The Saratoga County Homestead, or Homestead Sanitarium, was a large Tuberculosis Sanatorium located in Barkersville, in Saratoga County, New York. It is publicly recorded as The Homestead Sanitarium.
The Homestead was opened in 1914 and treated patients for tuberculosis until 1960. The original building was wood, but was replaced by the brick building that stands today in 1932. The institution reopened in 1961 as The Saratoga County Infirmary. Other reports claim that it was turned into a Retirement Home.
An incomprehensive list of patients who died while in the care of the sanitarium can be found at: http://saratoganygenweb.com/BurkFH3a.htm
Many people who have visited this place claim that the things left behind (beds, books, kitchen supplies, medical supplies) and abandoned point the possibility that this building was shut down suddenly. However, if this was in fact reopened as the Saratoga County Infirmary, then the left behind items would not be related to the Sanitarium.
While there is no documentation that has been found by interested parties and paranormal activity hunters, the building still stands. Thrill seekers have often traveled to this building in the hopes of capturing some ghostly activity.
Famous quotes containing the words county and/or homestead:
“Don’t you know there are 200 temperance women in this county who control 200 votes. Why does a woman work for temperance? Because she’s tired of liftin’ that besotted mate of hers off the floor every Saturday night and puttin’ him on the sofa so he won’t catch cold. Tonight we’re for temperance. Help yourself to them cloves and chew them, chew them hard. We’re goin’ to that festival tonight smelling like a hot mince pie.”
—Laurence Stallings (1894–1968)
“Called on one occasion to a homestead cabin whose occupant had been found frozen to death, Coroner Harvey opened the door, glanced in, and instantly pronounced his verdict, “Deader ‘n hell!””
—For the State of Nebraska, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)