The Buildings of Pennhurst

The Pennhurst campus sprawled across 1,400 acres along the Schuylkill River, with buildings constructed in several stages between 1903 and the 1960s.[1] Each structure served a specific function in the institution's attempt at self-sufficiency, though many would become sites of profound suffering. The older buildings, designed by architect Philip H. Johnson, were two-storied structures made of red brick, terra cotta, and granite trimmings, connected by fireproof underground tunnels with walkways—called catwalks—on top for transporting residents.[2]

Aerial view of Pennhurst State School campus from 1922 showing the cottage-style layout with multiple buildings connected by pathways

Aerial View of Pennhurst Campus, 1922
This early photograph shows the cottage-style layout of the institution. Image: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Campus Design: The central administration building featured two side porte-cocheres, a front portico, and a copper cupola in the center of the roof. The remaining cottage buildings were L- and I-shaped with the exception of Dietary, which was Y-shaped, and Devon Hall, which was H-shaped.[3]

Original Campus Buildings (1908-1918)

Administration Building

Pennhurst Administration Building exterior showing red brick Victorian architecture with cupola

The administrative heart of the institution, this imposing structure housed offices and institutional records. The building featured a distinctive copper cupola and front portico.[3] It now serves as the main building for the controversial "Pennhurst Asylum" haunted attraction that opened in 2010. First photographed in 1922, it stands as the most recognizable symbol of the institution.[4]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Philadelphia Building

Philadelphia Building showing red brick L-shaped cottage structure

One of the original residential cottages completed by 1908.[5] Named for the city of Philadelphia, this building served as a temporary administration building before the main one was completed. The building was connected to other structures via the extensive tunnel system that allowed movement during harsh Pennsylvania winters.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Quaker Hall

Quaker Hall at Pennhurst showing deteriorated brick exterior and boarded windows

One of the original buildings completed in 1908, Quaker Hall was designated for housing residents with disabilities like ADHD and Autism, the residents in this building were segregated based on their cognitive function, floor 1 being for those with high support needs (like nonverbal), and floor 2 being used for residents on the spectrum with low support needs.[6] The building was also a punishment building as explained in the 1968 expose by Bill Baldini, they would send residents here to be humiliated for whatever reason they could think of, in one case Doctor Fear (yes that was his name) had sent a young boy to quaker because he didn't like the fact the kid was becoming too smart.[7]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0

Rockwell Hall

Rockwell Hall showing three-story red brick structure with multiple windows

One of the original residential buildings completed in 1908.[5] Rockwell Hall (or Rockwell Schoolhouse) was one of the larger structures that taught numerous residents throughout the institution's operation. The building stood for over a century until demolition in 2020 due to structural instability and safety concerns. The building was a school house where the residents were taught up to the 8th grade level. Pennhurst was one of the only institutions to teach their mentally disabled population in the State.[8]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Franklin Hall

Franklin Hall showing deteriorated red brick building with overgrown vegetation

Completed as part of the original campus by 1908, Franklin Hall was a residential cottage that housed residents throughout the institution's operation.[5] The building exemplified the L-shaped design common to many of Pennhurst's cottage-style structures.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Nobel Hall

Nobel Hall showing abandoned red brick cottage with boarded windows

One of the original buildings completed in the first group of structures in 1908.[5] Nobel Hall served as a residential cottage and was connected to the tunnel system that ran beneath the campus.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Union Hall

Union Hall showing red brick residential cottage in state of decay

Completed in 1908 as part of the original campus, Union Hall was a residential cottage.[5] The building exemplified the separation of residents by ability, gender, and whether they were assigned to "training" or "custodial" care—a distinction that determined their entire experience at Pennhurst.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Vincennes Hall

Vincennes Hall showing L-shaped red brick building with deterioration

Another original residential building completed in 1908.[5] Vincennes Hall was part of the cottage system that dotted the lower campus along the Schuylkill River.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Tinicum Hall

