Butler Hospital

Built on more than 100 acres of what was carefully developed into a calm oasis of lawn, gardens, nature trails and farm land along the banks of the Seekonk River on the outskirts of Providence, the hospital, later named Butler Hospital, was in essence founded by Nicholas Brown, who indicated in his will of 1840 that $30,000 was to go to the establishment of a hospital for the mentally ill at his death. Brown died in 1841, but the Dorr War delayed any further fund raising for several years.

In 1844, the General Assembly passed an act of incorporation for the Rhode-Island Asylum for the Insane and more than two dozen wealthy citizens with names that resonate in Rhode Island history like Ives and Manton were named as part of the corporation. This board then asked Cyrus Butler, a wealthy Providence businessman, to make a contribution. He offered $40,000 if another $40,000 could be raised from other sources. The pledge books and circulars in this collection show that the entire community became involved in the effort to establish the institution soon renamed Butler Hospital for the Insane. Many of the donations recorded were small, some for as little as $1.00.

...