Category:Monson Developmental Center

English: The now-vacant Monson Developmental Center, a former Massachusetts state mental facility in Monson, Massachusetts. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. First opened in 1854 as an almshouse to provide facilities for poor immigrants fleeing the Irish Potato Famine. Renamed the State Farm School in 1855, and then State Primary School, and housed children who were wards of the state until 1887. In 1898 the state's Hospital for Epileptics opened on the grounds, using the old facilities and adding several more buildings. Over the first half of the 20th century the facility was expanded, growing to 72 buildings on 662 acres (268 ha) of land.