History of State Hospital South

On July 2, 1886, four years before Idaho was granted statehood, the Idaho Insane Asylum opened its doors.  At that time, patients with mental illness were referred to as “inmates” and were committed for life with the possibility of parole.  The psychiatric treatment of the inmates was primarily custodial care while working on the farm, in the garden, barns, orchards, shops and laundry.  This presentation will focus on the history of psychiatric treatment provided at State Hospital South along with the history of the hospital.