The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-09-15
HISTORY OF FLOR|DA'S
INSTITUTION FOR
THE INSANE At
CHATTAH0OCHEE
(From The Quincy Times)

Inc early history or the Florida
State Hospital at Chattahoochee is
very interestig to the citizens of
Florida, especially the older ones.
The present location and large
part of the land on which the hospital
is located was the original site of an
arsenal built by the United States
Government during the years 1892
1885.
On January 30, 1882, Honorable
James D. Westcott, Jr., Secretary Of
the Legislative Council, and acting
Governor of Florida, signed resolu.
ton that Florida delegate in Con-
gress be requested to urge the pass.
age of law to establish an arsenal
in this territory, as measure highly
important to the peace and safety of
the country" In, report from the
ordnance department we find that
Congress on April s. 1882, authorized
the purchase of a site and the imme-
date building of an arsenal in Flor
idafi on the Apalachicola river.
Under date of January Z, 1884, The
Weekly Floridian, published at ITALIA
hassee, contained the following: "Un-
der the superintendance of Capt. s.
Shannon the general government is
building a bridge over the lagoon on
the west side of the Apalachicola
river at point where it will sub
serve the purpose of the United States
arsenal which is about to be erected
near that river under the superin-
tendence of Capt. j. Hills, of the Ord
nance Department" -. -. -. :.
Under date of December 5, 1885, in
the same paper, ''In general de.
scriptive letter from Chattahooche5,
the writer mentions the arsenal in
process of construction and says, the
brickwork Of the main building is
completed and the building WILL when
completed, give the place on interest
and worth it could never otherwise
possess"
The original buildings consisted OF
Officers quarters, barracks, maya,
zine, business Office and barn, all of
brick. Al except magazines were ell
closed by wall IL feet high and 30
inches thick. The two magazines,
one, both remain intact and on ac-
count of the thickness of the walls
and the arched construction over
head are still the monuments of the
architectural skill of that day.
In 1866 the arsenal and all the land
belonging to it became the property
Of the State Of Florida, being coded
by the United States Government,
conditionally From 1866 until 1876
the place was used as a State peni-
Tertiary. Since 1876 it has been
Floridas institution for the care of
the insane The institution was first
known as the State Asylum; later
the name was changed to the Florida
Hospital for the Insane. The last
Q919) Legislature change dthe name
to Florida State Hospital.
There have been number of build.
ings added to the original ones and
there are yet new buildings to be
, erected to meet the growing need OF
the institution. At this time the
present management is arranging the
buildings SO as to have some general
plan. There are old buildings to be
removed and lined up so as to form
Regularly arranged streets.
There are plans being completed al
, this time to extend the spur railroad
track up to the grounds, so as to en-
able the material for new buildings
and regular monthly supplies to be
delivered to the grounds without such
long haul. This spur will be about
. three-quarters of a mile in length and
. will come within a few yards OF the
proposed new power house.