Architectural preservation in Bolivar, Tennessee

Western State Mental Hospital, located at 11100 Old Highway 64 in Bolivar, Tennessee, is a historic insane asylum with a rich and storied past. Built in the late 19th century, the hospital was the last of Tennessee's major mental hospitals from the Victorian era and remains in operation today. The Gothic Revival architecture of the administration building is a significant example of institutional design in Tennessee. Designed by the McDonald brothers, the hospital was based on the Kirkbride Plan, a method of asylum construction and mental health treatment. The hospital features long wings for patients, separate facilities for male and female patients, and a central administrative core. The hospital was set on a rural hilltop farm with expansive grounds and self-sufficient facilities.