250th Anniversary of Public Mental Healthcare – Events at Colonial Williamsburg Oct 12 – 14

This month marks the 250^th anniversary of public mental healthcare in Virginia. To commemorate this historic milestone, Colonial Williamsburg, in partnership with Eastern State Hospital and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, is hosting a variety of programs and events from Oct. 12 – 14, 2023. Below is background on mental healthcare in Virginia and here is a great timeline. But first are the special events being held at Colonial Williamsburg this week.

250th Anniversary of Public Mental Healthcare – Events at Colonial Williamsburg Oct 12 – 14:

• Museum Discoveries: The Public Hospital of 1773
• Explore the Public Hospital of 1773
• Special Event: The Making of the Public Hospital
• Special Event: Patient Care at the Public Hospital
• Special Event: 250 Years of Eastern State Hospital
• Special Event: 250 Years of VA Mental Healthcare
• Special Event: Heal Thy Self
• Special Event: John Minson Galt II
• Special Event: Create Art
• Special Event: Dr. King Davis
• Special Event: Pop-Up Archaeology!

When The Public Hospital of Williamsburg opened its doors in 1773, it became the first inpatient facility in America devoted exclusively to treating individuals with mental disorders. Known today as Eastern State Hospital and located outside of the Historic Area of Colonial Williamsburg, the hospital continues to provide mental healthcare for individuals throughout Virginia 250 years later.

In honor of 250 years of mental health history and the tens of thousands of patients and staff whose stories are intertwined with the hospital, Colonial Williamsburg, in partnership with Eastern State Hospital and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, will host a series of public events on Thursday, Oct. 12 – Saturday, Oct. 14. including tours, theater programs, lectures and presentations.

“Mental health plays a profound, though often poorly understood, role in the ongoing story of our nation,” said Ron Hurst, Colonial Williamsburg’s chief mission officer and senior vice president for education and historic resources. “Colonial Williamsburg is honored to partner with Eastern State Hospital to commemorate the anniversary of the Public Hospital of 1773 and to invite the community to better understand this complicated aspect of our collective history.”

Event highlights include tours of the reconstructed Public Hospital on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 3 – 4:15 p.m. and a presentation by Dr. King Davis on Eastern State Hospital’s influence on the development of other hospitals and policies throughout the South on Oct. 13 from 4:40 – 5:30 p.m. in the Hennage Auditorium. The commemoration will culminate with an event on the front lawn of Colonial Williamsburg’s reconstructed Public Hospital of 1773 on Francis Street on Oct. 14 at 2 p.m.

“We are deeply grateful for Colonial Williamsburg’s partnership in commemorating Eastern State Hospital’s legacy of caring for individuals who are living with mental illness,” said Daniel Herr, Eastern State Hospital’s CEO. “Since its inception as the first Public Hospital in the nation, we had a formative role in shaping the understanding of, and public policy around, treating mental health disorders.  In keeping with this robust tradition, this commemoration will also highlight Governor Youngkin’s key mental health initiative, Right Help, Right Now.”

“This anniversary, and Eastern State Hospital’s unique place in our country’s history, offer us a chance to reflect on the past, present, and future of behavioral health care in Virginia,” said Nelson Smith, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. “We look forward to joining our partners at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for a series of events that can help us better understand our history and honor the work of the incredible staff at Eastern State, and across our behavioral health care system, as they strive to get Virginians the right help, right when they need it.”

The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg will be free and open to the public from Thursday, Oct. 12 – Saturday, Oct. 14 to promote broad access to a wide array of programming related to mental health. For a full listing of events, visit colonialwilliamsbrug.org/hospital.

History of mental healthcare at Eastern State Hospital

Mental healthcare has evolved significantly over the past 250 years. When an act establishing a public hospital was first passed by colonial legislators in 1769, it was driven primarily by a concern for public safety rather than a concern for the welfare of the patients.

The hospital became a trailblazer in the field of mental health in the 19th century under the leadership of superintendent Dr. John Minson Galt II. Galt implemented many of the components of modern psychiatric hospitals over a century before they became widely accepted, including a belief in human dignity for the mentally ill, therapeutic activities, talk therapy, calming medication, in-house research, deinstitutionalization and community-based mental health care. Dr. Galt’s legacy continues today at Eastern State Hospital where a staff of over 800 people partner with patients to empower them in their recovery and promote personal independence.

For a video tour of the Public Hospital of 1773 and an interactive timeline of the history of the Public Hospital, visit colonialwilliamsbrug.org/hospital. For additional information about Eastern State Hospitals’ history, visit dbhds.virginia.gov/facilities/esh/esh-history/.

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