Danvers in Essex County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)
National Historic Landmark
Danvers State Hospital
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 1, 2024
1. National Historic Landmark Marker
Originally known as Hathorne Hill, a 257-foot glacial drumlin that was the home of famous Salem Witch Trial judge John Hathorne, the land became home of the Dodge Farm in the 1800's. However, its time as farm land was short lived when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts allocated funds to build the Danvers State Hospital there in 1874.
The architect, Nathaniel Bradlee, for whom the community is now named, can be credited with over 500 architectural projects in Boston and the surrounding area. He designed the Gothic-Style Kirkbride building at a time when much of the country was still recovering from the financial strain of the Civil War. The Kirkbride building was based on the design of Physician Thomas Kirkbride, who believed that patients needed access to natural light and an abundant view of natural landscapes in order to heal.
Today it's a beautifully restored apartment community that provides high end homes to people in, and moving to, the surrounding community. The original design has been maintained as a nod to the area's rich history and original intention for natural serenity.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Science & Medicine.
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Location. 42° 34.851′ N, 70° 58.483′ W. Marker is in Danvers, Massachusetts, in Essex County. It can be reached from Kirkbride Drive, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1405 Kirkbride Dr, Danvers MA 01923, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Massachusetts’ North Shore, in Greater Boston, and in the Merrimack Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Institution (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Danvers State Hospital (about 500 feet away); The People (about 500 feet away); Derby Summer House (approx. 0.7 miles away); Village Training Field (approx. 1.1 miles away); Deacon Nathaniel Ingersoll (approx. 1.1 miles away); The 1681 Salem Village Parsonage (approx. 1.2 miles away); The 1734 Addition (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Danvers.
Regarding National Historic Landmark. This is not a National Historic Landmark. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Also see . . .
1. Danvers State Hospital. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on January 14, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. State Lunatic Hospital at Danvers (PDF).
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 1, 2024
2. National Historic Landmark Marker
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 1, 2024
3. Kirkbridge Building, former Danvers State Hospital
The central portion of the building, built in 1874-78, served as the hospital's administrative center. The hospital closed in 1992, and nearly all of its buildings were subsequently demolished. Only the brick outer walls of this building and two adjacent wings were preserved; they now are the facade of a residential complex that was built completely within its walls.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 10, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 325 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 10, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
