New England Hospitals and Asylums

Historic descriptions of New England hospitals, insane asylums, and health resorts for the sick may be found in the following entries from Hayward's New England Gazetteer of 1839:

Historic Maine Hospitals and Health Resorts

• State Insane Hospital, Augusta, Maine ("This splendid granite edifice, an honor to the state and to humanity, occupies a plat of elevated ground, of seventy acres, on the east side of the river. Its situation is unrivalled for the beauty of its scenery.")
• Boothbay, Maine ("Boothbay is a fine watering place, and many visit it in summer months for health and pleasure.")
• Harpswell, Maine ("It is a resort for invalids and parties of pleasure.")
• Islesborough, Maine ("The inhabitants are independent farmers and fishermen, who are accustomed to render their insular situation a place of comfort to the wayfarer, or the invalid in pursuit of ocean breezes.")
• Vinalhaven, Maine ("These islands are finely located for summer excursions, either for health or pleasure.")
• Waldoborough, Maine ("Air and water as pleasant, as pure, and as favorable to health and longevity, as any prairie, of which we have any account, west of the Alleghany mountains.")

Historic New Hampshire Hospitals and Health Resorts

• Boscawen, New Hampshire ("From the numerous streams of living water, and from the peculiar direction of the swells of the hills, this town probably derives that pure air and uniform temperature which are so conducive to health.")
• Dunbarton, New Hampshire ("The air is clear, the water good, and the health of its inhabitants is seldom interrupted by sickness.")
• Hampton, New Hampshire ("Its beaches have long been the resort of invalids and parties of pleasure, and are little inferior to the famous Nahant beach near Boston.")
• Rye, New Hampshire ("On the shore, there are three considerable and very pleasant beaches, viz. Sandy, Jenness', and Wallis', to which many persons resort in the summer season from neighboring towns and the country, both for health and for pleasure.")

Historic Massachusetts Hospitals and Health Resorts

• Charlestown, Massachusetts ("McLean Asylum...is located on a beautiful rise of ground, in Charlestown, near East Cambridge, and about a mile and a half from the City Hall, in Boston. The buildings are large, and exceedingly well adapted to their philanthropic design.")
• Chelsea, Massachusetts ("The United States Marine Hospital in this town is on a large plot of ground, in a delightful and airy situation, and affords a comfortable retreat for sick.")
• Falmouth, Massachusetts ("Wood's Hole harbor, at the S.W. extremity of the town, is a good harbor and much frequented by vessels, and by invalids in search of health.")
• Hopkinton, Massachusetts ("There is a large and convenient hotel at this place, at which visitors for health or pleasure are kindly entertained.")
• Lynn, Massachusetts ("Nahant, with its beautiful beach, and Phillips' Point, both highly esteemed resorts for all classes of people;—the sick, the serious, and the gay.")
• Nahant, Massachusetts ("Many thousands annually visit it for health, or pleasure.")
• Worcester, Massachusetts ("The State Insane Hospital [in Maine] is of the model of the Lunatic Hospital at Worcester, Mass.")

Historic Rhode Island Hospitals and Health Resorts

• Washington County, Rhode Island ("The inhabitants are distinguished for their habits of industry and frugality, and in general enjoy their necessary results, health and competence.")