Boston Psychopathic Hospital
The Boston Psychopathic Hospital was started in 1912 at 74 Fenwood Road in Boston, near Harvard Medical School. It was one of Massachusetts’ first mental health hospitals. The hospital opened on June 24, 1912, with Elmer Ernest Southard as the early director who helped supervise its construction. In 1919, the Massachusetts State Psychiatric Institute separated from the Boston State Hospital, leaving the psychopathic department with hospital duties. On December 1, 1920, the psychopathic department became its own institution, the Boston Psychopathic Hospital, led by C. Macfie Campbell. In the late 1960s, the hospital was renamed the Massachusetts Mental Health Center.
The 74 Fenwood Road campus grew over the years, with a therapeutic wing added in 1954 and a research building in 1957. The original main building and power plant were built in 1912, and the grounds were once surrounded by an iron picket fence. The site at 74 Fenwood Road is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Massachusetts State Hospitals and State Schools MPS (added January 21, 1994).
In 2009, Partners HealthCare bought the historic campus, and the 74 Fenwood Road building was closed in 2010 and demolished in 2011. The Massachusetts Mental Health Center continues to operate in modern facilities at 75 Fenwood Road.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:13 (CET).