05/08/2026
Philadelphia's State Hospital for Mental Diseases, also known as Byberry Insane Asylum, was situated at the terminus of Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia's Northeast section, specifically in the Somerton area. For almost two centuries, Northeastern Philadelphia had been institutionalizing its mentally ill citizens in an effort to 'keep them off the streets,' as their presence instilled fear among the local population. One of the primary issues plaguing Byberry was neglect, which was rampant behind its stone walls. Due to inadequate funding from the legislature, the institution struggled to maintain a functional staff, resulting in a severe shortage of medical professionals and security personnel. With over 6,100 patients, approximately 75 percent beyond its intended capacity, Byberry was staffed by only 180 attendants, a figure that met a mere 16 percent of the standard requirement set by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Furthermore, the hospital's staffing woes were exacerbated by the presence of only 14 physicians and 90 nurses, translating to a ratio of one attendant for every 300-400 patients.
The inhumane conditions at Byberry remained largely unknown to the public until 1946, when Albert Maisel, a Life magazine reporter, and another journalist publicized the asylum's situation. Maisel's article 'Bedlam 1946' drew attention to the inadequate staffing, noting that 'the fact is that beatings are merely the extreme end product which thrusts upon overworked, poorly trained and shamefully underpaid employees the burden of controlling hundreds of patients whom they fear and despise.' Byberry's troubled past came to a close in 2006, when the site was demolished in June under the supervision of John Westrum, CEO of Westrum Development Company, sixteen years after its abandonment.
Photocredit to Philadelphia State Hospital : Byberry Facebook
