Laurelton State Village was a state institution that provided care, education, and vocational training for people with disabilities.
Laurelton State Village was one of several state-run institutions in Pennsylvania established to care for individuals with developmental disabilities. Like many similar state hospitals and schools of the time, it was designed to provide a centralized location for care, education, and vocational training. Opened in 1920 as the Pennsylvania Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age, the institution aimed to improve the lives of those who were often neglected or marginalized by society. It housed a variety of individuals, including children and adults, offering medical care and therapeutic services intended to help them lead more independent lives.
The significance of such institutions lay in their role in shaping the care systems for people with disabilities. They were among the first attempts to provide institutional care at a time when most individuals with developmental disabilities were either confined to their homes or placed in asylums. Laurelton, like many of its counterparts, was a product of the growing awareness and advocacy for those with special needs during the early 1900s. The facility was designed with the intention of offering more than just custodial care; it included educational programs and vocational training aimed at giving residents the skills necessary for a more integrated existence within society.
However, over time, state institutions like Laurelton faced criticism for overcrowding, inadequate care, and the sometimes harmful institutional environment that developed as they expanded. While initially there was optimism about these institutions’ potential, many, including Laurelton, became a focal point of debate regarding the best ways to care for individuals with developmental disabilities. The shift toward deinstitutionalization in the late 20th century, as part of a broader societal movement, led to the closure of many such facilities. Laurelton was closed in 1998 as the state transitioned to community-based care models emphasizing integration and supporting living in smaller, more family-like settings.
The history of state hospitals and schools like Laurelton is important in understanding both the evolution of care for individuals with developmental disabilities and the broader social changes that shaped the field. Though many of these institutions were marked by challenges and failings, they played a crucial role in the development of specialized care systems. They also contributed to the eventual shift toward more humane, community-based alternatives that better prioritize the dignity and independence of individuals with disabilities.
The potential reuse of the Laurelton State Village campus after its closure was met with numerous challenges and unfulfilled proposals. In 1997, a task force was formed to explore possible future uses for the property, with ideas ranging from a retirement home and foster care center to an elementary and middle school. However, these plans failed to materialize, and two major sales attempts in 1998—one to Hampton Laurelton Associates and another to Hickernell Springs Resort—were both terminated, primarily due to financial difficulties and lack of necessary funding.
Further attempts at reuse were similarly unsuccessful. In 2002, Gary Ream, owner of Woodward Camp, expressed interest in purchasing the property, but environmental concerns about leaking underground fuel tanks delayed negotiations and ultimately led to the cancellation of the sale. A later proposal in 2004 from Firetree Ltd., based in Williamsport, to convert the site into a drug and alcohol treatment center also fell apart due to political pressure and bureaucratic hurdles. A lawsuit filed by Firetree accusing the state of reneging on a deal was ultimately dismissed in court in 2007.
The state finally sold the property in 2005 to Gary Murphy of Mountain Valley Inc. for $1.75 million, with plans to turn it into a luxury resort. However, the redevelopment never took place, and the site remained largely dormant, with only a brief period between 2008 and 2013 when an automotive business used it. In 2014, a proposal by a local ministry to convert the campus into a homeless shelter was also abandoned due to concerns over the operator’s controversial past and the challenges of maintaining such a large, deteriorating site. Ultimately, the failed attempts at repurposing Laurelton underscore the difficulties of redeveloping large, abandoned institutional properties and the complex issues surrounding such projects.
On a chilly and deeply overcast spring morning, I flew over what remains of Laurelton. It has languished for two decades in a state of abandonment. The once-bustling campus now sits in silence, with decaying buildings and overgrown grounds abound. The failed attempts at reuse, from resorts to treatment centers, have left the property in prolonged limbo. As I hovered above the site, I couldn’t help but reflect on the potential it once held, and the unfortunate fate that seems to have befallen it. The history of Laurelton, both as a state institution and a symbol of failed redevelopment, continues to stand as a testament to the challenges of preserving and repurposing such a large, complex property.
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