J.N. Adam Memorial Hospital

J.N. Adam Memorial Hospital oconstantin13 (Atlas Obscura User)

Located behind fencing on private property in Perrysburg, New York, are the remains of the J.N. Adam Memorial Hospital. They still stand, despite having laid empty for years, yet another historic hospital site that’s too expensive to remove or rehabilitate.

The hospital was opened in 1912 by a former mayor of Buffalo, New York, James Noble Adam, who also owned the J.N. Adam & Co. department store. Its primary purpose was to treat victims of tuberculosis. This hospital was known for what was called the “Sun cure,” or “heliotherapy.” This involved relying on the rays from the Sun to help cure the patients of their disease.

In 1960, the hospital was converted from a tuberculosis hospital into an institutional mental facility. It finally closed its doors for good in 1993 and has not been reopened since. Officials have looked into tearing down or refurbishing the remaining structures at the site, but since both options would cost millions of dollars to implement, no one has been willing to pay, and the site continues to deteriorate.

Know Before You Go

This is private property, so there is no trespassing. Make sure you stick to viewing the building from a public place like the sidewalk. It is constantly patrolled by New York State Troopers, and if they catch you, they will give you a fine for trespassing.

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