Modesto State Hospital

Modesto State Hospital

Location	Modesto
Address
Region
State	California
Country	United States
Coordinates	37.662581°N 121.034957°W
Funding	Public hospital
Website	[ Official website]

Modesto State Hospital was a public psychiatric hospital located in Modesto, Stanislaus County, California. It was established in 1946, opened in late-1947, and closed in 1972. The hospital was previously known as Hammond General Hospital, a United States Army hospital during World War II.

History

Modesto State Hospital was purchased from the United States federal government in November 1946. It initially operated as a temporary state mental hospital, providing care for mentally ill and mentally deficient patients transferred from overcrowded state hospitals. In 1951, the hospital established an admissions department and began admitting new psychiatric patients. The patient population peaked at 2,369 in 1951 and remained stable until 1963. However, the population declined thereafter, and in 1969, it was announced that the hospital would close. It officially closed its doors in 1972.

During its operation, Modesto State Hospital had sterilization centers, which were part of the eugenics movement in California.

See also

• Eugenics in California
• List of hospitals in California