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Myths & legends of State Hospital to be shared
Published 12:00 p.m., August 28, 2009
An event at the Regional Treatment Center this fall will give attendees a chance to hear stories from the former state hospital.
“Myths and Legends: Stories from the Fergus Falls State Hospital” will be held on the RTC grounds on three dates beginning Sept. 4. Organized by the Otter Tail County Historical Society, the sessions will offer a look into the former hospital’s day-to-day workings.
“What we’re trying to do is depict life at the state hospital,” said Chris Schuelke, who will lead the storytelling.
The event is not an architectural or walking tour of the RTC, Schuelke said. Instead the grounds will be used as a backdrop for the stories, which will include tales of patients who escaped and patients who were improperly sent to the facility.
“Myths and Legends” is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4, Sept. 18 and Oct. 16. The cost is $5 per person; participants will meet on the RTC campus. More information is available by contacting the historical society at 736-6038.
The tour coincides with an ongoing exhibit at the museum titled “Myths and Legends.” Scheduled to run through late September, the exhibit chronicles some of the most intriguing events, crimes and people in Otter Tail County history. Visitors can expect to see profiles on standouts ranging from New York Mills basketball star Janet Karvonen to Fergus Falls native Guzzling Gus Comstock, who broke the world coffee-drinking record in 1927.
The exhibit also includes stories about notorious individuals like 16-year-old John Tribbetts, the “boy murderer” from Perham who was hung in 1882 after confessing to the killings of two men.
Another part of the exhibit includes stories and equipment from the state hospital.
“People have really enjoyed (the exhibit) because every town has their legends, every town has their mysteries,” Schuelke said.
The exhibit was inspired by the choice of “The Maltese Falcon” for The Big Read in 2008, he said.
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The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post. To post a comment you will need to register. Or, if you're already registered but have not included your true, verifiable identity with your registration, you will need to update your account to include your identity. Effective Dec. 1, 2009, all posts appear with the commenter's true identity, which must be verified by site staff. Those who registered prior to Dec. 1, 2009, should be aware that once you update your information with your true identity, all prior posts under your user name will also indicate your true identity. If you do not wish to link yourself to prior comments, you should register again with a different user name.Posted by Mai_Orez (anonymous) on August 28, 2009 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have s strange memory of the State Hospital's choir from back in the mid to late-60's. Our church hosted the State Hospital Choir. I was in my teens. Anyway...after the concert there was time for snacks and coffee. For some reason...one of the choir members struck up a conversation. My thoughts during the entire episode...how do I get away from person from the assylum.
Posted by jenmoser (anonymous) on August 29, 2009 at 5:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That building has a rich history, and the architecture is irreplaceable. . What about the graveyard around back with the John Doe graves? Are they still there? All those abandoned and left to die because they were not wanted. Its a place of tragedy and sadness on every level, I just remember the imprints from the bars on the windows. How many would've jumped to there deaths without 'em?
Posted by Flashbang (anonymous) on August 30, 2009 at 8:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I remember a guy that was released for the day to spend it(a holiday) with his family. That night he killed his wife and two kids. I think they found him in a barn north of Underwood. This was in the early '60's I believe. Anyone remember this?
Posted by mhenn (anonymous) on August 31, 2009 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I visited a grand upstairs apartment at the State Hospital with my best 4th grade friend, Marion Wright in 1943 or 44. I believe the home belonged to a friend of her family who was a doctor there.. Marion's father was a Fergus Falls dentist. We walked through a large downstairs room to get there that I thought was disgusting. Puddles of what looked & smelled like urine were here & there as well as zombie=like people of unidentifiable sex. The upstairs apartment was like entering another world. It looked like a castle to a country mouse like me.
I was not aware of it then but my great grandmother, Mary Barsness Larson had lived there for many years until her death when she was buried in an unmarked grave on the grounds. The family never talked about her & I never knew about her until my older cousin told his wife & she spilled the beans. Our great grandfather, John Larson is buried in the Civil War Veterans section in Oak Grove Cemetery...an honored spot. It is ironic that he also was buried under another name...John Peterson. That is because he enlisted in the Union Army under that name because he was underage & had been denied under his own name.I cannot imagine my family allowing them to be buried apart like that. It's a disgrace & I am ashamed of them. However some restitution was made in the 1990's when Mary's grave was located and a marker placed on it by several members of a later generation.
In the 1960's my mother's eldest sister was a patient for a time.Her diagosis was hardening of the arteries of the brain. She was later moved to a nursing home. Durine periods of lucidity she was very ashamed of being there & told her sisters she hoped it wouldn't happen to them. She would have been aware of her grandmother's fate, of course. That must have been doubly painful.
Posted by bellaloveskitty (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 5:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i would like to know more about the state hospital. i live in saint cloud so i don't get back home much. so wondering if there are any websites that explain what happened in there. or any books that would be intersting
Posted by pilsnerurquel (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'd like to know too, bellaloveskitty.
Posted by ajohnsonx (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
go to the tour
Posted by Timray18 (Tim Ray) on September 16, 2009 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
leave it to Chris Schuelke and crew to present a reasonably priced tour....having attended some of his endeavors you will undoubtedly be illuminated and enjoy the program.
Posted by whostruth (anonymous) on September 17, 2009 at 1:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Capitalizing on the misfourture of those who sufferd a brain disorder ,how sad and how discriminating, many people fail to seek help and commit suicide because they are embarised because of this kind of stigma , just plain ignorent, i hope you are all ashamed of yourselves,how awfull.
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