Inside the Western Washington Asylum
A biennial report reveals the harsh realities and overcrowding at the state facility for the insane in Steilacoom.
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The biennial report of the board of trustees of the Western Washington Insane Asylum at Steilacoom has been submitted to the governor. The facility reported 363 patients under care, with 269 male and 94 female inmates. The superintendent reported that while insanity is not necessarily on the rise, the facility is critically overcrowded, with only 38 vacancies remaining. The report highlights the longevity of the chronic insane, noting that six of the original twenty-one patients admitted twenty-one years ago remain under care. Superintendent Waughop expressed concern that the state constitution currently forbids the employment of clergy for religious services, which he argues are vital for the calm and recovery of the afflicted.
“The sick and afflicted instinctively want spiritual help. They enjoy religious exercises. They are calmed and benefited by them.”
The Steilacoom facility, formerly the Fort Steilacoom Insane Asylum, underscores a recurring struggle in Washington State's history: the chronic underfunding and overcrowding of mental health services. The report's lament regarding the lack of spiritual or community support services mirrors modern debates about the insufficiency of wrap-around care for the state's most vulnerable populations.
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