Nissequogue River State Park

Nissequogue River State Park
799 St. Johnland Road, Kings Park, NY 11754
$8 Car Entrance Fee (during the spring and summer months)

There are certain times where the preservation of land for the use of recreation by the public makes a tremendous amount of sense. One’s thoughts on this topic will most definitely vary by where one lives and how much space is available to “get out and enjoy the outdoors.” For those who live in small apartments with little light, having the opportunity to spend a day at the park is more than a necessity. The name of this park is misleading; yes, it does access the Nissequogue River but most of the park consists of the abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center which closed its doors in December of 1996. One building remains occupied, run by the Pilgrim Psychiatric facility.

I am not really sure how to put to words the emotions and feelings that one gets when visiting this park. The first thing that hits you is the sheer magnitude of the facility, how many buildings exist which all served the purpose of rehabilitating (?) those with severe disabilities. Kings Park existed during a time when “warehousing” those with severe disabilities seemed like the only option, where jamming as many people as humanly possible into buildings served the purpose of getting these people out of society. I think it is important that I mention that I speak historically as I have read many accounts and am completely sickened by the ways things were. As a counterpoint, most of these large facilities were extremely understaffed and it is a shame that the stories of abuse overshadow the stories of employees who truly worked on rehabilitation and getting patients back into society.

As you wander around the main section of the park, it is like visiting Chernobyl. Once a place filled with humans is now abandoned yet the historical significance remains. Doctors and nurses lived here. For a long period of time, this facility was self-sufficient with its own power, water, and even food. This is not a park to visit for a picnic. Rather, it is a place to go for contemplation about one’s own existence.

This is the place to go to with your I-Pod with a familiar, contemplative song on loop (I like Shadez of Brooklyn’s “Change (instrumental)” or Bobby Hutcherson’s “Montara”). Wander around the main section of the park, examine the buildings, and imagine what had gone on there. Revel in irony as you reach the bluff where panoramic vistas of the Long Island Sound are quickly shrouded by boarded windows, crumbling brick, and the musty smell of urban decay. Take a seat on a bench on the now defunct Soundview Court, watch the birds, and think about life in general as you stare at Building 93 looming in the distance. Imagine a day in the life here. Imagine your day in a life here.

Spending a day here on a humid July afternoon will give you perspective. There is access to the Long Island Greenbelt Trail and there are some interesting nuggets along this trail such as building foundations, chairs, and other items representing buildings since destroyed before worries of asbestosis. Walk back to your car and stare in amazement at the window boards of some of the buildings (plywood boards over the windows to prevent vandalism and trespassing) as they display the artwork of children in an effort to soften the “edges’ of the place. Take a peek at the medical/surgical building, notice the gated-in fire escapes rusting, and ponder the many then-breakthrough electro-shock treatments and lobotomies that took place there. A quick turn to the left and you are at a playground. Sit on the slide and wonder, “What the #$%& were they thinking?” Exit the park on Kings Park Boulevard and revel in the shadow of Building 93, a thirteen-story monstrosity that must have struck fear into all those who passed through its doors for the first time. People fly gas-powered model planes and helicopters in a field adjacent to the Wisteria building, a place where the most violent patients were rumored to have lived (opacity.us). Irony is the key word here. You will leave this place feeling quite different than when you came and not in a cheesy, “Ghost Hunters” way. It will affect the way you think about the world around us, the people that exist in it, and the hidden history of Long Island.

Notes:
• I must emphasize that you do not attempt to enter any of the buildings. Disregarding a trivial anecdote of a shotgun being pointed out through a window, there are a myriad of reasons not to trespass. These include asbestos, lead paint, vagrants, mold, weak floors and ceilings, rodents, and a small item known as the police who levy severe penalties to those who are caught.
• If you need a fix of what the interiors look like, visit Opacity. Here you will find awesome photos, videos, news items, and archival photos. All photos seen here were taken by Dan over a period of two years.
• Visit the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation to see some ideas on how locals would like to further develop the land as a functioning (and accessible) park while keeping the historical integrity of the facility
• I have left a lot to be explored. This is a large place and many interesting things abound.