I only worked there. I was not searching for anyone so don't know what the
hospital's response will be re: Release of Information requirements. I do
remember stories about a fire, but when I worked there, they had a very
large main building that housed most of the patients and one separate
building. The State paid for the housing/treatment of the
patients. However, until the 70's when the "empty the state hospitals"
mentality began, patients worked in various areas in order to support the
operation of the facility by farming, cooking, even patients working as
care-giver assistants. Shortly after I left they built an additional
smaller building that became the administrative offices. I would think
that if you send a letter explaining the relationship, they would give you
the information. A phone call to start with is a suggestion and I would
direct any contact to the Medical Records Department. I'm assuming that
you have searched the Browning site. I have found so much information
there. I know Mr. Browning, in fact, all of my Evansville family members'
funerals were handled by him. I remember when he built the funeral home
about four blocks from my childhood home. I now live in Ohio, but Mr.
Browning continues to help with genealogy questions via e-mail.
http://browning.evcpl.lib.in.us/
Some interesting trivia regarding the Evansville State Hospital - Winnie
Judd, the famous trunk murderess, was there for a while, I believe as an
employee.
http://jeff.scott.tripod.com/judd.html
At 07:45 AM 12/30/02 -0500, you wrote:
I lived in the Vanderburgh/Posey Co area, and I don't recall a
fire there--
but it could have happened. I know that when many of the older buildings
were being torn down in the fifties/sixties-- my dad would get the lumber
for a song, bring it home, and use it on some of his outbuildings. I am
curious, could you, merje94, e-mail me if you have any results with
information release? I also have a relative (now deceased) who lived
there for about 25 yrs. That seems like a terribly long time, and I know
that this relative probably didn't pay- for services- so I wonder if they
had an arrangement with some patients that they could work for their room
and board? We were always told one family story about this relative by
other relatives now deceased-- I am wondering what is true and what is not.
Thanks for any info you can give. Helen Zuber Keusch