email The following is a small collection of various emails that I have received over the past few years from visitors to this site. Edits have been made to names, locations and drawn-out explanations. I have also added a few of my replies although some appear without reply because I did not save that information or feel that it was necessary. There are several reasons for posting these emails. One reason being that the information found below might be of some use to other people. It is also to let those who write (or plan on writing) know that I sincerely appreciate their correspondence and do my best to answer questions and reply to every email sent, (with the exception of spam). Lastly, it is to show that this site is of some use, and that it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. I sincerely thank you all for writing and hope to hear more from visitors to this site in the future. Subject: Just for your information Date: April 24, 2008 6:29:35 PM when I was a child my mother worked there. Here's my story, for your archives. We lived on a farm outside Manteno and my mother started working at the hospital when I was about 4 so I guess we'll estimate 1963. She worked the night shift for many years. My mother had an 8th grade education but was given the duties of dispensing medications, "applying restraints", and many other things that a layperson had no right to be doing. She also, like all her co-workers, walked out of there every day with drugs and clothing and belongings of the patients. I was a little kid, I didn't understand it at the time but I do now. This is how my mother became addicted to Valium, which was given out like candy in that place to keep the patients quiet. She often told me that some of the patients had family who frequently visited and brought new clothing and shoes and all the "nurses", which none of them were, would divide it up and the patient would never see it. I remember a huge array of drugs of every sort in our bathroom cabinet and that's where it came from. When I was 13, now this would be 1973, I was a freshman in high school and we were assigned to do a project about something that had to do with "society." I asked my mom if I could go to work with her. By now she was working days so that Saturday and Sunday I spent with her at work. I tell ya, I see those pictures and I re-live it. I remember what it smells like. There was vomit and feces everywhere and the stench of urine was overwhelming. These patients were SO drugged out of their minds that they stumbled around in a daze, much like the zombies you see in bad B-Movies. If they spoke up or asked for something they were either put in restraints or drugged and they were called "disturbed." I saw the food they were expected to eat and it was disgusting. And if they said this looks gross and refused to eat it they were "disturbed" and punished for it. The place was filthy and nobody gave a damn. Their clothes were rags, even tho most of the families of these people brought them nice clothes.................they just never got to see them because the employees took them. I remember one young woman there that weekend. I don't remember her name but I will never forget her. She was Spanish and BEAUTIFUL and my mom told me she couldn't speak English. This young lady came and sat down by me when nobody was watching and said "Hi. My name is......whatever it was." I said "My Mom said you couldn't speak English." She said "It doesn't do any good to speak to them, they won't help any of us. Which one is your Mom?" I told her and she said "She's pretty nice, not as rough as the others." So before long my Mom saw her talking to me and she came out of their little "office" to see what was going on and this woman suddenly shut the hell up and could only speak Spanish, but she winked at me. She was adorable. I asked my mother about her and she told me that this lady had very rich parents, all of them had gold-lined front teeth and they came often to visit and always brought her really nice things, which the employees divided up. This was such a lovely young lady and I guess she had nobody to talk to that she could trust and she said she had a little sister about my age. I wore a friendship bracelet that my best friend had given me and she kept marveling over it, how pretty and how special it was. My second day there, Sunday, her parents showed up and these were some sophisticated, well-dressed, obviously wealthy people and Mom was right......gold teeth...........I remember her father had small diamonds in the center of his front teeth. They brought her several boxes of clothes and things and they stayed for about an hour and they spoke in Spanish (she didn't want anyone to know she could speak English) and after her family left they told her it was time for her medication and they gave her something to sedate her and put her to bed and went thru the boxes and divided up everything. I SAW THIS. This beautiful young lady, who had no mental problems that I could discern, finally came to and she came straight to me and hugged me and I took off that bracelet and put it on her and told her it means that's now SHE is my friend. She cried and thanked me and said she only hoped that some day she could get out of there because she didn't belong. And I KNOW she didn't belong there. My Mom said she finally let it go that she could speak English, but only to ask my Mom about me and remind Mom that she was wearing my bracelet and to tell me hello and thank me for being her friend. You were supposed to be 16 to be on those wards and I was only 13 so I never got to go back but I