Central State Hospital

Postcard circa 1915
Center Building, now known as Powell Building
         aka State Asylum for the Insane, Georgia State Sanitarium, Milledgeville State Hospital

In 1837 a law was enacted to establish a state lunatic asylum. 57 1/2 acres of land was purchased  from J. Thomas  & R. K. Hines to erect the first buildings. Completed in October 1842 and open for patients December 15, 1842. The first patient was identified as Tilman B., brought from Macon, tied to a wagon. He died 6 months later
Dr. David Cooper was the resident physcian and superintendant until  January 1846 when Dr. Thomas F. Green was elected and held the position for 33 years.  From 1849-1895 other acreage was  purchased from Tomlinson Fort, John S. Thomas, Willis Vaughn, John Hammond, M.L. Fort, John Furman, Estate of E.T. Sibley, L.T. Calloway. The first building for black patients was erected in 1866. Georgia Lunatic Asylum  name was changed to the Georgia State Sanitarium Sep. 1, 1898; to  Milledgeville State Hospital in 1929 and to Central State Hospital in 1967.