Toledo State Hospital Cemeteries (1888-1973)
For hundreds of years, people with psychiatric, neurological, and medical conditions were often removed from society, sent to live out their days in state run facilities. From 1888 until 1973, 1,994 people who died and weren’t claimed were buried in one of two cemeteries, their graves identified by small concrete blocks marked only with the number of their burial. Even these anonymous grave markers were eventually lost underground after decades of neglect.
This website provides historic and genealogic information to all those interested in hospital and cemetery history.
We would love to hear from you at toledostatehospital@bex.net if you have information, photos, artifacts, stories, are researching family members, or are interested in volunteering or donating toward this worthwhile project.
Photo: Toledo State Hospital Old Cemetery from Arlington Avenue
"The character of a culture is judged by the way it treats its lame, its halt and its disabled." Margaret Mead [ Robinault, ‘Sex, Society and the Disabled’ (1978)]
TSHCRP is a grass roots organization that welcomes donations to support our efforts to restore the State Hospital cemeteries. Tax deductible donations can be made to NAMI of Greater Toledo. For more details see our Donating page.
If you are interested in donating time, money or equipment to help us with this project, please contact us. Remember, we are part of a 501(c)3 organization.
If you would like to donate time or equipment to help us complete this transformation and raise awareness of the state hospital in the process, please contact us.
In 2005, The Toledo State Hospital Cemetery Reclamation Project (TSHCRP) began working in cooperation with the University of Toledo and Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Hospital to restore the two cemeteries associated with Toledo state Hospital and proclaim the honor due the people buried there. Grave markers are being located and raised above ground, monuments and a bench have been installed and more recently a foootpath has been installed.
Our new book "Toledo State Hospital (Images of America)" is now available through our PayPal site!
It costs $22.00 including shipping.
Want more information about us?
Download our brochure to find out more!
If you would like to donate time or equipment to help us complete this transformation and raise awareness of the state hospital in the process, please contact us.