never forgot the beautiful lady living in that hell. So I asked my Mom a lot of questions about this and that so as to do my report for school. She said a lot of those people were there for the wrong reasons but "restraints" and huge doses of drugs they didn't need was "just the way it was." It was what they were told to do. The place was filthy and the smell was overwhelming and the conditions were horrendous and it was hard for me to understand how my mother could go to work there every day knowing what they were doing was so wrong. I did my best to write my report. It was actually pretty eloquent. I always liked to write and I have always been good at expressing myself that way. My teacher read it and stood up at his desk in front of the class and tore it to pieces and said it was all lies. I got an F. He said that kind of thing doesn't happen in our society anymore. I told him I would have my mother call him and verify everything I had written and he said he wouldn't take a call from her because he didn't believe it. Oh well. Sometimes you can SCREAM the truth and nobody wants to hear it. Seeing those pictures brings it all back to me in such reality. I can SMELL it. I can see the urine and vomit all over the floors and the people stumbling through it in their daze. That place was a nightmare. My mother loved working there. She considered herself a "nurse", but in fact she was a graduate of 8th grade and a drug addict and a thief, thanks to her employment there. As a young adult I moved back to Manteno. I remember when they took the fence down and the patients who had sanity would leave via the corn fields and come into town and hitch a ride the hell out of there. I don't blame them. That place was hell. After it closed a lot of the patients were kinda "set free" and they spent the rest of their lives wandering aimlessly, unable to find work and so totally screwed up by what had happened to them that they didn't have a chance to recover. I always felt very sorry for them. If they weren't crazy when they went there they damn sure were when and if they got out. So that's my story and you can use it any way you want to. It's the truth. And it would be hard to believe if you weren't there BUT I WAS. Thanks for listening. Brenda Subject: Manteno Site Date: August 24, 2004 10:44:02 AM EST Hello Megan, First, want to say how surprised I am on how much you have put into the Manteno Hospital thing. Kudos. Keep it up.   Secondly, I just wanted to tell you about the big thing you have created for the early teens in Manteno (10 - 15 yr range). They have discovered your Gennie area and now they all think that the images are actually Gennie, despite what you post on the site. So, They get so worked up about Gennie and tunnels and secret visits out there and on and on.   It has given the kids something to gossip about, rather than drugs. I get a kick out of how worked up and scared they get talking about Gennie.   So, I think you almost have a fan club in a sort forming.... -S RE: Manteno Site Thanks Scott! I do my best! Although I always feel I need to do better. (Sort of tough with a "day job" and all.) So Gennie can keep kid's off the subject of drugs!? That's too funny! :) Well, every little bit helps, right? It's funny you should say that. One evening, after a day of photographing at MSH, I went to eat dinner with some friends at one of the restaurants in Manteno... After one of the guys said that we had come down from Chicago, the waitress, a very young gal, asked us what we had been up to. We told her that we had been photographing out at the old state hospital. She seemed somewhat "creeped out" by the thought, and her reply was something to the extent of, "Oh, I would never go out there. That's a creepy place." Apparently she had heard ghost stories or something about the place. My paranormal investigator friend was with me at the time, and proceeded to fill the waitress' head with all sorts of ghost stories. It was absolutely delightful! It's always very interesting to see what sort of thoughts and reactions people have about the old place, especially Manteno locals. I guess it's particularly funny to me since I don't see the place as frightening at all. As far as the "Gennie" (Genevieve Pilarski) images, those were all done by an artist/photographer from the Art Institute, but the actual text is a true story that was published in the Chicago Tribune and written by the Public Guardian, Patrick T. Murphy. It's a very sad story that basically starts with her parents committing her to MSH as a young woman, she later becomes a "ward of the state" and dies, (basically in a state of catatonia), at about the age of 80 in a nursing home. I've always wanted to know more about her, who she was, where she grew up, what her quality of life was like and where she was buried. It's basically sort of a mystery, but if the kids dig it, that's cool. I think it's sort of like an odd memorial to her. Again, I want to thank you for taking the time to write. It's always good to hear from people and know that people appreciate the site. Sincerely, -M Subject: Question Date: August 12, 2004 2:54:46 PM EST M, I had a great grandmother who was a patient at Belview in Batavia, Kane County until 1909 when she died. I realize that was a private institution however I have just learned her sister's daughter was at both Elgin State Hospital and I believe died at Manteno State Hospital in 1948. Because of the link of possible mental illness I am most anxious to find out as much as I can regarding these two individuals. The one in the state hospital was S. whose mother was F. who I