South Carolina State Hospital- “Babcock”

The campus on which this stunning Kirkbride sits on was founded in 1821 as one of the first public mental health hospitals in the US. The original building on campus was built between 1822 and 1827. The building featured in this gallery was designed in 1858 and completed in 1885. Delays were due to the American Civil War. The building was designed by Samuel Sloan and followed the Renaissance Revival architecture style. Although the building follows the Kirkbride plan, the building does not have staggered blocks found within its wings that a true Kirkbride would have. Many new buildings were constructed on the campus through the 1900's. By the time of deinstitutionalization, the hospital was also battling legal issues regarding patient care. This caused the population to significantly decline and many buildings to close down. The campus was purchased by a developer who plans to open the grounds for mixed use. Many buildings were already demolished to make way for strips malls and a stadium. The building shown here is set to be preserved and re-used using its original architecture.