Letchworth Village
Encyclopedia
Letchworth Village was a residential institution located in Rockland County, New York
, built for the physically and mentally disabled of all ages from the newborn to the elderly. Opened in the early 1900s, Letchworth Village at its peak consisted of over 130 buildings spread out over many acres of land.
In the 1950s, the first trial case of the Polio vaccine
in the United States was administered to an 8-year-old patient. After suffering no side effects, the vaccine was administered to 19 more of the institution's children.
In 1972, a New York affiliate of ABC News
featured Letchworth Village and its appalling conditions in an episode called The Last Great Disgrace which helped lead to reform of similar healthcare institutions throughout the United States. But prior media attention and national focus was not enough to save Letchworth Village, and by the mid-1980s, the institution was no longer being adequately funded nor properly managed and residents, including children, continued to be found unclothed, unbathed, and neglected. In addition to rampant abuse among the institution's residents, staff also suffered abuse at the hands of fellow co-workers which included incidents of rape.
In 1996, the institution was permanently closed down and its abandoned structures have since fallen in serious disrepair.
In 2011, Letchworth was featured on the Travel Channel's
Ghost Adventures
cable-television series on Season 5, Episode 6 which originally aired on October 28, 2011.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, built for the physically and mentally disabled of all ages from the newborn to the elderly. Opened in the early 1900s, Letchworth Village at its peak consisted of over 130 buildings spread out over many acres of land.
In the 1950s, the first trial case of the Polio vaccine
Polio vaccine
Two polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat poliomyelitis . The first was developed by Jonas Salk and first tested in 1952. Announced to the world by Salk on April 12, 1955, it consists of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus. An oral vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin...
in the United States was administered to an 8-year-old patient. After suffering no side effects, the vaccine was administered to 19 more of the institution's children.
In 1972, a New York affiliate of ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
featured Letchworth Village and its appalling conditions in an episode called The Last Great Disgrace which helped lead to reform of similar healthcare institutions throughout the United States. But prior media attention and national focus was not enough to save Letchworth Village, and by the mid-1980s, the institution was no longer being adequately funded nor properly managed and residents, including children, continued to be found unclothed, unbathed, and neglected. In addition to rampant abuse among the institution's residents, staff also suffered abuse at the hands of fellow co-workers which included incidents of rape.
In 1996, the institution was permanently closed down and its abandoned structures have since fallen in serious disrepair.
In 2011, Letchworth was featured on the Travel Channel's
Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
Ghost Adventures
Ghost Adventures
Ghost Adventures is a weekly American paranormal television series that premiered on October 17, 2008 on the Travel Channel. Currently produced by MY-Tupelo Entertainment , the program follows and stars ghost hunters Zak Bagans, Nick Groff, and Aaron Goodwin, as they investigate locations that are...
cable-television series on Season 5, Episode 6 which originally aired on October 28, 2011.