Fascinated By Fairfield Hills, Two Students Launch A Website

By Larissa Lytwyn

Fairfield Hills’ 16 buildings are well worn, and their history as a state mental hospital continues to inspire tales of restless souls — and modern adventures by the restless souls of youth drawn to the mystery and myths of the old abandoned state institution.

At least that is what Newtown High School students Matthew Hunt and Sable Stevens say. Matthew, a member of the Class of 2003 and self-described web designer, joined with Sable in an independent study project this spring that turned their interest in historic landmarks into course credits. Their project, “The Lost Asylum: Fairfield Hills State Hospital,” a web documentary was posted May 18. The students expect the site, which is still partially under construction, to be complete by July 31. It can be found at www.fairfieldhills.us.

 “There’s a lot of rich history in Fairfield Hills,” Sable said. “It’s not all very pleasant, but it’s still a part of our past.” The more than six-month project involved gathering countless pages of research, conducting interviews with area experts and officials, and taking approximately 4,000 pictures of Fairfield Hills. Sable took most of the photographs.

“We’ve included audio access to all of the interviews we conducted,” said Matthew, “and explain, in-depth, Fairfield Hills’ history.”

Interviewees included former shock therapists and local pharmacists oriented with mid 20th Century procedures used during the hospital’s prime. Maintenance workers, security guards, and other officials served as guides on their many tours.

Once, Sable said, she and Matthew were temporarily separated from their guide. “He soon came back,” she said, “but we were alone for a little bit. It was pretty creepy.” She said that while some of the more recently constructed buildings, such as Newtown Hall, were in fairly good condition, others, such as Litchfield Hall, were in comparatively poor shape — and a disquieting place to visit, especially after dark. “It’s kind of scary,” agreed Matthew, “there’s no lights or anything. There’s only, like, one security truck that rides around. Other than that, it’s pretty much deserted.”

Not surprisingly, perhaps, Fairfield Hills has acquired almost legendary status among local youth. “On the website’s message board,” said Matthew, “there are a lot of kids who talk about ghosts haunting some of the buildings.”

To see these apparitions, of course, ghost-hunters must enter the buildings late at night — trespassing on state-owned property. “There’s a lot of vandalism that goes on,” admitted Matthew. “On the [website] message board, a lot of kids talk about their experiences breaking in.” These users, he was quick to add, are immediately blocked. “We also have a disclaimer on the website that discourages people from trespassing,” he said. “We absolutely, under no circumstances, condone this kind of behavior.”

As for the future of Fairfield Hills, the town is currently in the process of reviewing a master plan proposing how to use the site’s 189 acres. Since much of the property is located on open space, the six-point plan partly consists of setting aside a fair-sized portion for recreational use. Other elements include the renovation and conversion of some buildings to town offices, community/recreation centers, and even commercial, revenue-generating businesses.

Matthew and Sable, who know little about the local government’s plans, simply said that they want the existing buildings to be as architecturally preserved as possible. “[The Hills] are a part of our history,” said Matthew, “and we have to maintain it.”