{"product_id":"dixmont-state-hospital-9781531627676","title":"Dixmont State Hospital","description":"Pittsburgh natives have recognized Dixmont State Hospital by its towering boiler house smokestack that stood prominently along busy Route 65. It has been a topic of curiosity, urban exploration, ghost hunts, and historical research; but prior to its closing in 1984, Dixmont State Hospital stood as a refuge to the mentally ill for three counties in western Pennsylvania. A majestic study in the Kirkbride design of asylum architecture, Dixmont was originally built by the Western Pennsylvania Hospital in 1859 as a private venture before being bought by the commonwealth. It was named for famed mental health care reformer Dorothea Dix, who was instrumental in choosing the hospital's site--a site chosen for its tranquility and its view of the Ohio River. Dixmont was completely razed in January 2006 to make way for a multi-parcel commercial endeavor. But for those who spent time there, Dixmont was a vibrant community within a community. Through historic photographs, Dixmont State Hospital opens up this world that was off limits to the general public but was alive with festivals, celebrations, and the successful treatment of patients.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Arcadia Publishing Library Editions","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51806077288722,"sku":"9781531627676","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_f1541a7f-f9bd-4c62-a750-652f8b9b82ca.jpg?v=1765974360","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/dixmont-state-hospital-9781531627676","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}