Join the Historic Fort Steilacoom Association on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m. for a free special event inside one of the original Western State Hospital buildings from 1871. After a brief annual business meeting, historian and hospital safety trainer Alexandria Woodruff will present an engaging talk on Western State Hospital’s history and mental health treatment in Washington.
Did you know? When the U.S. Army closed Fort Steilacoom in 1868, the buildings became Washington’s first mental health facility. Four of those buildings survive today.
The photo shows what the hospital grounds looked like in the 1920s. In the upper right of the image, obscured a bit by trees, you can just make out the commanding officer’s quarters of the fort – which at the time of the photo was housing for doctors.
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) was prepared to let the original buildings cave in during the 1970s, so that building later sustained a lot of water damage. But during a tour, you can still see a bit of the painted ceiling that would have covered the ceiling of the home in Victorian times.
This event is part of Fort Steilacoom’s 175th anniversary series. The talk will take place at the Commanding Officer’s Quarters, 9601 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood. Don’t miss this fascinating look at local history! The buildings can be toured on the first Sunday of any month.
Please be sure to use the street address to find the fort. Several locations including a park and a college campus use the fort’s name. The four remaining fort buildings are located along the former US Army parade grounds which is now the front lawn and parking lot for WSH.
For those of us who support from afar, a recording or Zoom of the presentation would be appreciated. John Rigney, my gg grand uncle served at Fort Steilacoom from 1849-1852.