Memories Of North Reading State Sanatorium

By Author: Sue Schoenholz
Total Articles: 1
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There were four institutions in Massachusetts for patients who had contracted tuberculosis. The first one was the North Reading State Sanatorium that existed between 1909 and 1962.

There were four institutions in Massachusetts for patients who had contracted tuberculosis. The first one was the North Reading State Sanatorium that existed between 1909 and 1962. The second was the Rutland State Sanatorium that existed between 1895 and 1966. The third was the Westfield State Sanatorium. Its name was later changed to the Western Massachusetts Hospital in 1962. The fourth was the Lakeville State Sanatorium, which was closed in 1992. The general trend was that when a tuberculosis sanatorium closed it was changed to accommodate long term care needs. This was if it remained open at all.

It was a deeply personal experience for people who were admitted at the North Reading State Sanatorium, not only for them but also for their families. It was a deeply traumatic experience for many patients. It changed the way they lived the rest of their life. Many people felt that they needed a sense of closure to get over this traumatic ...
... experience. Of course, the MA sanatorium no longer exists. But people who were patients at one time still want to keep in touch with each other so that they can discuss what happened all those years ago.

The history of the North Reading State Sanatorium is a long one. The facility was opened on the first of July, 1909. Originally the bed capacity was only for a hundred and fifty patients. The capacity was eventually doubled. In 1926 the facility was exclusively used for treating and caring for children. The name of this institution has been changed many times. For some time it was known as the J.T. Berry Rehabilitation Center. Even today it is possible to find old photos of North Reading that will tell the modern generation what this place looked like back then.

Recently, Internet forums have been created that allow people who have been in this institution to get in touch with each other and share their experiences. Coming across information about this place can be quite difficult even with the help of the Internet. That is why, for many former patients the best way of sharing knowledge is by contacting each other. Some people might have very vivid memories of their time spent there, while other people might have vague memories about their time spent here. But by sharing experiences everybody can arrive at a common consensus about North Reading Sanatorium. For many people it might help to bring about a sense of closure.

Trying to remember the past is quite difficult. This is especially true when the world has changed so much. Old buildings have been torn down and street names have been changed but the memories still exist. Many institutions have no written records or documentation of this place. It is only in the memories of a few people that these places continue to live on. However, there are many people who would like to understand their memories of North Reading State Sanatorium and get some kind of closure.
Resource: http://www.northreadingsan.com/