Reflecting on the Lost St. Joseph Riverside Hospital

Have you ever felt a strong desire to explore the spaces of the past, to walk through corridors that have been lost to demolition?

Have you ever felt a strong desire to explore the spaces of the past, to walk through corridors that have been lost to demolition?

I recall my own experience of walking through the former St. Joseph Riverside Hospital in Warren, Ohio. The hospital was built between 1923 and 1924 and underwent several expansions throughout its history. However, in 1996, it merged with the Warren General Hospital. The building was later repurposed for various offices until it was forced to close due to fire code violations in 2008. Finally, after enduring prolonged legal battles, the hospital was demolished in 2023.

During my first visit to the hospital, it was clear that the building had seen better days. Many windows were shattered, walls were covered in graffiti, and chaos seemed to reign supreme. The reason for my one visit remains unclear, yet the urge to tread its corridors just once more persists, a longing for one final encounter with a piece of history now lost to the annals of time.