The Tewksbury Almshouse was one of two facilities in Massachusetts established to serve the poor. It opened in May 1854 with a capacity of 500 beds. Paupers (severely poor persons) from across the state were sent to Tewksbury, and within three weeks of opening, there were 800 residents. By the end of the first year, admissions had reached 2,193. Approximately one-third of the residents were children, and the majority of the people staying there were immigrants from Ireland.

 

After 25 years of caring for the poor, in 1879, the hospital began to reorganize by illness. They designated 40% of the beds for the mentally ill, 33% for almshouse inmates, and the remainder for hospital patients. In 1890, the original wooden almshouse was torn down for several reasons, primarily for fire safety. With increased funding and a growing population at the hospital, the state started to expand the campus by constructing stronger brick buildings and adding a nursing school.

 

The expansion began in 1894 with the old Superintendent’s House and the old Administration Building. This was followed by the chapel in 1896, the Main Gate in 1900, the Male Asylum in 1901, the Women’s Asylum in 1903, the Southgate Men’s Building in 1905, the Male Officers Dormitory in 1905, and several farm support buildings. During this period of expansion, the institution aimed to reflect its mission and changed its name to Tewksbury State Hospital in 1900, which was then changed again in 1909 to Tewksbury Infirmary.

 

Around the 1930s, another expansion took place, adding a Married Couples Building, a Special Building, and a Dormitory Building that year. A Dining Hall/Kitchen was added in 1934, followed by the Stonecroft (Agricultural Building) in 1935, and finally the Nichols Building in 1939. With all these changes, by 1939 the name changed once more to Tewksbury State Hospital and Infirmary. This name reflected its two main functions: serving as a last resort for the elderly and mentally ill, and caring for patients with infectious diseases like tuberculosis.

 

This name remained until 1959, when it was changed to its current name, Tewksbury Hospital. The Saunders Building is the most recent addition to the campus and functions as a modern hospital. 

 

In 1997, the well-known Tewksbury nursing school was shut down after 103 years due to financial challenges. As of 2020, the hospital is still active, and the Administration Building has been transformed into a Public Health Museum. For $10, visitors can explore a rich history of artifacts, including an iron lung, medical equipment, nurses' uniforms, and various other items collected from state hospitals across Massachusetts.