By Staff Writer, Starla Marcelo
Today, Central Park of Morris County is home to 420 acres of turf fields, in-line hockey rinks, nature trails, playgrounds, and much more. It is a hub for adult and youth sports programs alike. On any given weeknight, you can find the vast sports facilities occupied by athletes, students, sports hobbyists, and anyone else looking to get outside. However, prior to the summer of 2008, the park was known as something vastly different – Greystone Park, the grounds and recreational area of the former Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital.
The current psychiatric hospital that stands at 59 Koch Avenue, Morris Plains, is an extension of the original facility that opened its doors back in 1876. Created due to overcrowding at the ‘Lunatic Asylum at Trenton’, the ‘State Asylum for the Insane at Morristown’ was designed by Dr. Thomas Kirkbride to be a therapeutic, progressive environment that emphasized “…an abundance of fresh air, natural light, and exposure to the countryside.” The building was separated by sex into wings on either end of the main administrative building with 3 wards on each floor. The grounds themselves were home to a working farm, a bake house, a machine shop, nurses’ cottages, as well as an open-air auditorium. Doctors at the hospital orchestrated crucial psychological research on the effectiveness of various practices such as electroshock therapy, hydrotherapy, lobotomy, and psychoanalysis. A study done in 1947 in collaboration with Columbia University concluded that lobotomy was an ineffective method of treatment for mental disorders once and for all. It was designed to house a mere 342 patients that spilled over from Trenton’s hospital. However, as word began to spread about the facility, more and more patients began flooding in and overcrowding began to ensue, despite expansion of the building. Combined with severe understaffing, the state of the hospital began to deteriorate, becoming prone to escapes, injuries, and the outbreak of disease. One 1895 outbreak of typhoid fever in the wards was particularly deadly, causing the deaths of a large percentage of patients. Greystone’s population peaked in 1953, with the facility reaching a capacity of 7,674 residents following the second World War. One of the most notable patients was folk singer Woody Guthrie, who was committed in 1956 for his incurable case of Huntington’s Disease. He famously referred to the hospital as “Gravestone” during his stay, before being transferred to a New York hospital in 1961 where he died. Bad press seemed to follow the hospital, starting in the 1970s following trends of deinstitutionalization of mental health patients. Patient-on-patient violence, employee-on-patient violence, as well as self-inflicted violence were just some of Greystone’s misfortunes that were spread in the media. At the time of its final renovation, the hospital stood at 673,706 square feet. It was known to be the largest continuous foundation, beaten only by the Pentagon built in 1943.
Over time, the physical deterioration of the hospital became too much to keep in use, and Greystone’s old building closed its doors for the last time on July 16, 2008. It soon became a breeding ground for urban explorers, history aficionados, and supernatural enthusiasts alike. Because of its tragedy-riddled past, many believed the grounds to be haunted. Not only do people believe in its’ paranormality, but the ruins of Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital are considered by many to be the most haunted place in all of New Jersey. Rumors of this supernatural presence are synonymous with the hospital, many circling around the series of tunnels connecting the facilities. As the grounds began to deteriorate, more and more people local and otherwise grew curious about what remained. Individuals would often find their way into the building through doors, windows, and any other gap in the structure they could find. Some went for photography, others for the paranormal, or simply for the experience of exploring the infamous old Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital (despite the obvious illegality of this practice.) Some even went as far as to make a movie about their experiences. Greystone Park, directed by Sean Stone, was filmed in 2009 on the grounds of the hospital, as well as inside. Filmed in a Blair Witch Project-esque faux-documentary style, the film crew quickly discovers that they aren’t alone in the ruins of the abandoned facility. However, with crackdowns on trespassing and the imminent demolition of the structure, the foot traffic began to steadily decline. The land was purchased from the state by the county in 2014 and, despite mass efforts and protests from many in the community, the building was demolished in late October, 2015.
In order to appreciate the beautiful grounds of Central Park of Morris County, it’s important to acknowledge the fascinating, and often tragic backstory of what once was. Despite its demolition, memories of the hospital will stay alive in the minds, hearts, and superstitions of those fascinated by it. (This group includes my parents and their friends, with whom I explored the hospital prior to its demolition, pictured below!) Morristown’s vast historical background is one of the things that makes our town particularly interesting for tourism, yet this history isn’t restricted to the Revolutionary War. History exists in every inch of Morristown- haunted, or not.
Works Cited
Preserve Greystone. preservegreystone.org/history-html/. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
Dark Lucidity. 29 Mar. 2014, brianmoreland.blogspot.com/2014/03/haunted-places-greystone-park.html.
Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
Morristown Green. morristowngreen.com/2014/10/29/greystone-park-its-ascent-and-decline/. Accessed 29
Oct. 2024.