I've always thought The Ridges were an important part of Athens' history. Besides piquing the interest of many of those curious about the supposed hauntings that take place there, The Ridges have a fascinating story behind them that I was able to dig up at forgottenoh.com.
Some of the stories from The Ridges are really interesting to look back on. One I was able to find was about how the center often performed lobotomies and killed a whole bunch of people. Often, patients would reach through the bars of their rooms and carve anonymous words on window sills - apparently one, still there, reads "I was never crazy." That's reassuring. (Pardon my sarcasm.)
I think that The Ridges are an important part of Athens' history because they had such an impact on the town itself. Among other affects, when the hospital closed, the homeless rate skyrocketed because they simply let the patients go. This is an important part of Athens' history because the thinking back then equated to this hospital is so different from how we would deal with mental illness today that it's important to learn from our past.
I had no idea that they just let the mental patients go. That's crazy! I find The Ridges particularly interesting because it's not something that you can just make up, like all of the haunted stories associated with Athens. The Ridges are actual concrete buildings with a history that you can't deny. I haven't had the opportunity to visit the Ridges, but I hope to see it soon before they start to tear parts of it down.
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