Metropolitan State Hospital (California) - History

History

The hospital’s history began in 1915 when Hiram Johnson, California's governor, signed legislation that authorized the expenditure of about $400,000 for the purchase of land on which to build a state hospital, designed to provide care and treatment to California’s increasing population of persons with psychiatric disabilities. Three potential sites for the new facility were considered: Beverly Hills, Signal Hill, and Norwalk. The decision to place the hospital in Norwalk was prompted primarily because of its location, with easy access to good roads and railroad service. Metropolitan’s early site encompassed over 300 acres (1.2 km2).

The hospital was self-sufficient in its early days. A dairy, garden, pigs, and cows produced income and food products that could be used by the staff and patients. The farm also kept food costs at a minimum, at a time when milk prices alone had increased from 17 cents per gallon in 1916 to 32 cents in 1918.

As the area around the hospital became developed after World War II and the city of Norwalk grew around it, many changes have taken place. The biggest change in patient care has come from development of psychotropic medications, increased therapies and new community standards. The hospital has since consolidated its grounds and facilities of tudor styled dormitories into its present 162 acres (0.66 km2).

In 1975, the hospital was the subject of a black-and-white documentary from film makers Richard Cohen and Kevin Rafferty titled Hurry Tomorrow, which alleged coercive drugging of patients with the sedatives Chlorpromazine and Prolixin. In December, 1976 The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite ran a story about patient deaths at Metropolitan and Camarillo State Hospitals, and the story featured scenes from Hurry Tomorrow.