INSANE ASYLUM - U.S. Benchmarks on Waymarking.com

Documented History (by the NGS)
1/1/1871 by CGS (FIRST OBSERVED)
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1871 (REH) THIS ASYLUM, KNOWN ALSO AS THE COUNTY LUNATIC ASYLUM, IS SITUATED ON THE COUNTY FARM, WHICH FORMS PART OF A LARGER TRACT OF LAND KNOWN AS GRATIOT LEAGUE SQUARE. IT IS ABOUT 5 MILES IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION FROM THE COURTHOUSE AT ST. LOUIS AND ABOUT 150 METERS SOUTH OF THE ARSENAL STREET ROAD AT A POINT ABOUT ONE-HALF MILE WESTERLY FROM ITS INTERSECTION WITH THE KINGS HIGHWAY. THE STATION IS THE FINIAL OF THE CUPOLA OF THE BUILDING.

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The centerpiece of the collection of mental health buildings on Arsenal is known as Old Main, an imposing domed structure designed as the County Insane Asylum in 1864 by William Rumbold - also the architect of the Old Courthouse dome. St. Louis boundaries were expanded only seven years after the $700,000 building was completed, and the facility was operated by the city until 1948. By now, the complex housed 3,844 patients. Since only a small percentage of them were city residents, St. Louis arranged to give title to the State of Missouri for 53 acres of land and all the buildings for only one dollar.



In late 1990, the State announced its intention to demolish Old Main. Landmarks joined State Representative Bud Barnes and others in urging that the landmark be kept and put the building on our 11 Most Endangered list. State Representative Tony Ribaudo (whose District included Old Main), joined the effort, writing the Director of Mental Health that he found the demolition proposal "abominable"! Legislators pushed an amendment through the Senate in 1991 that directed the Department of Mental Health to hire consultants to do a reuse feasibility study, but it was not until 1997 that money was finally approved to move forward with renovation. Since then, Yarger & Associates Architects have worked with Vince Kelly Construction on this $10 million project.

Condition: Mark found in good condition Designation: -blank- Benchmark Agency: U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Monumentation type: Cupola County: C OF ST LOUIS USGS 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Name (optional): USGS Webster Groves (MO,IL) Topo Map Special category (optional): Not listed Special Category (if other): Transcontinental Arc Find type: Coordinates and/or to-reach information from the NGS database (or Geocaching's copy of it) were used NGS PID: JC1600 Benchmark Agency (if other): Not listed Monumentation type (if other): Not listed Web address of this benchmark's datasheet (optional): Not listed Local database's URL (optional): Not listed

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