POLK, Pa. (EYT) — While the long term future of the Polk State Center is very uncertain, the history of the facility is rich, varied, and sometimes troubled.
The 120-year-old Venango County institution has had its share of fires, construction of several buildings, and the rise and fall of its population. The population went from 153 to nearly 3,400 and then back down to its current numbers of between 250 and 300.
Twenty years ago, the center was embroiled in a major controversy as several doctors who worked at the facility were charged in relation to a number of patient deaths.
Fortunately, the Venango County Historical Society, led by its Executive Director Marlie Manning, has a plethora of information and photographs on the historic campus.
All photos and much of the information about the history of the center from the beginning to the late 1980’s is courtesy of the Venango County Historical Society,
According to the VCHS, it was 125 years ago when the subject of building a state institution for mentally challenged people was initiated.
One year later, on June 3, 1893, the state approved an act to build a facility to be called the Western PA State Institution for the Feeble-Minded.
The October 5, 1893 edition of the Venango Citizen Press published a story that Polk had been chosen for the facility.
Sites all over western Pa. were considered, but the Polk area was chosen because of its three high-quality springs and close proximity to a rail line. The site also had between 500 and 1,000 acres.
After a second round of bids was opened for construction in September of 1894, a Pittsburgh company was awarded the job for $432,000.00.
According to an article in the 2013-14 winter edition of Western Pennsylvania History magazine by Lu Donnelly, the school was one of architect Frederick John Osterling’s largest commissions.
Donnelly wrote, “Osterling (1865-1934) founded his architectural practice in 1888 at the age of 23 and procured this large commission before his 30th birthday.”
“Osterling designs often have large rounded turrets and towers, steeply angled roofs, and handsome brickwork, as do the Polk buildings. The administration building at Polk Center looks like a county courthouse with a pedimented portico offset by large rounded-corner towers topped by conical roofs and a central six-sided tower with a cupola. In the original design, long, three-story wings of red bricks flank the administration building creating courtyards, and behind the administration building, a whole quadrangle of dormitories and living spaces complete the original vision.”
“Over the years more dormitories, a hospital, and utilitarian buildings continued to be added. The later designs were by architects Samuel D. Brady of nearby Franklin and Louis Stevens, who worked in Pittsburgh and Venango County.”
“The Polk complex was meant to be nearly self-supporting upon its completion and included barns and farm buildings, spring houses, a laundry, and a powerhouse. Patients often worked in these places until treatments for the mentally challenged changed to community-based care, and the patient population dwindled.”
On January 22, 1897, the state institution was transferred from the state Building Commission to the Board of Trustees.
At that time, there were 15 buildings, 16 cottages for the residents, one horse barn, and one cow barn. The buildings included administration, two educational schools, one industrial school, a building for teachers, two dining room buildings, a kitchen and a bakery, cold storage building, powerhouse, laundry and work shop, and two storage buildings for clothes.
On April 21, 1897, the first children — a total of 153 — were received from the PA Training School at Elwyn.
On September 23, 1897, the facility was officially dedicated.