Cambridge ohio old state hospital pictures wanted (Cleveland: health, map)

[Piditbeeny]

I am looking for my fathers biological family. I don't have a lot of info to use, I have a name Cathy Nichols she was an LPN and either she worked at Cambridge Hospital or she was a patient. Unfortunately she took her life when she was only 27, and I am not sure how long ago that was, maybe 60's or 70's. Anyway, if anyone knows who I'm talking about and maybe has some information to where I can find a picture, it would help so much. My email is piditbeeny@yahoo.com

[Britney Mercedes]

Im sorry, but i hate cambridge and byesville OH.
there nothing to do there and people are stuck in there ways
which is the reason why it gives people more of a reason
to do heavy drugs party all night and go places and break the law.
that place needs more to it. its not all about what you want sometimes
sometimes you need things to help other people.
and hey that wasnt really directed to you guys,
im just going on a rant ive lived in many places like
california, Virginia beach and marietta Oh and none of them were as bad as Byesville and cambridge ohio, i saw more druggys and bully's than i have ever seen ast any of the places i live, ive lived there for two years and trust me i tried to jave fun but the people i hung out with always told me and i quote. " lets go do drugs and party theres nothing better to do around here.

[Signman3]

Originally Posted by Bluforest

Hi All,
I grew up in Ohio way back in the 1960's. My Dad was a physician and for a while we lived on the grounds of Cambridge State Hospital in Cambridge, Ohio. It was like an old army barracks place. There were miles of tunnels linking the buildings.
I would love to find some pictures of the place, old or current, and would also like to know what it is now. Or if it still exists.
Anybody out there from this area? I remember a lot of pretty farmland all around it. Thanks.

Hi, My father worked at the Cambridge State Hospital back in the 60's and we visited several of the doctors who lived on the grounds at their buildings. I traveled there many times with my father as he played on the staff soft ball team and we also attended Volley ball games and went swimming at the state hospital swimming pool. I might have met you when I was there with my father. The current state hospital is only for the Mentally retarded as the state mental hospital then called the Appalachian Behavioral Hospital, was closed by Governor Strickland. A private hospital for treatment of the mentally Ill is now located in what use to be the cottages for the mentally Ill when the state ran the facility. Most of the hospital wards that were originally army barracks have been torn down. Even the admission building or receiving unit that was a two story building on the north side of the facility has very recently been torn down by MR who now runs the hospital.

[Jon Giffen]

I have been a patient at Cambridge State Hospital several times in the past. I was there when all the buildings were intact and after all of them were demolished. It broke my heart that they tore them all down because I yearn for the old days, walking the long hallways and visiting patients in the other wards. I was never abused there except during my last stay. I had an abusive psychiatrist. I wish and hope someone did take extensive pictures of the place before it was torn down. The old chapel was still standing in 1996, but hard to say if they tore that down too. The place was a relic of history. I wish it might have been saved.

[generaleli]

A great catch on the buildings looking like a military installation....In fact it was called Camp Fletcher I believe during WW2 and was in fact a prison camp for German POW's 1944/45.....

I was not born yet when that was going on but my grandfather was an employee out at the hospital after he'd retired....which would have been during the 1950's and 60's as memory serves

I am sorry to say that most of those records are long gone related to the time though, historical details of little/no interest to bureaucrats who have to be home by 5pm each day.

[grammylu]

I am trying to get a death certificate for my grandfather who died while at the Cambridge State Hospital in 1957. So far, no record of his death at the bureau of Vital statistics in Ohio and I remember that a funeral home from Virginia picked up his body and transported it back to VA for burial. Now neither state shows a death certificate. He is buried in an overgrown cemetary somewhere in VA and I am trying to find his grave (though I live out of state). I was hoping the death certificate might shed some light on the location. I am trying to figure out how to find his death certificate. Any ideas??

[RayBey]

Originally Posted by kris440

Yes the records are at the Historical Society. I recieved my Grandmothers from there. I have not been out to Cambridge but I know my Grandmother was at Cambridge and at Cleveland State Hospitals. They do not tell you much, sorry to tell you that. To get any hardcore information you have to go to probate court and have the records opened. However, I was told by the Ohio State Board of Mental Health that there is no guarantee that anything is even there, they shread these records every 10 years. You might also check with the local town/city that your father lived in at the time, as there is a good chance that he did not put himself in there, the town/city he lived at the time may have. My Grandmother has some court records in Cleveland but I have been scared to find what they might contain, so I have not dared to have them opened through probate court. My Grandmother was sent to live in Cleveland State Hospital by the State of Ohio, she didn't admit herself.

I am also doing a bit of investigating for Genealogy. She was the reason why I got into it, because not even my father knew anything much about her, let alone where she was even buried.

I hope I help you a bit.

Kris

My wife's grandmother was also at the Cleveland State Hospital and was transferred to the one at Cambridge shortly after it opened in 1946 She died at the Cambridge State Hospital in 1948. My wife never knew where she was buried. Trying to find Health Information is nearly impossible. But...that said...I found her listed in the Find A Grave website. ([url=http://www.findagrave.com]Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records[/url]). It seems that the patients who died at the Cambridge State Hospital were buried in a separate section in cemetery at Old Washington, Ohio, about 10 miles east of Cambridge. The cemetery is very close to the exit on I-70. The village population is 279 and there is only one cemetery. You can see the section very clearly if you use Google Earth and zoom in on Old Washington. There are a number of clearly visible markers on both sides of the entrance road (the road on the right, East, side). The satellite photo was taken shortly after a Find A Grave member had cleared all the markers in order to take individual photos to post on Find A Grave. The markers have since been overgrown again with grass and weed growth. If you had a relative who died at the Cambridge State Hospital in the late 40's and '50s there is a good chance that their marker is pictured on Find A Grave. There is a dedicated member who cleared the markers and took photos. The site is open to all and is free. If you want to post something you need to register, like this site. There is a Search feature. Just do a cemetery search for "Old Washington Cemetery", Guernsey County, Ohio, USA. Once the cemetery site appears do a search for your relative. All you need is a name. I hope this information helps some one locate an ancestor's burial site. I don't know why they chose a cemetery so far from the hospital. Perhaps it is the only one that would accept them. Also, the lady who took the photos is in possession of a copy of the record of burials at the cemetery that she obtained from the county historical society.

[Theoted]

I am from the Cambridge area and the information from creature_feature and akelly1999 appears on target. Few building of the original complex survive, but there is enough stuff there that you can get the idea that this was a substantial military medical facility for its time. I don't believe enough basic archeological study of the site has been done for public knowledge.

[violingirl74]

Originally Posted by clbouchie

my Step-dad's father was put in this Mental health and development hospital sometime inbetween 1940-1965. Robert Joseph Cercone was a patient until his death and I am trying to do some research for the family tree and have been unable to find out any information on his grave whereabouts and what he died from. I was unofficially told that he was "crazy" but that is just not acceptable to have in the records in the tree. I would love to know how to get information on why he was admitted, when, how he passed and where his grave is located. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do know that one of his sons is writing an offical letter to get more information from the Historical Society and the court house but was hoping to get some other info here if possible.
Thank you So much

Did you ever get any information on how to get patient records from the Cambridge Mental Health and Development Center? My husband's grandmother was there in the 1960's and died while still a patient. I am also looking to find information about her for genealogy.

[nebrownmd]

Can anybody help me with the Diagnosis code DPH 182.

My great aunt was admitted to Cleveland State Hospital with this diagnosis in 1940. In 1947, she was transferred to Cambridge Hospital with diagnosis "unimproved".

Any insight you have would be greatly appreciated.