The Creedmoor State Hospital in Queens, New York was originally opened in 1912 as the farm colony for the Brooklyn State Hospital in Brooklyn, New York which was erected on farmland. The site was originally owned by the Creed family, and it was later used as a firing range until 1892. Then came  Creedmoor which was named after the Creed family, along with geographical similarities to “moorlands” which was a British railroad station. By 1918, Creedmoor held a total of 150 patients who would work the farm as a form of therapy. Overtime however, the demand of patient intake drastically increased, and a larger complex of buildings would need to be constructed in order to have space to house a large amount of patients. Throughout the 1920’s & 1930’s, new construction added buildings such as largely sized patient wards for all different uses, recreation buildings, staff dormitories, kitchens, an administration building a powerhouse, and many other buildings necessary for Creedmoor to function as a state hospital facility for hundreds of people. In 1935, the now named Creedmoor State Hospital split ways from the Brooklyn State Hospital, now becoming its own facility. By 1959, Creedmoor peaked at 7000 patients, heavily exceeding the space & capabilities of the facility with overcrowded wards, and understaffing taking a huge toll on the healing ideals Creedmoor once held. That same year, construction of a new, high rise tower (building 40) was completed, now opening up more space for patients. Even then however, Creedmoor remained overcrowded, and understaffed. With this, patient abuse and neglect took a massive toll on the environment within the facility, and in the 1940’s virus outbreaks such as dysentery spread throughout the facility due to unhygienic conditions within the facility. By 1974, the crime rate on campus surged as many crimes were committed. Rapes were reported, fires were started, riots, suicides, and attempted murders took place. This led to infestations of the facility along with neighboring psychiatric centers. By the 1980’s, psychotropic drugs such as thorazine came into play, and many of the basic attributes of state mental institutions became less and less prevalent. The now-named Creedmoor Psychiatric Center declined in patient population, and buildings were closing down on campus, with building 25 already being closed in the 70’s. By the 1990’s, the majority of the complex was closed, shuttered, and abandoned with very little of it in use. As the now named Creedmoor Psychiatric Center fell apart and decayed, scrappers, vandals, graffiti artists, and homeless people have made way into the sprawling complex of buildings causing extensive damage to many of the buildings. Along with this, Creedmoor became a widely known destination for ghost hunters, urban explorers, and photographers as the buildings sit in an eerie abandoned state with nearly everything still left inside. Medical devices, furniture, paperwork, and other items can still be found scattered across the insides of the old buildings, telling quite a story about the complex’s history. Today, while most of Creedmoor remains abandoned, around 330 patients are still housed in active buildings within the dilapidated complex, and outpatient services also continue to function. The abandoned buildings on the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center grounds are being slated for demolition by the state as official plans to revive the land into 2,022 new homes, over 10 acres of open space, and new community and retail facilities which was approved in November 2025 and expected to begin in early 2027. Until then, Creedmoor State Hospital will live on its last legacy and continue to stand as a remnant of a difficult time for mental healthcare history.