Tinicum Hall showing red brick building near traffic circle

One of the original buildings completed in 1908.[5] Named after Tinicum Township in Pennsylvania, this residential cottage reflected the institution's intended service to the commonwealth's disabled population. The traffic circle adjacent to Tinicum and Mayflower Halls remains unchanged from Victorian times.[9]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Early Expansion Buildings (1910s-1920s)

Mayflower Building

Mayflower Building at Pennhurst showing deteriorated red brick exterior

A residential building that became one of the most notorious structures at Pennhurst. Photographs from the 1960s revealed the stark reality: rows of cribs where adult patients were restrained, often lying in their own waste for hours.[10] [11] Mayflower Hall is now used for paranormal investigations and a museum for the site which contains artifacts rescued from both still standing and demolished buildings.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Limerick Building

Limerick Building showing red brick structure with multiple windows and deterioration

A residential facility constructed in the 1910s that suffered from severe overcrowding and inadequate climate control. While buildings had central heating, there was no air conditioning—only windows for airflow during sweltering Pennsylvania summers.[12] The building exemplified the challenges of maintaining humane living conditions in aging structures.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Hospital Building (Whitman)

Whitman Hospital Building showing medical facility exterior with multiple stories

The medical facility where residents received treatment. The hospital building was connected via tunnels to Wilson I and Wilson II (staff housing) and to the power house.[13] However, "treatment" often consisted of sedation, physical restraints, and in extreme cases, punitive measures such as tooth extraction for residents who bit staff or other residents.[10]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Assembly Building

Assembly Building showing large brick gymnasium and auditorium structure

Completed in 1929, the Assembly Building functioned as a gymnasium and auditorium.[14] It served as a gathering space for institutional events and activities, though such programming was limited given chronic understaffing.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

The Female Colony - Upper Campus (1920s-1930s)

In 1916, the Board of Trustees proposed adding a female campus, suggesting the addition would increase patient capacity by 1,000.[15] By 1930, the first buildings on the upper campus, known as the Woman's Colony, were completed.[16]

Pershing Hall

Pershing Hall showing upper campus female residential building

One of the first buildings completed in the Female Colony in 1930, Pershing Hall was designated as a female residential building.[15] It was part of the upper campus that was later acquired by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Buchanan Hall

Completed in 1930 as part of the Female Colony expansion, Buchanan Hall served as female residential housing.[15] The building was designed to accommodate the growing female population at the institution.

Keystone Hall

Another female residential building completed in 1930 as part of the upper campus expansion.[15] Keystone Hall was named in keeping with Pennsylvania's tradition of referencing the "Keystone State."

Audubon Hall

Completed in 1930, Audubon Hall differed from the other Female Colony buildings—it was constructed as an employee dormitory rather than resident housing.[15] Staff housing was essential given the remote location and demand for round-the-clock care.

Penn Hall

Added in the 1930s expansion, Penn Hall was one of the buildings not connected to the tunnel system.[3] It served as residential housing during the institution's peak years of overcrowding.

Mid-Century Additions (1940s-1950s)

Devon Hall

Devon Hall at Pennhurst showing H-shaped building design with deteriorating brick facade

Constructed on the lower campus after World War II, Devon Hall featured a distinctive H-shaped design.[3] The basement of Devon Hall became particularly notorious, representing some of the darkest aspects of institutional life. Residents and former staff describe it as a place of punishment and isolation. Railroad tracks are still visible under the pavement behind Devon Hall, where boxcars were brought directly onto the main campus to deliver supplies.[3]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Capitol Hall

Capitol Hall showing post-WWII residential building on lower campus

Erected after World War II along with Devon Hall, Capitol was constructed on the lower campus.[3] It served as residential housing during the institution's peak population period in the 1950s.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Modern Era Buildings (1960s-1970s)

Horizon Hall (New Horizons)

