09/22/2024
1845 Bolton Family farm is purchased for the purpose of housing a "Lunatic Asylum."
*1846 Construction begins on the central portion of the "Old Main" (Men's Department Building).
*1848 First five patients admitted.
*1855 Patient population reaches 235.
*1857 Patient population reaches 303. Hospital is closed from April through October due to lack of funding from legislature and patients are sent home.
*1866 Construction begins on the north wing of the "Old Main" Building
*1876 Construction begins on the Women's Department Building (Seven Steeples).
*1885 Stores Building opens.
*1886 Central Boiler House and Plant are completed.
*1892 Power House and Electric Plan are completed.
*1894 Carpenter's Shop, Mechanical Engineer's Department, and Fire Department are completed.
*1895 Pathological Department is completed.
*1897 Kitchen and Women's Department Buildings are completed.
*1899 Men's and Women's Congregate Dining Rooms and the Greenhouse are completed.
*1901 Hospital for the Sick Insane and Cold Storage buildings are completed.
*1911 Upholstery Department opens.
*1912 Amusement Hall and Chapel are completed (Mayer Hall).
*1926 names changes from "Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane" to "Central State Hospital'
*1928 Construction begins on the first of five men's cottages while demolition begins on the South Wing of the Men's Department.
*1930s WPA finishes the five men's cottages.
*1937 The new Carpentry Shop is constructed.
*1939 The Employees Building is completed (Administration Building).
*1940 Patient population reaches 1,935.
*1941 Demolition of the Men's Department Building is completed.
*1942 Central State Hospital opens annex at Fort Harrison.
*1943 Steeples are removed from the Women's Department Building (Seven Steeples)
*1944 Superintendent's Residence and single family/duplex residences are constructed.
*1950 Patient population reaches 2,528.
*1951 Fort Harrison annex is closed.
*1953 A new store house is constructed (Central Stores Building).
*1958 Construction starts on Bahr Treatment Center.
*1953-63 The old store house is demolished and the new Kitchen Building opens.
*1960 Motel Building opens.
*1961 Patient population reaches 2,200.
*1968 Central State Farm Colony along Tibbs Avenue is closed.
*1973 Evans and Bolton Buildings open.
*1974 Women's Department Building (Seven Steeples) is demolished.
*1976 Exit house is opened to aid in patient's transition back into the community.
*1982 Miniature golf course is constructed in front of Evans Building by volunteers.
*1982-84 Amusement Building and Chapel are demolished.
*1984 Patient population declines to 656.
*1989 New Power House goes online and the old Power House is partially decommissioned.
*1991 Smokestacks are removed from old Power House, while life safety project upgrades fire safety in Bahr, Bolton and Evans buildings.
*1992 Governor Bayh announces Central State closure as patient population declines to 389.
*1994 Central State Hospital closes amidst allegations of abuse, and controversy over funding.
*1996 State of Indiana begins use of property with renovation of Laundry Building for use by the Indiana State Motor Pool
*2003 City of Indianapolis purchases Central State property from the State of Indiana for $400,000.
