Delaware State Hospital Cemetery at Farnhurst
Historical background. This cemetery is also known as the “Spiral Cemetery” and is located at the northwestern edge of the Holloway Campus, just southwest of the Springer Building (across the parking lot). It was the official cemetery for people who died at the Delaware State Hospital/Delaware Psychiatric Center and were not claimed by friends or family for burial elsewhere. The 778 burials date from 1891 to 1983, and are indicated by small numbered granite markers in a spiral pattern (#1 at the center). Only one grave has an actual headstone. One Civil War Veteran (Arnold Morris, 25th US Colored Infantry,
Union, Grave #199) has been identified to date.
Most of the people who are buried in this cemetery were indigent patients of the Delaware State Hospital (DSH). Today, the successor of the DSH is the Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC); the DPC serves only individuals with mental illness. In the past, however, the DSH also served individuals with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, seizure disorders, syphilis, alcohol and substance abuse problems, and various types of senile dementia. In addition, because the DSH was better equipped to provide medical care of all kinds, seriously ill residents of the New Castle County Almshouse were also routinely transferred to DSH.
The Almshouse, later known as the New Castle County Hospital, (NCCH) was once located adjacent to the main DSH building. In the photo above, the Almshouse/NCCH is the building on the left facing DuPont Highway. The matching building on the right is the original Delaware State Hospital; it is ow the Main Administration Building at the Holloway Campus. The Almshouse burned to the ground in the 1950s.
In addition to indigent patients from the DSH and Almshouse, the Spiral Cemetery includes at least one employee of DSH, a painter, who died of smallpox at a time when the campus was under quarantine.
There is a “Cemetery Book” that records the names, dates of death, and grave numbers of (almost) everyone buried in the Spiral Cemetery. The original is housed at the Delaware State Archives in Dover, and the data are available on-line at www.findagrave.com (Delaware State Hospital Cemetery).
Accomplishments to date. The following tasks have been accomplished for the Farnhurst Spiral Cemetery:
Union, Grave #199) has been identified to date.
Most of the people who are buried in this cemetery were indigent patients of the Delaware State Hospital (DSH). Today, the successor of the DSH is the Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC); the DPC serves only individuals with mental illness. In the past, however, the DSH also served individuals with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, seizure disorders, syphilis, alcohol and substance abuse problems, and various types of senile dementia. In addition, because the DSH was better equipped to provide medical care of all kinds, seriously ill residents of the New Castle County Almshouse were also routinely transferred to DSH.
The Almshouse, later known as the New Castle County Hospital, (NCCH) was once located adjacent to the main DSH building. In the photo above, the Almshouse/NCCH is the building on the left facing DuPont Highway. The matching building on the right is the original Delaware State Hospital; it is ow the Main Administration Building at the Holloway Campus. The Almshouse burned to the ground in the 1950s.
In addition to indigent patients from the DSH and Almshouse, the Spiral Cemetery includes at least one employee of DSH, a painter, who died of smallpox at a time when the campus was under quarantine.
There is a “Cemetery Book” that records the names, dates of death, and grave numbers of (almost) everyone buried in the Spiral Cemetery. The original is housed at the Delaware State Archives in Dover, and the data are available on-line at www.findagrave.com (Delaware State Hospital Cemetery).
Accomplishments to date. The following tasks have been accomplished for the Farnhurst Spiral Cemetery:
- The overlying brush and vines have been cleared away, and the grass is routinely mowed by a crew from DHSS Facilities
- A landscape plan has been drawn up; once implemented, it will mark off and beautify the cemetery, which is currently not very noticeable (plan available from Faith Kuehn)
- A comparative report on what other states have done to restore their long-forgotten mental institution cemeteries has been prepared (report available here)
- A fund (FR 1204) has been established with the Delaware Community Foundation, to facilitate financial contributions to the committee
- An application has been made to the state Cemetery Board to register the cemetery, which will make it eligible for support from the Distressed Cemetery Fund. UPDATE 2016: The Cemetery is now officially registered with the state, but it was ruled ineligible for support from the Distressed Cemetery Fund, as it is located on State of Delaware property, and therefore should be maintained by the state.
- A survey of the cemetery is underway to record which granite markers are broken, missing, eroded so that the number is illegible, subsided, or out of place (Kathy Dettwyler)
- Outreach has been made to various other stake-holders, including members of the peer community, the Delaware
Historical Society, the Delaware Historical Commission, a number of individuals who work on restoring other historic cemeteries in Delaware, and Representative Michael A. Barbieri (with whom a meeting has been scheduled) - The Friends of the Potter’s Field committee has discussed what other sorts of improvements might be possible, including a surrounding fence, an explanatory sign, a memorial marker with the names of the deceased (similar to the ones being produced for the three active Potter’s Fields), and a state historical marker, among other possibilities
- Priorities for the future. The first priorities for the Spiral Cemetery are to do some more landscaping work, including trimming of the adjacent trees/hedgerow, to erect a sign, to implement the landscape plans, and to erect a monument with the names of the dead listed (as has been provided for the three active Potter’s Fields).