Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, South Campus (Hollydale Asylum, Downy asylum) (Downey, California)

USA / California / Paramount / Downey, California
 hospital, place with historical importance, abandoned / shut down
This is the section of Rancho los Amigos that opened in 1888 and was originally known as the Poor Farm. It was originally used as a solution for the indigent and insane but otherwise healthy patients that were at the time overwhelming LAC Hospital. over time its mandate evolved into a tuberculosis sanitarium and to house a vast collection of iron lungs to treat polio patients whose lungs no longer functioned on their own. the facility grew into a massive operation the size of a small town and for awhile it was actually recognized as an actual township called hondo with its own zip code and post office before being absorbed by downy and renamed rancho los amigos (etc.) under this new moniker it began focusing on the rehabilitation it is known for today. Although many historic buildings remain, including Craftsman and Art Deco style architecture, they will most likely be razed for development.

thepaperink.com/1993/93tt1029.htm
freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gen2/marcelluss...
www.usc.edu/libraries/archives/arc/findingaids/rancholo...
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rancho_los_amigos
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   33°55'19"N   118°9'41"W

Comments

This article was last modified 4 years ago