Ridge Home Information (Arvada, Grand Junction, Wheat Ridge: school, to live, activity)

[MVpara]

I'm researching Ridge Home but unfortunately there isn't much documented information,if there is anyone that knows of Ridge Home and has any information please let me know.

[2bindenver]

never heard of it. please tell us more.

[MVpara]

I believe Ridge Home was opened in 1910 and was just recently torn down and now has a Super Target in it's place.It was mental hospital also known as Colorado State Home for Mental Defectives at Ridge located in Arvada Co,most made up of juviniles some we're perfectly normal children that were dropped off to live there the rest of their lives then later they became socially mentaly disabled,it got the name Ridge Home because of the street that ran along side called Ridge Road.
There have been stories of abuse and neglect but nothing specific has been reported,one death has been reported.The building has been reported to be haunted,after it was torn down there has been said to still be activity...why? I'm not sure since there isn't much information on any deaths there...there isn't much information period,some has been said to be classified...This is what I'm in search of,the untold information that maybe residents of Arvada might know of or any stories from past employees ect...
I'd appreciate any information that anyone has thanks.

[BlueWillowPlate]

There is indeed a SuperTarget there now.
I remember hearing about the Ridge Home when I was a kid in the 70's.
My impression of it was that it was a place in Wheat Ridge for troublesome teens.
From time to time, there would be articles in the newspaper about some kid or other escaping. Later, I understood it became an asylum for mentally disturbed people.
If you Google you'll find out a lot of info about it.

[Mike from back east]

See if the Urban Exploration genre can shed some light. The UE crowd loves to enter (hmmmmm) abandoned asylums, TB hospitals, prisons, deserted industrial sites and the like to photograph them, etc. Often times their threads can have informative info, including alledged first person recollections of former facility workers and guards. My wife loves it, sometimes reads it for hours a day. Actual records from such places were supposed to be safeguarded and filed away, but the UE guys often find stacks of patient records in these old places, old iron lungs, autoclaves, you name it.

Happy hunting....

[Mike from back east]

Seems my wife knew of it...hah!

Official name of the site was: COLORADO STATE HOME AND TRAINING SCHOOL FOR MENTAL DEFECTIVES

http://defunctplaygrounds.com/ridgehomehistory.php

[ mod cut ]

bookstore.aamr.org/BookChapterExcerpt%5CHist_of_Nursing.pdf

s/mike

[PorcelainPrincess]

First, I am new here, so hey!

Second, thanks for listing my site there It's Defunct Playgrounds.

I know more about Ridge Home than most people. I don't have it all up on the site, but what would you like to know exactly? Sorry but it's hard to just start throwing out facts but not knowing what you want.

I can try to answer all your questions. There was people who were in my family that lived there. I have been researching that place for 7 or 8 years. And here and there, I still find new things.

And again, Mike, lol about the UE crowd, I have found a lot of my info that way, but since Ridge is gone now... Also there was a state training school in Grand Junction. I haven't been to it, not even sure if it is still there.

[jm175]

Originally Posted by MVpara

I'm researching Ridge Home but unfortunately there isn't much documented information,if there is anyone that knows of Ridge Home and has any information please let me know.:D

i worked at ridge for 3 years.it was known as ridge state home and training school,i know quite alot about the inner workings what kind of info do you need?

[MVpara]

I would like to know what was really going on there,was it as bad as it has been made out to be?...any information really would be great to have.The above info is all I have.

[KateKaos]

I'd be interested to know as well. I found one site that had part of a story from the rocky mtn. news about someone getting shot and killed in one of the parking lots in the early 90's, but that's about all. i just moved here from iowa and am always interested in local legends and ghost stories, so i'd love to get more info on this one.