Traverse City State Hospital

In this episode, Mike dives into the deep and fascinating history of one of Traverse City’s most iconic landmarks: the Traverse City State Hospital, also known historically as the Northern Michigan Asylum and the Traverse City Regional Psychiatric Hospital.

Recorded on November 28, 2025 (yes, Black Friday—no, he’s not out shopping), Mike shares personal stories, local history, and some memories connected to the vast and beautiful grounds of what is now called the Village at Grand Traverse Commons.

What Mike Covers in This Episode 🏥 A Brief History of the State Hospital

• Established in 1881 and opened in 1885.

• Founded by Dr. James Decker Munson, namesake of Munson Healthcare, alongside Traverse City’s “father,” Perry Hanna.

• Built as a Kirkbride Plan psychiatric hospital—one of four in Michigan and the only one still standing and in active use today (though no longer as a hospital).

🏛️ Architecture & Design

• Beautiful Victorian-style buildings with spires, long wings, wide porches, and landscaped grounds.

• Built on the idea of beauty, light, and nature aiding psychiatric healing.

• Gorgeous gardens supported by on-site greenhouses that provided year-round flowers.

🌳 A Self-Sustaining Community

• The hospital operated as its own little world:

  • Farms with cattle, pigs, chickens, crops, and orchards

  • Their own power plant

  • Workshops and barns (now part of Historic Barns Park)

• Many patients (or “clients,” as some staff called them) worked on the grounds as part of daily life.

👨‍⚕️ Mike’s Personal Connections

• Both of Mike’s paternal grandparents worked there—his grandmother as an RN and his grandfather as an orderly.

• He shares memories of neighbors and relatives who worked on the hospital farm and grounds.

• He also reminisces about staying as a kid in the Perry Hanna House (now a funeral home)—a mansion connected to the founders of the hospital.

🏚️ Abandonment and Renewal

• After closing in the late 20th century, some buildings fell into disrepair.

• Today, Building 50 has been reborn with:

  • Condos and apartments

  • Offices

  • Shops, galleries, and restaurants in the lower level, known as The Grotto

• Other “cottages” are slowly being restored, while tours still visit the untouched and eerie sections.

🚶 Ghost Stories, Tunnels & Tours

• The site is rich with lore—including tunnels connecting buildings.

• Mike mentions wanting to have his friend Chris (a local historian and photographer) on the podcast to go deeper into the legends, stories, and details.

☕ Coffee Deliveries at Sunrise

Mike also shares a personal memory of delivering bagels to Cup of Joe in Building 50’s grotto back when his wife ran a bagel shop—always grabbing a cup of coffee around 5:30 a.m.

🌄 A Landmark on the Hill

• As you drive into Traverse City from the south (US-31 / M-37), the spires of Building 50 rise out of the trees—a recognizable introduction to town.

🎙️ Coming Up

• November 29: “Why Podcasting Is So Special”

• November 30: A special final NaPodPoMo episode to close out the month

Thanks for listening, and catch Mike tomorrow for more!