This 1895 site map shows the Center Building and other supporting structures of St. Elizabeths Hospital—then known as the Government Hospital for the Insane. Courtesy Library of Congress.

Aerial view of the new Coast Guard Building. Christopher Cavas.

African American Dining Hall, Building Q. Photograph, c. 1915. By the early twentieth century, most patients ate in segregated communal dining halls throughout campus. Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration.

The porches of the 1890s Allison Buildings were later enclosed to provide more space for patient beds. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1910

A beauty shop was established in Toner Building, a white women’s infirmary, in 1927, staffed by nurses who had beauty school training or experience. U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Some affluent patients, such as Sarah Burroughs, were housed in cottages on campus with their own personal nursing staff. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, c. 1890s

The Center Building at St. Elizabeths housed both offices for hospital administrators and wards for patients. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1900.

Following an extensive renovation by the General Services Administration, the Center Building will be repurposed as offices for the Department of Homeland Security. Courtesy of the U.S. General Services Administration.

The Center Building. Photograph, 2016. Plans to retain as much of the interior of the Center Building as possible were hampered by the discovery of original building materials and a structural system that were in far worse condition than expected. © Colin Winterbottom

The Union Army constructed dozens of military hospitals, army forts, and naval bases throughout Washington, D.C. during the Civil War. Almost 2,000 sick and wounded soldiers and sailors lived temporarily in the unfinished east wing of the Center Building, in West Lodge, and in tents on the grounds. Courtesy National Archives & Records Administration.

For many decades, Marian Chace led the dance therapy program at St. Elizabeths. Courtesy St. Elizabeths Hospital Library.

This “old electric shock machine” was used for patient therapy at St. Elizabeths in the early 20th century. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, c.1920s.

The gatehouse to the West Campus provided security for the hospital through a formal entrance procedure for visitors. Over time, some patients had visiting privileges to leave the campus, and neighborhood residents could attend entertainment functions. Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration.

The original structure of Howard Hall was completed in 1891. In addition to its primary function, Howard Hall was used for many years as a triage area for African American men coming into the hospital, whether or not they were convicts. Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration.

Hydrotherapy Wraps at St. Elizabeths. Photograph, c. 1900. In one hydrotherapy practice, attendants would wet bed sheets with varying temperatures of water, wrap the patients, and wait for several hours. Hot water was used for patients with insomnia, while cold water was used on manic patients. Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration.

Laboratory Technician. Courtesy U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Laboratory Technicians. Courtesy U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Until its closure in 2010, doctors at the Blackburn pathology laboratory and its adjoining autopsy theater furthered the scientific study of mental illness. Courtesy Library of Congress, c. 1910

The Male Receiving Building opened in 1934 and the women’s counterpart in 1936. Each held several hundred acute patients. Courtesy Library of Congress, American Architectural Foundation Collection.

Dorothea Lynde Dix was an educator and activist who spoke out against the problems in the mental health care system. Her legacy as a founder of St. Elizabeths endured into the second century of the hospital. Courtesy National Library of Medicine, c. 1950s.

Decoration in the Center Building rooms varied widely in the 19th century depending on the severity and type of illness, as well as a patient’s wealth. Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration.

A Victorian porte-cochère—a protective and decorative canopy for visitors to the Center Building—was demolished and rebuilt several times during the history of St. Elizabeths. Courtesy Library of Congress, 1938

Patient on Rocking Chair. Photograph, 1955. Courtesy U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Oaks B, Sitting Room. Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration

Topographical Plan of the Grounds, from the Annual Report, 1860. Courtesy Library of Congress, American Architectural Foundation Collection

The five tuberculosis cottages at St. Elizabeths provided patients with fresh air and sunlight, both thought to be curatives for the disease. Courtesy Library of Congress, c. 1913

View of Washington, D.C. from St. Elizabeths. Photograph, 1955. A distant view of the urban landscape maintained separation between the hospital and the bustle and stress of the city. Courtesy U.S. National Library of Medicine.