These images were taken at California State University, Channel Islands in Camarillo in November 2003. It opened in 1936 as the Camarillo State Hospital, one of two institutions that housed the mentally ill, including those who in an earlier era were called the criminally insane. The state hospital closed in 1997. Since then, the former asylum, surrounded by new subdivisions, farmland and wheat-colored hills, has been transformed slowly into its new role as a university. The interior images were taken in a building that had not yet been renovated. It was eerie in there, with pipes clanging, wind whistling and doors slamming, seemingly as if not all of the souls left when the hospital closed. A sense of desperation lingered in the air then. By now, it has a new use, most likely as a dorm.

P.S. Greetings to all former patients and employees. I notice there are many of you who have left comments.

Due to the pornographic, crazy ramblings I've been getting here lately, I'm turning off the ability to post comments. Sorry about that. But who needs abusive comments over a photo gallery?