A part of Blackbeard’s Lost Head is set at “Pacific State Hospital,” which is based on the actual Northern State Hospital, a real life abandoned mental health facility in the northern reaches of the Washington State. You would think it would be a waste of gas to go see a bunch of old abandoned buildings, but it’s well worth the trip. It’s not just the buildings, which are spectacular, but the entirety of the campus and the attached sprawling farmland that once fed the hospital. The hospital campus itself was designed by the famous Frederick Law Olmstead, the same park designer of Central Park in New York and the super popular Green Lake Park in Seattle.
Northern State Hospital is a trip, figuratively and literally.
Resident housing at Northern State Hospital. Photo taken January 2026.
Peeking into one of the resident rooms at Northern State Hospital. Photo taken January 2026.
The old buildings are what’s known as Spanish Revival, a style of buildings that was all the rage in the early 20th century.
Sure, the hospital grounds can be spooky, but one can also still see the majesty of the place when it first opened.
Abandoned Assembly Hall also known as the “Chapel” or “Hub” at Northern State Hospital. Photo taken January 2026.
Northern State was a triumph for the progressives of the early twentieth century. The advent of electric lights, radios, airplanes, automobiles and antibiotics gave people the impression that anything was possible. Why can’t the new medicine, science and technology end mental illness? But the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Mental illness proved to be a tough tackle, and extraordinarily expensive. There was the usual litany of abuses and management disasters, all of which led to the demise of the facility.
The hospital and the farm are now a county park. There are walking trails, bird watching stations, a disc golf course, and an RV park. The festive atmosphere surprised me because…well, I expected a dour scene. Sure, parts of ruins are grim (depending on your perspective), but on whole it’s a remarkable county park that fills up fast on weekends. Fortunately, the old farm is massive and there’s plenty of room for everyone.
Main entry door at abandoned Northern State Hospital
(Photo taken January 2026)
Intact Stained-glass window in the abandoned Assembly Hall also known as the “Chapel” or “Hub” at Northern State Hospital.. Photo taken January 2026.
Inside abandoned barn at Northern State Hospital. Photo taken January 2026.
Abandoned barn at Northern State Hospital. Photo taken January 2026.
Abandoned barn at Northern State Hospital. Photo taken January 2026.
