Byberry Asylum, otherwise known as The Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry, was established in 1907 with the best of intentions. Originally intended as a working farm for the mentally ill but eventually became the largest mental hospital in Pennsylvania before finally being shut down in 1990 after the horrific conditions inside because too much for the outside world to ignore. Join us as Kim tells us about the history of Byberry and why a celebration was held when the campus was completely demolished in 2006.

All sources can be found below:

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fUiMt7yaZV0C&oi=fnd&pg=PA6&dq=byberry+mental+hospital&ots=GIL8vCdOai&sig=DFYif1Exp0aOuQbnLYO_Wcr8GNs#v=onepage&q=byberry%20mental%20hospital&f=false

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Byberry_State_Hospital/fUiMt7yaZV0C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=byberry+state+hospital&printsec=frontcover

https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/byberry-philadelphia-state-hospital/

https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/feature-articles/best-intentions-byberry-asylum

https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/nhhc/nurses-institutions-caring/history-of-psychiatric-hospitals/

https://harrisburghistorical.org/items/show/27

https://www.phillymag.com/news/2015/06/28/byberry-mental-institution-survivors/

https://homeplatedontmove.com/2025/09/22/the-horror-and-tragedy-of-byberry-hospital/

https://allthatsinteresting.com/insane-asylums/4#:~:text=Medical%20procedures%20were%20commonly%20done,past%20patients%20are%20still%20remembered.

https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels2/prologue/6a-bedlam/bedlam-life1946.pdf