presume admitted S. into the hospital. How would I go about finding this out as well as her diagnosis and cause of death? Thank you for your assistance. -P RE:Question Dear P, I am afraid that I can not help you personally, but I might be able to point you in the right direction. I get a lot of emails like yours and I always make a habit of responding to them as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, no one ever writes back to me to let me know if the resources that I suggest are ever of any benefit. Until that time, I will never know! As far as records of Manteno State Hospital, I have been told that most were carelessly tossed out or destroyed, but you might check some of the following resources: I suggest contacting Tinley Park Mental Health Center because from what I know, many patients were transferred there after the hospital closed in 1985. I also would think that they might have some records transferred there as well, but I am uncertain.. Another suggestion might be to inquire at Elgin Mental Health Center... You can also contact the Illinois State Archives, but I do know for a fact that they do not have much. I would use them as a last resort.. Hope you find this information useful! Sorry that I could not be of more help. Sincerely, -M Subject: Re: Looking for information regarding patient at Dixon State Hospital On July 26, 2004, at 10:56 AM I am looking for information regarding my great grandmother who, according to my records, was placed in Dixon State Hospital around November, 1936 following my mothers birth.  Her name was L. Her diagnosis was ... slow and stupid.  My son is also been in an institution four times since 1996.  Please let me know the criteria for admittance back then and if the patient stayed there following an initial assessment. I have some information but it is minimal.  I can send a copy. if you can help please email me a.. Thank you -Unsigned Re: Looking for information regarding patient at Dixon State Hospital Is the origin of that name...? If she could only speak whatever "mother tongue", (...., etc.) of her county, she may not have been "slow and stupid" at all. There are several documented cases, including one at Manteno where people were sent to an institution and because they could not speak English, and ended up lost in the system for many years. I'm not saying that's the case with your great grandmother, since I know nothing about her or what languages she spoke. I am just giving you this bit of info because someone may have gotten her committed because of troubles understanding her. The criteria for involuntary commitment was not as it is today. People were committed for all sorts of things. Case in point, Frances Farmer who suffered commitment as a result of her being such a strong-willed female, which was not an acceptable social norm at the time. As the story goes she was later lobotomized and released. To find out more information about anyone being at Dixon, I would contact the Mabley Development Center.. If they don't know anything, contact the Illinois State Archives and refer to RECORD GROUP 265.000 - DIXON DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER.. I am truly sorry to hear about your son, but I hope this information helps find what you are looking for. Sorry again, I could not be of more help. Take care! Very sincerely, -M Subject: Project Date: June 28, 2004 10:08:08 AM EST Hello, my name is J, and I am 20 years old.  I am from.. and I belong to a paranormal investigative team.  We were wondering if the hospital is available for a tour and a possible paranormal investigation.  Myself and a member of the team were looking around on the internet and found your site.  If it is not accessible for such things, would you have any other suggestions?  Thank you for your time! -J RE: Project I forwarded your message to a local paranormal investigator that I know of. Hopefully he will be getting back to you shortly! -M Subject: Manteno's History Date: May 3, 2004 3:43:18 PM EST M:  In 1952 I joined the staff of Manteno State Hospital as Assistant to the Superintendent, Alfred Paul Bay.  I remained until 1954 when Bay, Assistant Superintendent P. and I resigned, announcing our resignations at a press conference in Chicago in protest to the horrendous havoc being wreaked by Otto Bettag, Director of the Department of Public Welfare under Governor Stratton who had replaced Adlai Stevenson.   I authored a good bit of the Annual Report (1953-54) that appears on the website.   I am writing to you simply to initiate the contact and to find out even more about how you came to your interest in Manteno---even beyond what you wrote on the website.   When I left Manteno I went to Indiana as Assistant Commissioner of Mental Health, along with B. who had been Assistant to B., who was a special assistant to the Director of Public Welfare, F., during the Adlai Stevenson administration.   This email is just for starters.  I want to find out more about what you hope to do with this, where it's going and how, if at all, it fits with whatever your "day job" might be.  You have done a remarkable thing in putting together the project.   Please drop me a note when you get the chance and let's start the conversation.  