The South Carolina State Hospital: Stories from Bull Street

by William Buchheit, Adam Lofbomm (Reader)

MP3 CD Format Nearly two decades after it closed, the South Carolina State Hospital continues to hold a palpable mystique in Columbia and throughout the state. Founded in 1821 as the South Carolina Lunatic Asylum, it housed, fed, and treated thousands of patients incapable of surviving on their own. The patient population in 1961 eclipsed 6,600, well above its listed capacity of 4,823, despite an operating budget that ranked forty-fifth out of the forty-eight states with such large public hospitals. By the mid-1990s, the patient population had fallen under 700, and the hospital had become a symbol of captivity, horror, and chaos. Author William Buchheit details this history through the words and interviews of those who worked on the iconic campus.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Mental Health

1 pages, Audio CD

Published March 1, 2021

Reviews

[Kristina Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up in Columbia, I was always a little obsessed with the state hospital on Bull Street. I enjoyed learned more about the history of the building and appreciated the insight into the inner workings of the hospital from the interviews with the nurses, social workers, and various aides.

However.... this book is BADLY in need of an editor. There were so many errors, it was distracting. In one paragraph, the author refers to a Dr. Obert Kempson and in the next paragraph, he is Dr. Obert Simpson. "Forest Acres" in one paragraph, "Forrest Acres" in another. And probably the worst: Buchheit interviews a former patient, Jan Wise, about her time at the state hospital. She is referred to as Jan Wise in multiple different places throughout the interview, yet the 2 pictures of her were subtitled "Jan Price". Also, I don't understand the reason for putting a paragraph long quote from the interviewee at the beginning of each chapter, only to have the same quote repeated on the very next page, when the chapters are no more than a few pages long. Anyway, editor needed, point made.

[Angela Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for anyone who enjoys History, Sociology and Psychology. Also, a definite read for those who are activists against social injustice. The author did a professional job at writing about the goods times people had at the hospital and the challenging times. It manifests the need for better mental health services in South Carolina and more funding. At the same time, from reading this work, it doesn't seem that such large hospitals are needed anymore for mental health patients due to the negatives involved with such large institutional settings. I find the book a call to action for the state of SC and it's citizens to insist on better mental healthcare in our state. Our state deserves nothing but the best.

[Betsy Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating! I’ve literally driven by this hospital most of my adult life and never knew or understood the history of this iconic landmark. If you are interested in the history of how mental health patients have been cared for and treated, this book is a “must read.” And if you are from South Carolina, you will definitely learn something! I didn’t know that our current Governor Henry McMaster’s brother John McMaster was a passionate advocate for the patients and brought tremendous progress & change to the hospital before the deinstitutionalization. I plowed through this book quickly because it’s SO well-written by journalist William Buckheit. He interviews patients, therapists, doctors, nurses, orderlies and even a pastor who worked there. This book is short - around 150 pages - but impactful.

[Brandy Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

So when I purchased this book, I had a certain expectation as to what I would be reading - similar to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest I suppose. This is not that. I did not know I would be reading a commentary on the state of mental health assistance in this state and how it got to be that way, but I'm glad I did.

This book definitely put to rest some of those horror stories and myths that I grew up with as a resident of South Carolina. But it also brought to light an issue that I was aware of, but one that maybe I just hadn't thought about. The deinstitutionalization trend that took place across the country created a vacuum since there was no real solution brought in to shore up the ideas behind the problems. Definitely an interesting read if you're like me and interested in the political and social sides of the issues that take place in our state and nation.

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting read! I have been interested in the state hospital for a while now. I worked extensively on the campus during one of my college classes and learned a lot about the buildings and the history of the campus. But in this book you really get a feel of the personal stories of the folks who worked for the state hospital and in some cases devoted their lives to helping the mentally ill. I also believe this book is a great argument for the good that institution like the state hospital did for their patients.

[Dawn Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mental hospitals needed

This book was special to me as I’m from South Carolina. I’ve always heard bad things about Bull Street obviously from people who didn’t know. This book sheds a different light on the patients and the care they received. We definitely need a mental health hospital. So many people need help.

[Angela Belt-Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

I was hesitant when I first picked this novel up. I was afraid it would be one of those boring matter of fact books with no human interaction. But I was wrong. I read the entire book in one sitting. It was not only informative but humorous and heart wrenching at times. A definite read!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to audiobook.

This is an interesting compendium of former employees, some patients and one volunteer's recollections of their experiences at the now-closed institution. While self-selection (by making oneself available to be interviewed) lends itself to stories which are particularly positive or negative, there was a balance of both. However, the negative ones are clustered at the beginning of the book. The latter half, perhaps more, reads like a very romanticized rendition of reality and demonization of deinstitutionalization. Certainly, closing huge state hospitals in favor of providing mental health care to persons in their home communities was a great idea that failed in its implementation, but one will not find recountings of the overcrowding and sometimes abysmal conditions in which patients were living.

[Tessa Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a fair bit of repetition in these short stories which I found unnecessary, but overall a good book that made you think about various issues you never would unless exposed to in your own life. It was also a testament to good work ethics that have fallen by the wayside through the years. It’s humbling and saddening to hear the stories yet so uplifting to hear the employees living through it and appreciating the small and large changes they were making in lives.....makes it even sadder to see that area of town being torn down (but loved the photos the book offered!) and revitalized when there are so many lives that could be revitalized instead of greedy pockets.

