well the struggles of financially struggling communities. However, everyone has a right to express their concerns, whether they own the facility or not.
This blog is about mental health. I try to promote mental health awareness as well as help decrease (or, God willing, eliminate) mental health stigma. Further comments attacking my readers and telling them to “get over” anything, “move on,” or do “something more productive” with their time will be deleted.
I believe that the renaming of the old Weston hospital to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum is to promote the idea of what it was going to be, a safe haven for those who suffered, not to promote the “living hell” that it became. The fact that the name comes from a time before the asylum had patients further points this out in my opinion. I know for a fact that Jan Derry knew that the mud bog being protested this past weekend wasn’t called the “Psycho path” and that race called that was canceled a while ago, but still went on the news stating that it was to upset people. I believe that was an attempt to excite people and draw them into the dispute.
@ Deacon – Thanks for your thoughts. It probably was meant to be a safe haven in the beginning, rather than the “living hell” it has been described as turning into (later on). I think one of the main gripes protesters have is the use of the word “lunatic.” I use the word “think” loosely, because I’m not an expert on what’s been going on with all this controversy. I only what I’ve read online (and discussed with people), which has by no means been intensive.
I think there is a fine line between preserving history (for the sake of education) and hanging on to what are now offensive and politically incorrect terms that keep the stigma just dragging on. For many, reverting back to the TALA name crosses the line over to the offensive side. For others, it remains on the “preserving history” side.
For me – well, I’m not 100% sure how I feel about the TALA name. I respect that it was the original name (even if no patients were ever even there under that name), and I am the kind of person who can usually take these kinds of things head on, for what they are, without getting personally offended. On the other hand, I also respect that it deeply offends others.
It will be interesting to watch the controversy pan out.
Hello all-
I am an advocate for mental health and I was at the protest on Saturday. I welcome any questions anyone has about my opinion in this matter.
With this let me preface that I am interested in a dialogue with others- not exchanging attacks.
No matter your stance, I believe resolution will come from education and communication.
We all claim to be acting in the interest of the community and mental health, so resolution should be possible.
I thank you in advance for your thoughts, opinions, and contributions. This is certainly a topic that is important to many people.
@ Michelle – Thanks so much for offering to give your opinions and answers. I hope people take you up on it. If I find any comments on some other post here at MHN, or receive any emails, I’ll direct them to this post and your comment (that way, if you’re subscribed to these comments, they’ll pop up in your inbox).
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@ Austin – Wow, so many exclamation points. They’re actually leaving the little text box, ha. What do you think is awesome? The name change, or the tours?