Horizon Hall showing modern 1970s-era building, now part of Veterans Center

One of the newest buildings at Pennhurst, Horizon Hall opened in 1971 with $21 million in state funding allocated after Bill Baldini's 1968 exposé.[17] The building represented an attempt to modernize the facility, but came too late to address the systemic failures of institutionalization. After Pennhurst's closure, Horizon Hall was renovated as part of the Southeastern Veterans' Center and reopened in 1993 as Coates Hall.[18]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Hershey Hall

A residential building that served residents for decades before falling into dangerous disrepair. Named in Pennsylvania tradition, Hershey Hall was demolished in 2020 alongside Rockwell and Dietary halls due to structural instability.[8]

Service and Support Buildings

Dietary Hall

Dietary Hall Y-shaped building with deteriorating brick facade

The central food preparation facility with a distinctive Y-shaped design where meals were prepared for thousands.[3] The railroad tracks that delivered supplies are still visible beneath the pavement behind this building. Dietary Hall was demolished in 2020 due to structural concerns.[8]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Laundry Building

Laundry Building showing industrial facility where residents performed forced labor

The facility where residents performed forced, unpaid labor. In 1953 alone, residents performed an estimated five million pounds of laundry—labor that continued until 1973 when such practices were outlawed in Pennsylvania.[19]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Industry Building

Where capable residents were assigned to various industrial tasks including mattress-making, shoemaking and repair, painting, and other crafts.[20] The work was unpaid and benefited the institution's operations.

Storeroom

The facility where institutional supplies and materials were kept. Connected to the broader tunnel system for efficient distribution of goods across campus.

Power House

Power House showing industrial building with tall smokestack

Pennhurst operated its own power plant to maintain self-sufficiency.[21] The Pennsylvania Railroad created a Pennhurst Station on its Schuylkill Division specifically to deliver coal and supplies to the power house.[3] The railroad tracks have since been removed and converted into part of the Schuylkill River Trail.

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

The Morgue

Small morgue building with ominous appearance where deceased residents were prepared

A small, chilling structure where deceased residents were prepared for burial. For many residents, the morgue was their final stop before being interred in the Pennhurst Cemetery on the grounds. The total number of deaths at Pennhurst throughout its operation remains unknown.[22]

Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

The Underground Tunnel System

Interior of Pennhurst tunnels showing concrete walls, arched ceiling, and steam pipes

Inside the Pennhurst Tunnel System
The extensive underground network connected buildings across campus.
Photo: Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Engineering Marvel, Scene of Tragedy: An extensive network of fireproof concrete tunnels ran beneath the campus, connecting buildings above and below ground.[2] During winter, patients, food, supplies, and even bodies were transported through these tunnels. Walkways called "catwalks" ran on top of the tunnels for additional transportation routes. Steam pipes distributed heat throughout the connected buildings. Visitors decades after closure report an oppressive atmosphere in these passages, and teeth from extracted dental procedures were found in the tunnels years after the institution closed.[10]

Campus Layout and Preservation

The Pennhurst campus was divided into upper and lower sections stretching along the Schuylkill River. The road pattern, including the traffic circle adjacent to Tinicum and Mayflower Halls, remains unchanged from Victorian times.[9] Much of the property is surrounded by a carefully laid and pointed stone wall, with the longest expanse—nearly entirely intact—running along Commonwealth Drive. The wall incorporates elaborate gates at various access points, and six grand entrance pillars of similar design still stand.[9]

The upper campus was acquired by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and renovated as the Southeastern Veterans' Center, which opened in 1986.[18] The lower campus buildings, many now in severe disrepair, remain as haunting reminders of institutional life. By 2020, several buildings including Hershey, Rockwell, and Dietary halls were deemed unsafe for reuse and demolished.[8]

Preservation Efforts: Pennhurst was designated a historic property in 1972 under constitutional protection for historic properties.[23] In 2015, the Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance began working with the Southeastern Veterans' Center to obtain the superintendent's residence for a future museum and interpretive center.[24] The Alliance advocates for creating a proper memorial to honor those who lived and died at Pennhurst, opposing the commercialization of the site as a haunted attraction.

