Inside New Jersey’s Abandoned Greystone Psychiatric Hospital With Lightfoot

Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, constructed in 1876 based on the Kirkbride Plan, initially served as a model for compassionate mental health treatment. However, as the years passed, the hospital faced issues of overcrowding, understaffing, and neglect, leading to its closure in 2008. The abandoned building, with its eerie atmosphere, drew the attention of urban explorers, vandals, and curious visitors.

One such visitor, Lightfoot, a photographer and adventurer, explored the decaying hospital in 2014. He focused on capturing the remnants of Woody Guthrie’s presence, the legendary folk singer who spent five years at Greystone suffering from Huntington’s disease.

Woody Guthrie’s Story

Woody Guthrie, a prominent 20th-century musician known for his socially conscious songs, faced a challenging life marked by poverty, hardship, and Huntington’s disease—a genetic disorder causing brain cell degeneration. Guthrie exhibited symptoms in the late 1940s, leading to erratic behavior and multiple misdiagnoses. Committed to Greystone from 1956 to 1961, he endured electroshock therapy, medication, and isolation, unable to play his guitar or write songs. Despite his condition, Guthrie’s legacy endured, influencing artists like Bob Dylan.

Transferred to another hospital in Brooklyn, Guthrie passed away in 1967 at the age of 55.

The Deterioration of Greystone

Following Guthrie’s departure, Greystone operated until 2008 when deteriorating conditions and overcrowding led to its closure. The expansive structure, covering over 600,000 square feet and designed in the Second Empire Victorian style, was a historic landmark representing the Kirkbride Plan.

However, Greystone deviated from the humane ideals of the plan, facing scandals, lawsuits, and decay. The neglected building became a symbol of the mental health system’s failures and attracted urban explorers interested in its history.

Lightfoot, actually Phillip Buehler, a seasoned photographer fascinated by modern ruins, learned about Greystone from Nora Guthrie. Nora, Woody’s daughter, invited him to document the abandoned hospital, providing access to the Woody Guthrie Archives.

Lightfoot’s Exploration

Lightfoot, equipped with his camera and a passion for exploring abandoned places, ventured into Greystone several times. Inspired by Guthrie’s story, he captured the decaying corridors, empty rooms, and graffiti-covered walls. Lightfoot sought traces of Guthrie’s presence, eventually discovering the musician’s ward on the fourth floor.

He documented the chilling atmosphere, metal beds, and remnants of Guthrie’s existence, such as carved names and drawings. Lightfoot’s journey aimed to connect with Guthrie’s experience and share it with the public.

Collaborating with Nora Guthrie, Lightfoot published a book titled “Woody Guthrie’s Wardy Forty: Greystone Park State Hospital Revisited” and exhibited his photographs in New York. Despite Lightfoot’s efforts to preserve Greystone, the state of New Jersey decided to demolish the historic building in 2015 due to safety and environmental concerns.

The End of Greystone

Despite public opposition and criticism, the demolition was completed in October 2015. Only the chapel, firehouse, and cottages remained, with the rest of the campus transformed into a park.

Many mourned the loss of Greystone, arguing that it could have been restored, repurposed, or preserved as a valuable cultural landmark. Lightfoot expressed regret over the demolition, emphasizing the building’s historical significance and Woody Guthrie’s connection to it.

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