In need of some real life spooky weekend plans? You can take a ghost town road trip, visit a hidden historic building in Discovery Park or make the drive north to check out Northern State Mental Hospital. Today, you can visit what remains of the hospital’s farm, let’s check it out.
Northern State as it’s known opened in 1912 and closed in 1976. It was once Washington’s largest hospital for those experiencing mental illness. The landscape at the hospital was actually designed by New Yorks famed Olmstead Brothers, think Central Park and also Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park. At one time, the facility was home to 2,700 patients making it a town in itself.
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Part of what helped this hospital run was the 700 acre farm that was a part of the property. Today, the main facility buildings are off limits but the farm is open for you to enjoy and explore. In fact, the Northern State Ghost Town is a 5 mile round trip hike so you can get your steps in while having some spooky fun.
As we mentioned, some of the properties buildings are off limits as they are in use, these areas are clearly marked so be sure to follow the rules. With that, you can learn more about the Northern State Mental Hospital grounds by visiting the Washington Trails Association website.