Citations and Sources

[1] Pennsylvania State Archives. "Pennhurst State School and Hospital Records, 1903-1987." Record Group 23. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Campus size and construction timeline documented.
[2] "Hunting Ghosts at Pennhurst State School." MidAtlantic Daytrips. September 3, 2022. Description of architectural design by Philip H. Johnson and tunnel system with catwalks.
[3] "Pennhurst State School and Hospital." Wikipedia. Accessed October 2025. Details on administration building design, tunnel connections, building shapes, and railroad tracks.
[4] Pennsylvania State Archives photographic collection. Administration building first photographed in 1922, showing completed campus.
[5] "History - Pennhurst Asylum." Pennhurst Asylum website. Accessed October 2025. List of original buildings completed by 1908 including Philadelphia, Quaker, Rockwell, Franklin, Nobel, Union, Vincennes, and Tinicum halls.
[6] "Behind the walls of terror." The Snapper (Millersville University). April 10, 2021. Description of Quaker Hall housing dangerous patients and criminals.
[7] "Pennhurst Insane Asylum - United States of America." Ermakvagus.com. Accessed October 2025. Details on Quaker Hall's purpose and violent conditions.
[8] "Pennhurst State School and Hospital." Wikipedia. March 2020 demolition of Hershey, Rockwell, and Dietary halls completed by November 2020.
[9] Community Design Collaborative. "Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance Report." 2016. Details on Victorian road patterns, stone walls, and entrance pillars.
[10] "'The Shame of Pennsylvania:' Inside the tragic and frightening Pennhurst State School and Hospital." The Vintage News. August 22, 2017. Descriptions of Mayflower Building conditions and teeth found in tunnels.
[11] "Pennhurst State School and Hospital - The Little House of Horrors." The Little House of Horrors blog. August 1, 2025. Description of "The King" entity in Mayflower basement boiler room.
[12] Baldini, Bill. "Suffer the Little Children." WCAU-TV Philadelphia, 1968. Documentation of building conditions including lack of air conditioning.
[13] "Pennhurst Insane Asylum." Ermakvagus.com. Hospital building connections to Wilson I, Wilson II, and power house via tunnel system.
[14] "History - Pennhurst Asylum." Assembly Building completion in 1929 as gymnasium and auditorium.
[15] "History - Pennhurst Asylum." 1916 Board of Trustees proposal and 1930 completion of Pershing, Buchanan, Keystone halls (female buildings) and Audubon Hall (employee dormitory).
[16] "Pennhurst Insane Asylum." Ermakvagus.com. Upper campus Female Colony buildings named Pershing, Buchanan, Audubon, and Keystone completed in 1930.
[17] "History - Pennhurst Asylum." Horizon Hall opening in 1971 with $21 million in state funding following 1968 exposé.
[18] "Pennhurst State School and Hospital." Wikipedia. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs acquisition of upper campus, opening of Southeastern Veterans' Center in 1986, and renovation of Horizon Hall as Coates Hall in 1993.
[19] Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Annual Report, 1953. Documentation of five million pounds of laundry performed by residents.
[20] "Pennhurst State School and Hospital - The Little House of Horrors." Description of resident work assignments including mattress-making, shoemaking, farming, laundry, and other tasks.
[21] "'The Shame of Pennsylvania.'" The Vintage News. Description of Pennhurst as self-sufficient community with own power plant, farm, hospital, and other facilities.
[22] "Pennhurst State School and Hospital - The Little House of Horrors." Note that number of deaths at Pennhurst is unknown.
[23] "History - Pennhurst Asylum." 1972 designation as historic property under constitutional protection.
[24] "Pennhurst State School and Hospital." Wikipedia. 2015 Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance efforts to obtain superintendent's residence for museum.