Glore Psychiatric Museum in St. Joseph, MO

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Around the block from the museum, on what was once the southeast corner of the hospital campus, is the old asylum cemetery.  A monument sits here next to a large field, with the "new" prison visible behind the trees.  The first burial was made here on December 12, 1874 and the last burial in October, 1949.  For us, this sad cemetery was as disturbing as the museum itself, as the majority of its tiny markers identify nothing more than an anonymous number upon their face. Of the hundreds of people that once passed through the old asylum and died here, there is not a name nor a date to identify these faceless "victims."  Though the cemetery allegedly has more than 2,000 bodies within its midst, no more than several hundred headstones are in the old graveyard.

Marker in front of Asylum Cemetery, April, 2005,

Kathy Weiser.

For many years Missouri's state hospital cemeteries were neglected by hospital administrators.  In fact, in the 1960s, cemetery headstones were ordered to be pushed over and buried, as mowing around them was considered too costly.

Generally, when a relative was brought to the hospital for admission, the family was usually told to bring the clothes they wanted the patient to be buried in, because chances were. that he or she would never leave the hospital.  Sadly, many of the patients at the hospital never had a single visitor, as family members were too embarrassed or ashamed.  Many died lonely and unclaimed when their families could not be located. 

Asylum Cemetery with view of prison (old asylum) in background, April, 2005, Kathy Weiser.

Today, the cemetery has been mostly restored, though several of the markers lay crumbling.  All but a very few are unmarked.  Even the nicest monument in the old graveyard, that of a woman named Ellen Ross, 1816-1865 has been vandalized.  The name and date are barely legible and something is missing from the top of the headstone.  Who was Ellen Ross?  Who was Number 58 who lies almost obscured in bank of the creek bed?   As in life, these poor souls, have seemingly been forgotten.

Glore’s Psychiatric Museum has been featured on the popular television program, "Ripley’s Believe It or Not!”

The museum has now become a part of St. Joseph Museums Inc., which supports several other museums in St. Joseph.

© Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated January, 2009.

Contact Information:

Glore Psychiatric Museum
3408 Frederick Avenue
St. Joseph, Missouri 64506
816-364-1209 or 800-530-8866

Number 58 is almost lost in a creek bed next to the Lunatic Asylum Cemetery, April, 2005, Kathy Weiser.

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