CAMARILLO STATE HOSPITAL 'HOMES'
At Camarillo State Hospital it was obvious from the very beginning that not only the patients would need residences but also many employees new to the region. There were too few available dwellings in the small nearby communities. Because of the nature of the facility, and its remote location, it was also important to hospital administrators to have a large number of employees living on the grounds. These employees residing in the ‘homes’ would provide a ‘ready reserve' of personnel in case of emergencies.
Initially the State created temporary housing consisting of tents and simple roughly built structures. It was decided to build the permanent residences in a valley about a quarter of a mile from the main hospital complex to the northeast.
Image taken in late 1990s showing Camarillo State Hospital layout
By the mid 1940s the first permanent dwelling was completed. This was appropriately called ‘Home 1’. It was built to closely conform to the style of the main hospital and was certainly the most attractive of the larger structures in the homes. Over the years numerous other types of residences were constructed in the valley. The most basic were four simple dorms in which the residents shared communal bathrooms and showers, though each room did have a sink. Units in the other large dormitory-type buildings all had bathrooms and many were somewhat larger. Nevertheless, conditions were cramped when more than one person lived in a room. In the north area of the valley more than a dozen actual houses were constructed as well as a small park area with some recreational equipment and picnic tables. Support structures such as garages and maintenance buildings were built and, in 1951, a small recreation hall was built. Over the years the recreation hall would have many uses. It functioned as a meeting area, dining room, and activity center, and for a time was actually the classroom for the Ventura College Psychiatric Technician Program.
The ‘homes’ housed hundreds of employees as well as numerous interns and Grad students. Many of theses interns/students came from across the country and around the globe. The majority of residents, though, were employees. These ranged from janitors and housekeepers (‘hospital workers’) to Doctors and Executive Directors. From the mid-1980s past the hospital’s closure a contingent of the California Conservation Corps (CCC) was housed in the ‘homes’.
Throughout the lifespan of CSH the ‘homes’ was often a lively community. The ebb and flow of personnel created an environment where people from very diverse backgrounds had an opportunity to meet. Many intense relationships were formed, sometimes healthy - sometimes not. As with any community the ‘homes’ had its share of happiness, heartbreak, joy, scandal, love, and hate. It could be as quiet and peaceful as a small village or as wild and raucous as the most out-of-control frat house.
The state closed the hospital in 1997. In the end, ironically, it was in the employee’s residences that the last patients were treated at
The photograph above shows many of the various building types which comprised the 'homes'. It was taken in 1997 about three weeks after the main hospital had closed. The structures in the upper portion of photo were free standing houses. At the time this image was taken the last few patients of CSH were living in one of these houses.
Since the closure of the hospital every structure which comprised the CSH employee’s residences has been demolished in order to build new living quarters for the CalState students and personnel. Hopefully this section of the website will provide some sense of the ‘homes’ for the general public and will spur memories for the former residents of that unusual neighborhood.
Above left is photo of main entry area to home #1 taken in 1997. The picture to the right is of the ruins of the same section taken on August 6, 2006.
BELOW ARE IMAGES OF THE CAMARILLO STATE HOSPITAL EMPLOYEE 'HOMES'
Aerial view taken in late 1990s
Entrance to main section of home #1. First permanent employee residence built at CSH and last to be demolished
Frontage of a portion of home #1 located just to the north of the main entrance area
View from mountain to the west of the 'homes' taken in the winter of 1986. In foreground is the back of home #1 - Image courtesy of Steven Papworth
Employees 'Home 1' Rear. Upper room was unique as it had the only full-size balcony in the Homes
Below are a series of three images of the Home One room pictured above. All three were taken circa 1983 and are provided courtesy of Tim Keenan.
View toward NE from the balcony
Interior of balcony
Interior of the room itself
THE HOME 11 FIRE
In December 1986 there was a fire in home #11. It spread from one room to another until a significant portion to the structure had been severly damaged. Later it was determined that it would not be feasable to repair it and the building was torn down. At the time of the fire a German Psychology intern was living in the homes and it happened that her husband was visiting. The husbands name was Steven Papworth. When asked about his family and their experience in 1986-1987 he provided the following account:
"She was Psychologist student from Germany on a six month volunteer internship living at the employees home with a her son Alexander who attended the local high school at Camarillo. At the time of the great fire, I was visiting Dagmar on a two week vacation. (Xmas 1986/87) Think it was two or three days before xmas. Then early in the morning, all that noise outside and the smell of burning! Later on someone told me that one of the employees, a woman living there, set fire to her apartment. Don’ t know if it’s true??
At the time her name was Dagmar Wolfs now Papworth"
Below are a series of images showing the fire and it's aftermath - All images are courtesy of Steven Papworth
South end of home #11
South end of home #11
Photo taken on day of fire. Building in foreground is home #9. Home #11 was behind, seperated by two other buildings
Fire Dept vehicles parked in front of home #1, located just north of home 11
Fire Dept personnel and vehicle in parking lot between homes #11,#12,#10,#9 and home #1
Misc people in home #11 lot
Bystanders and Fire Dept personnel on day of fire
Bystander on walkway located along south end of homes #9,#10),#12,#11. In background are dorms which housed UCLA personnel and various interns, grad students, and misc others
Photo taken from mountain west of 'home' #1 a few days after fire. Extensive damage to home #11 is clearly visible