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My journey ends here...

Rockhaven Sanitorium

Thanks to the Friends of Rockhaven for their precious informations and pictures.

Address 2713 Honolulu Avenue, Verduga City, Glendale District, California.

Health facility founded by Agnes Richards in 1923.

Agnes M. Richards, born Lepinski (February 16, 1883, Nebraska-August 30, 1967, California).

In her youth, she travelled to Germany in her family. She accompanied her grand-mother in several countries (Russia, Balkans, Yougoslavia, Persia and Poland). She spoke 3 languages (polish, russian and german).

She went back to the USA on September 19, 1893. The family settled in Hastings (Nebraska).

She graduated from the John A.Creighton University of Nebraska.

In 1900 she worked at the Asylum for the Chronic Insane in Adams, Nebraska.

In 1904 she married David Traviss in Chicago with who she had a son, Clarence (July 17, 1905, Illinois-July 21, 1995, California). David died in a car accident on Christmas Eve 1906.

Her mother helped her by taking care of the child and Agnes built a little home-made breads business, soon flourishing. She delivered the breads, while strolling with her child.

In 1913, while working on her business, she took nurses's training at the Chicago Cook County Hospital.

She worked with mental illness patients.

During World War I, she served with the Red Cross.

She worked at the Nebraska State Hospital then was promoted at the Independance State Hospital, Iowa.

She met James Richards whom she married in 1917, before divorcing at the beginning of the 1930s.

In 1922 she completed a nurse's training () then settled in California where she worked as a chief nurse at the Patton State Hospital, San Bernardino and at the Los Angeles General Hospital

().

Disgusted with the therapy and methods at the hospital to treat mental illnesses, she wanted to open her own health facility where the treatments would be much more human.

She bought a property in the Crescenta Valley in 1923 (). Renowned for its warm climate, pure and dry air, and its view to the mountains, the Crescenta Valley had seen the health facility industry developed at the beginning of the XXth Century. In the 1920s, there were at least 25 institutions treating chronic diseases (tuberculosis, asthma, alcoholism, mental illness and dementia). None of them survived, except Rockhaven.

When it opened, only 6 women were received. The property spread little by little, until the 1940s where there were a dozen of buildings, welcoming up to 100 persons.

There were administrative buildings, rooms, kitchen, dining-room and living-room. But also a garage, a laundry, a food storage and a nurses home.

The male doctors could take care of the patients who were by the way called "ladies", but the on-site staff was

only composed with women (,).

In the 1940s and 1950s, the electrotherapy was practised (), especially in the "Oaks" and the "Annex" buildings. "The Dorms" became a little hospital for the dependant persons who could moved in wheeling-chairs.

Agnes Richards wanted a warm environment which could stimulate the patients.

The dining-room, flowered, made a family atmosphere (). Agnes Richards wanted the women feeling at home.

Many parties were organized (), the Mother's Day Tea became famous (), the children came for Halloween. There was also a place with an activity room, with art and craft, painting, sewing,

embroidery (,.

The articles were sold for Christmas and the money re-invested for the activities (,

The beautiful garden and its many trees and flowers, were maintained all those years by Ivan Cole

(), and were favorable for well-being and relaxing, and brought lots of joy.

The greenery was full-part of the therapy.

From 1954 to 2001, Agnes Richards' grand-daughter, Patricia Traviss ran the institution, devoted herself to its management and keeping it in the state of mind her grand-mother had wanted.

On October 13, 1966, she received the Los Angeles Beautiful Community Award

.

The institution was sold in 2001 but because of its lack of profit, closed in 2006. It was then bought by the city of Glendale in 2008, wanting to keep the architectural heritage of the place.

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