Live and be well. -E NOTE: The conversation continues... Subject: Picture of Chester State Hospital Date: October 23, 2003 5:18:33 PM EST I am writing in appreciation of the website dedicated to Manteno State Hospital. It is an important story that is told on its pages, and contributes greatly to the study of these institutions in Illinois and the United States. I have developed the Illinois HABS documentation of Lincoln Developmental Center, Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center, Stateville Correctional Center, Menard Correctional Center, and Pontiac Correctional Center. Therefore, I can appreciate the work that has gone into the website on Manteno. I have one slight correction. On the page devoted to Illinois institutions, the photo of Chester State Hospital shows the prison, not the "asylum for insane criminals." I have attached a jpeg of the hospital at Chester. I have performed the Illinois HABS documentation of this facility as well, although I have yet to complete it and submit it to IHPA. I hope to spend more time visiting the site on Manteno and learn more about the facility. I grew up south of Park Forest, and a father of a good friend of mine worked at Manteno for many years. Thank you again. -J NOTE: Image was corrected thanks to this email and the sender's contribution of an archival image. Subject: BBC Documentary Date: February 27, 2004 9:25:31 AM EST Dear M, I am working for a London based production called Cicada Films working to conceive a documentary for the BBC, about mental health facilities in the US.  I am hoping that you may be able to help me.  Recently in the UK there have been a number of productions focusing on the state of the British Mental Health Care system.  These documentaries have looked at many different angles; some have revealed the abuse suffered by the patients at the hand of their 'carers', others have attempted to highlight the plight of the staff who work there who battle against massive government under-funding and a total lack of facilities.  We at Cicada would like to put together a documentary, based over in the states, hopefully with a considerably larger institution than we have here in the UK.  A colleague told me about some sort of state mental institute in Dixon, Illinois - from what I understand, it is now some form of prison.  He explained that he once went around half of it as a young man, sometime in the 70's and thought that it would have been perfect for our documentary.  I believe that Dixon now is home to 'The Kreider Institute' and 'The Jack Mabley Centre', I assume that most of the patients were moved into these two institutes.  My colleague described his 'tour' around the former Institute as being without question the most disturbing experience he has ever had, he went into great detail about the kind of physical and mental deformity that he witnessed and the squalid conditions in which the members of staff worked.  I am sure that these sorts of places are long gone, however, I think that the present day institutes have an equal story to tell and would like to pick your brain regard which institutes in the states would be the most captivating. I was wondering whether you would be willing to become involved in a documentary of this nature yourself and whether, in particular, you might be able to help me find any information about the history of the former institute, any web pages for instance (I am not sure what its actual name was, so searching on the internet has been difficult), and whether I could get in contact with any of the people who ran it or worked there.  I would also be highly appreciative of the contact details of the Kreider and Mabley institutes and any other centers of a similar nature in the area that would have taken in the State Institute's former patients.  Do you think that any places like that still exist, albeit massively under-funded?  Thank you very much for your time, I understand that this is a slightly bizarre request and that you are no doubt very busy.  I look forward to hearing back from you.    Yours sincerely,  -O NOTE: After a couple of exchanges in correspondence, I never heard from the author again. Subject: Question and kudos February 9, 2004 4:46:59 PM EST Great site... I spent a lot of time poking through it, and it's a wonderful effort. I wonder about the origin of the name "dorthea dix"? The reason I ask, is that there's a state mental hospital here in NC by the same name... and it's in the process of closing..... Thanks for all your hard work! -J Clayton NC Subject: Boy Scout Troop looking to do a "Good turn for America" January 23, 2004 11:00:50 PM EST M, My Name is J....I'm an Illinois veteran, a member of American Legion...and an assistant scout master for Troop... here in .... A recently announced program by the BSA called "Good turn for America" has lead me on a search to find a project that our boys, leaders and our American Legion post members could do to possibly help the homeless here in Illinois. At a recent leaders meeting we discussed many ways in which we could help give our boys some lessons in humanity and at the same time put their energy and our resources together toward a good cause. During my search for such a project I came across the "Manteno Illinois Veterans Home" web site. I noticed that you have a program for the homeless along with all your other efforts to support our Illinois veterans. I guess my question to you is how can our Troop with it's leaders, boys and members of our legion post help our Illinois veterans at your site? I believe that we can put together a meaningful project that will help the veterans, homeless and at the same time show our young men that those that have served our country are the best. They deserve our support whether they are on active duty, reserves, retired or deceased. I'm looking forward to discussing with you and or someone on staff there at the veterans home how we can possibly help.If you follow this link you can see how this all came