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Fairfield State Hospital
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Fairfield State Hospital (also known as Fairfield Hills State Hospital or Fairfield Hills) was a psychiatric hospital in Newtown, Connecticut, which operated from 1931 until 1995. At its peak the hospital housed over 4,000 patients. The entire facility was owned and operated by the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health. The facility is centered southeast of Newtown, Connecticut

History
Fairfield State Hospital was created due to overcrowding at the other two state hospitals. Walter P. Crabtree, Sr. designed the campus-like facility. Dedicated to a common development theme, the institutional buildings were of a modified colonial style, built of red brick and attractively accented. Constructed largely in the 1930s, the buildings ranged in size from 2 to 3 stories, and every building being fireproof throughout. Some later constructed buildings were built during the 1940s and 1950s.

The hosptial contained 16 buildings on 100 acres (0.40 km2), plus another 670 acres (2.7 km2) of land around them. The acreage consisted of large farm meadows and a forest. A circular network of roads connected the buildings.

The hospital opened and received its first patients from Connecticut Valley Hospital in June 1931. There were initially less than 500 patients, and only 3 doctors. By the late 1960s Fairfield Hills housed more than 4,000 patients, 20 doctors, 50 nurses, and 100 assorted other employees.

Current status
The Town of Newtown acquired the former Fairfield Hills Hospital property from the State of Connecticut in 2004. The Town of Newtown established the Fairfield Hills Authority, a municipal development agency, to implement new construction on the site. This calls for reserving a major portion of the property for municipal and cultural use, as well as passive and active recreational use. Also, A new building has been built on the site called the Newtown Youth Academy. It was paid for by private funders and features an indoor turf field, basketball court, and full workout center.

The Town of Newtown selected Bridgeport Hall as the location for its new municipal offices. Renovation of the building is underway, and completion is scheduled for the spring of 2009.

Haunted?
Since the facility was closed in 1995 Fairfield Hills has been the object of several paranormal investigations, and allegations that the buildings are haunted have been raised on the internet and on television. Several former patients have claimed that treatment there was very harsh, cruel, and abusive. Some contend that this is the reason behind the haunted activity at the facility, but so far no proof has been forthcoming.

The Town of Newtown denies the site is haunted, and has closed off the facility to all film crews, with police and guards around the area.

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