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Welcome
to the
Toledo State Hospital 
Memory Project

What We Do 

Our mission is to preserve the history of Toledo State Hospital

and those who lived and worked there.

 

 Why?

  The history of Toledo State Hospital still has a lot to teach us about the care of the mentally ill.   

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Our Goals

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Conserve and preserve historical documents and artifacts of

Toledo State Hospital

Uncover and share the

history and personal stories of people who lived and worked at Toledo State Hospital

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Preserve and enhance the Toledo State Hospital Cemeteries as places of remembrance and honor.

Use history to promote understanding and compassion for those affected by mental illness

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Our History

The Toledo State Hospital Cemetery Reclamation Project (TSHCRP) began in 2005 when founding members Larry Wanucha, a mental health advocate, and Jane Weber, a NOPH retiree, pulled together a team to restore the cemeteries. This became the Toledo State Hospital Cemetery Reclamation Project. (TSHCRP)

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After clearing brush and debris,  TSHCRP volunteers unearthed about 1200 grave markers. To assure that the cemeteries were not forgotten again they installed historical markers and monuments. 

 

Volunteers researched those listed in the burial log and found information on the identity of about 90% of those listed.  All of the people buried at Toledo State Hospital were added to the Find-a-Grave database. Dozens of families were able to connect to their lost ancestors.  

 

Each year TSHCRP held impressive annual memorial services with veteran’s organizations and community leaders. That is only a short list of the accomplishments, but Covid 19 hit the group hard.  

 

In 2022 the TSHCRP expanded its scope and changed its name to Toledo State Hospital Memory Project (TSHMP).  In addition to continuing work related to the cemeteries, the TSH Memory Project’s efforts will now include:

  • Conservation and preservation of historic documents and artifacts related to Toledo State Hospital

  • Continued genealogical and historical research efforts

  • Collecting and telling the life stories of the individuals who lived and worked at the hospital

  • Use the history of Toledo State Hospital to educate the community about mental health issues 

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About Our Logo

Our logo represents one of the few visual elements of Toledo State Hospital which are still seen today at Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Hospital.

You will see it in many historical photos

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