about... Sincerely, -J Re: Boy Scout Troop looking to do a "Good turn for America " project Sorry, I can't help you with that. My web site is just about the history of the old Manteno State Hospital, but PLEASE contact the VA down at Manteno though, and tell them that you found their info through me. Illinois Veterans Home at Manteno 1 Veterans Drive Manteno, Illinois 60950 Phone (815) 468 - 6581 I know that they always are accepting volunteers for various projects and I am sure that they would be delighted to hear from you! Thanks for emailing! Sincerely, -M Subject: Reprint permission-Let me know! On Nov 23, 2003, at 2:31 AM Good morning M, I currently work as a freelance writer for the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare - a Washington, DC-based advocacy organization. The National Council's individual membership organization, ABHM, presents an annual award named after Harold C. Piepenbrink, who served as Superintendent at Manteno State Hospital from 1967-1970. There is a photo of him from the '60s on your web site. I am writing to request reprint permission for that photo to run in ABHM's quarterly publication. Thank you for considering my request. Sincerely, -D Re: Reprint permission-Let me know! D, I sent you the image and information. It was rather large, and I am just making sure that it gets to you. Please let me know, if it makes it, as I am not sure if there is a limit to file sized with ... email. The file was probably over 1.4MB. I didn't think to ZIP it, but I also wasn't sure what type of machine you might be on, (PC or MAC). Sincerely, -M Re: Reprint permission-Let me know! Got it. Thanks M. -D Subject: the Peoria collection Date: September 24, 2003 10:29:53 PM EST Quite unexpectedly, I happened upon your web site and saw where you had borrowed some century-old patient restraints from "Peoria State Hospital." My great-uncle, Dr. George A. Zeller, was the one who collected these things in the first place. He put them on display in the lobby and vowed they would never be used again. I understand the Zeller Zone Center (named for uncle George, of course) has been closed. So, what has become of the items in question? You say you returned them to Peoria after your open house. I'm quite intrigued with the subject, having read uncle George's autobiography, along with a number of short stories he wrote. I also have a couple of the hospital's biennial reports. The 1906 report is of the "Illinois asylum for the Incurable Insane at Peoria." The next report, issued in 1908, is of the "Illinois General Hospital for the Insane at Peoria." -Unsigned NOTE: This person seems to have written to me as if I were Manteno State Hospital. Although I never heard back from this person, my reply was something to the extent of not representing the institution of Manteno State Hospital and that the items, he/she was inquiring about, were probably at Elgin State Hospital's museum. Subject: genealogy search Wednesday, August 27, 2003 9:39 AM Good day, Can you please give me the email address of someone I could contact. I'm looking for my grandmother's sister who reportedly was a patient of the Illinois State Hospital system. For some reason, the family just did not talk about it other than to say she was committed. I really appreciate your help. She died in 1909. -R Dear R, I really don't know much about genealogy or the details of other state hospitals. I suggest that you contact the Illinois State Archives for more information. You will really want to know which hospital she was at though before you jump into your investigation. If she died in 1909, that would rule out Tinley Park , Manteno State, Galesburg State, Dixon State, and Alton State. They all opened after 1909. This basically leaves you with Jacksonville, Chicago, Elgin, Anna, Kankakee, Chester (although doubtedly, since this was a criminally insane institution), Watertown, and Peoria (aka Bartonville). Also there is some genealogy info/links on my site at http://www.mantenostatehospital.com/genealogy.html Most family members don't talk about their mentally ill, so don't feel bad. You must be about the tenth person who has emailed me with the same thing about how no one wanted to talk about her. Good luck with your search! Sorry, I could not be of more help! -M Subject: (name) August 26, 2003 9:09:17 AM EST Hi My uncle was put in dixon state hospital around 1940. I was wondering if you can help me find him or his records. This is the only information I have at this point is (name) and born around 1927 Thanks for your time -R RE: (name) I do not have much information on these types of things. All that I can offer is the information on my web site at http://www.mantenostatehospital.com/genealogy.html These are the best places to look. I am not a genealogist, so I am not personally a good source for these inquiries, but I try to help those the best I can by giving them information or pointing them in the right direction. http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/di/206__002.htm#A1 I would search through the Illinois Archive web site to find more info on Dixon or contact Dixon, since it is still functioning as a mental health center. I would try the following links. http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/di/206__002.htm#A1 http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/di/218__002.htm This one is specific to DIXON http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/di/265__002.htm#A1 Check out 265.002 CASE FILES. 1918-1950. 448 microfilm rolls. Index, 2 vols. I sincerely hope that information helps. Sorry, I can't be of more help. Sincerely, -M