Foxborough State Hospital, Historic medical district in Foxborough, Massachusetts
Foxborough State Hospital is a former medical facility featuring residential wards arranged in an L shape with a central administration building and support structures spread across the grounds. Many buildings have been converted into mixed-income housing and a shopping plaza, while some structures remain vacant.
The complex opened in 1889 as the first state-run facility in the United States dedicated specifically to treating alcoholism. This pioneering role shaped how medical institutions approached addiction care across the country.
The architecture blends English Queen Anne revival style with American colonial forms, showing how late 19th-century institutions preferred to look. These historic styles still shape the way the entire complex appears to visitors today.
Access to the grounds is limited since many original buildings are now private residences or commercial spaces. Visitors should stay on public paths and check ahead for current access before planning a visit to the site.
The facility had an unusually large morgue with eight bodies, which operated throughout the institution's active period until closure in 1975. This rare infrastructure reveals the medical demands and challenges of early addiction treatment.
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