Lincoln Developmental Center
Defunct school in Illinois, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lincoln Developmental Center, historically also known as the Illinois Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children, and the Lincoln State School, was a state school and mental asylum for people with developmental disabilities in Lincoln, Illinois. It was founded in 1865 and was notorious for widespread abuses of inmates. It was closed in 2002 by Illinois governor George Ryan after reports of abuse, neglect, and preventable deaths.[1]
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| Lincoln Developmental Center | |
|---|---|
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Illustration, 1891 | |
 Interactive map of Lincoln Developmental Center | |
| Type | State school |
| Location | Lincoln, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 40°8′26″N 89°22′47″W |
| Founded | 1865 |
History
The Lincoln Developmental Center was established in 1865 by board members of the Illinois Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb. It was incorporated as the Illinois Institution for the Education of Feeble-Minded Children in 1871, and plans for a permanent location were started in 1875. The facility opened in 1878.[2]
The facility was understaffed, unsanitary, and overcrowded. Residents that died were often buried on the property and their deaths frequently went uninvestigated.[3] Notable inmates included artist and writer Henry Darger[4] as well as John Doe No. 24, an unidentified deaf, mute, and blind man.[5] The facility was closed in 2002 by Illinois governor George Ryan after reports of abuse, neglect, and preventable deaths.[1]
In 2021, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice proposed using the Lincoln Development Center property for a new Illinois Youth Center.[6] Construction on the project began in March 2023.[7]