One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was an award winning movie (5 Oscars) filmed at Oregon State Hospital formerly known as the Oregon State Insane Asylum built in 1883. It was built on farmland which was located about 1/2 mile from the city limits of Salem. During the first year 541 people were admitted. 127 were discharged, 42 died, and 17 escaped (12 returned). This was prior to federal privacy laws so admissions featuring names and mental issues were commonly posted in newspapers.
Mental illness had always been something to hide or be ashamed of so few spoke about it. Families frequently hid or distanced themselves from members so affected. Communities shunned them. The coordinates will take you to a spot that holds the remains of some of these forgotten individuals. Many were not claimed when they died and rested in the asylum cemetery which use to be on the north side of the property. Others were cremated in the hospital crematorium that ceased operation in the 1970's.
Earlier this century remains were discovered in rusting tin cans on the property. Most were from this state hospital. The coordinates will take you to a spot where you can reflect on the scourge of mental illness and imagine what life must've been like for those kept here. The building here used to house the morgue.
TO CLAIM A FIND you must examine the columbarium wall and identify some who rest here. DO NOT post your answers on the cache log, but rather send them to me or else your log will be deleted. To reduce armchair geocaching please post a photo of your GPS, something at the GC, or yourself at the site on the cache log. You do not have to show your face. Failure to do so will likely result in log deletion.
Please look into the glassed area, sit on the bench, and reflect. You will notice some empty holes in the wall. These are spots where remains have been claimed mostly due to genealogical research that is popular today. It is likely some others may be claimed in the future. Please award this a favorite point if you think it is fitting.
Please send to me the names at the following numbers:
1
582
2157
3241
4197
5119
9005U
Developers and the city of Salem's plans to develop the old site on the North side of Center Street NE have been put on hold. There are concerns additional remains may be located there. Special radar will be used to determine if that is the case before the land can be developed.
The spire from the original state hospital is at N 44 56.341 W 123 00.315 along with a museum of mental health. There is a charge to enter the museum.
Congratulations to Razzl3 & Dazz13 for FTF!!
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.