[Lauren Panarello · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever wondered about the empty buildings on Bull Street, check out this book! The stories will leave you with your mind blown and sometimes heartbroken. It is not all sad, there were some fantastic stories of hope as well woven throughout. I can’t wait to discuss this one at our book club lunch this month. 😍👏 My favorite quote from the book was from Loretta Smith, “It was my favorite job...I learned about empathy. I learned that everybody has something they are dealing with. You don’t get through this world without having to battle something, and I learned that there. It was a good training ground for life.” 💗

[Melissa Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

I wish the book has been longer, only 159 pages of reading, then reference credits, and a glossary. I like that it has a glossary. I enjoyed the history especially since I am from SC and have heard stories about Bull Street my whole life. Great pics in the book, sad to see the place in such shambles now, would love to have seen pics of the hospital when it was thriving. Sad that it was shit down when so many still need a place like this. Definitely worth the read, I read on my kindle and plan to order the paperback version for my mom and best friend. Highly recommend

[Margaret Sprott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories about Bull Street as told by doctors, staffers and former patients. What has stayed with me are the declarations of how peaceful a place it was and how some people were happy there, and that after treatment there they came out and lived a productive life. What will also stay with me is how staffers see former patients living on the streets in Columbia, unable to cope with life on the outside. Also, I’ll not forget the stories of gross neglect when the institution was critically understaffed.

[Kayla Barton Hadden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of staff, patients and outsiders takes on the iconic Bull Street mental hospital in Columbia, SC. I was particularly interested in this book as my great grandad was committed and ultimately died here in the 1940s at the age of only 28. Gave me a window into was he likely experienced. The good the bad and the ugly. Very surprised how many people interviewed in this book felt that a state hospital system was the way to go vs deinstitutionalization and I enjoyed their reasons as to why.

[Vicki Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a fascinating look into the storied S.C. State Hospital known mainly as “Bull Street” through stories from former employees and patients. The author does a fantastic job of bringing to light not only the shortcomings but the successes of having a state institution taking care of the mentally ill. Deinstitutionalization has its good points but this book does make you wonder.

[Jennifer Kingwood-Weldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I have always been curious about the South Carolina State Hospital. I always felt saddened for the patients there. It is such an historical landmark, and it really stands as a beacon in the State of South Carolina.A place to remember.

Wonderful book, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book will not win a Pulitzer, if you have any interest in mental health or the beautiful campus of the former SC state mental hospital this is a wonderful, quick read. A series of interviews with former nurses, staff, and even a patient was heartbreaking but also illustrated a huge gap in mental health care.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book with interviews with former staff and patients. This is set 100 years after the initial holding house asylums (SC was the second oldest in the nation), so there are better medications and treatment now. It does talk about the state hospital's most recent history until it's closure. Interesting to read.

[Julie York · Rating 4 out of 5]

The South Carolina State Hospital: Stories from Bull Street

For a 160 page book, it sure took a while to read. I was surprised that patients got to go on outside field trips into the community. I found the book very interesting to read. I would only recommend this book for those who are interested in this subject or plan to practice jobs in the mental health field.

[Ken Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read

As a native South Carolinian, I have driven by the SC State Hospital many times admiring the outstanding architecture of the second oldest mental hospital in the nation. Now after reading this book, I have a greater appreciation for the service it provided for almost two hundred years. So sad to think no mental hospitals are in existence today.

[Sherry Dicer · Rating 4 out of 5]

While attending college I worked in a state hospital for three years in the late 1960s. This book brought back so many memories and reignited my emotions regarding effective mental health treatments. The hospital where I worked needed many improvements, especially in the area of personnel, but deinstitutionalization was not the answer. The "baby was thrown out with the bath water."

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book about the Bull Street psychiatric hospital. I’m really into this type of stuff since I was a Psychology major for half of college and worked in the IOP in Charleston. Some of the stories are just crazy!

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book back to back with The Girls with No Names and that’s a lot of sadness and heartbreak between the two. It’s a shame how the mentally ill have been treated in the past but amazing how some of their caretakers and physicians have made so much progress in this field of medicine.

[Antoinette Weathers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read., especially for those who enjoy historical nonfiction.
Through this history, we can learn how past mental healthcare systems and ideologies operated and how they have changed. This history helps us to understand where we are today.

[Dori · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a very informative look into the world of old mental institutions. However I felt there was a lot of repetitiveness in the book. At times even heading the same sentence within another chapter or even in the same chapter. Overall it was a good quick read.

[Ron Stafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Interesting look at the history of the SC State Hospital. A placed shrouded in myth is made open and accessible.

[Julie price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting.

This book is well written. It's very easy to read and very informative. I like to read true books that teach the history of the state.

[Suzan Familia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read on the history mental health care at Bull Street.

[C Bayne]

Enlightening

[Denise Gross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Read

It was interesting to read several different people's perspectives regarding mental health disorders and helping those with mental health issues.

[Laura Weigand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. I was hoping to hear more from the patients POV.