"Remembered at Long Last" – The Ridges, Athens, Ohio

On January 9, 1874, a state-of-the-art psychiatric hospital opened on the Ridges in Athens, Ohio. Originally named The Athens Lunatic Asylum, the institution featured grandiose buildings surrounded by elaborate landscaping with ponds, fountains, and parks. The theory was that patients’ health would be improved, if not altogether cured, by the beautiful setting. Unfortunately, mental health care during the time was not nearly as advanced as it is today, and once admitted, most patients remained until their deaths. The hospital soon created its own cemeteries to serve as a final resting place for patients who were not claimed by their families. With few exceptions their graves were marked only with a number. Over the past several years, a group has worked to identify the men and women buried in the graves and contact descendants. Some families have opted to give their relatives more appropriate headstones with their names and birth and death dates.