Zambarano Hospital

[bob58]

Hello....I noticed there isn't much data or comments on the ZAMBARANO HOSPITAL in Burrillville. I stumbled upon this place about 3 years ago while me and my wife were driving around northeast RI on a hot summer day. We were looking for a place to go swimming. So we were traveling north on route 100 thru Burrillville. I remember coming around a curve and seeing a "Hospital" sign. I thought to myself "what hospital is way up here in the middle of nowhere?" So right after the sign, to the left was a set of old buildings, one in particular stood out. So we drove in and there is like a circular drive that goes thru the complex. There are not many buildings and the place is not trashed. The grounds are kept nice. There is a renovated building set back next to a river. That is used for spinal cord injury patients. We did explore quite a bit of the place. Security was LAX! My wife went thru 2 of the buildings from top to bottom. The doors were open! She said that there were rooms with alot of hospital beds. No mattresses just frames. The top floor in the first building was extremely hot she said. There was still steam coming from radiators in the middle of the summer. She said the place gave her the creeps. There was another 1 story building she explored and later I went thru an open window into what looked like a big classroom. The oldest building was the creepiest. Its the one you notice first. That one was locked. We walked around it looking in the below-ground floor windows. There were many rooms that had tons of what looked like supplies for maintenance on shelves. One window we were near, my head bumped the glass and a pane fell out. I stuck my head inside and it was a MORGUE
!  We freaked cause the room was so spotless and shiny clean. We wondered if they still used it! The rest of the rooms we looked in thru windows were all dirty dusty rooms. The morgue was the only clean room. You could see off to the right, the compartments that held bodies once. And the operating table was right there in the middle of floor. I wish I had camera at the time.
Next we paid a visit to the occupied building just to check it out. It was a nice quiet place. No one asked us what we were doing there. We went into what seemed to be a waiting room. On the wall was a BIG bronze 3-d relief bust of UBALDO ZAMBARANO. He was the man who started the hospital back at turn of century for respiratory ailments in children. The theory back then for emphysema was to keep patients in open-air environments. Thats why the windows in the old original hospital building were so BIG. We walked around for a few minutes and left. It was a very quiet place. We walked by the river out back. The only security seems to be utility/maintenance workers who drive a pickup truck. And they are seldom seen.
I would like to know if anyone would like to see some pictures of this hospital and the grounds. Its a long drive from my house to get there, but I can head up that way on any Sunday. I can bring my new digital camera. If enuff people show interest I will go up there and take some pics and post them on my now-idle website. I have a "Homestead.com" account. I have had it for years but don't use it for anything anymore. Its still accessible so I can post a bunch of pics on there if you guys wanna see Zambarano. Also would you be interested in seeing the original patient cemetary of the LADD  
SCHOOL?  I found the cemetary by accident one day while hiking around near the Veterans Cemetary in Exeter. I can also stop by there and take some pics and post them. Only if you guys are interested. I drive right by there every day on the way to work. Well if I get enough [positive feedback I will take these pics and post them.  Bob

[bob58]

Wow, don't all jump at once! I took a drive up to Zambarano this afternoon after lunch. I took a few good pics. I also got a picture of "Ubaldo Zambarano", the original founder. I went inside the occupied hospital building and in a waiting room was a picture on wall of Mr. Zambarano and a bronze plaque with his life story on it. He was born in 1899 and died in 1950.  So if any of you want to save yourself the trip, I CAN post pictures of the place. I noticed one building that was abandoned last time I was there, has had a portion of it remodled with all new windows. It seems they are going to use the old buildings for something eventually. As far as its "spooky" factor, I give it a 4. But it still deserves a place in the urban exploration archives. So if anyone wants to see these pictures I will post them. I see I got a number of people who viewed my last post. So somebody REPLY and let me know what you think about this.

[Dakiel]

Bob, thanks for the posts, this board usually slows down during the spring/summer cause everyones out exploring or busy with other stuff. we appreciate your contribution and feel free to post your pics.  

[MovingUnit]

Yes thank you Bob for contributing, I definitely like reading your posts.

About Zambarano, I was there about a month ago just getting some shots of the exteriors and spoke with the guy who works security there, ironically named if I remember right, Bob.  Helluva nice guy, you should seek him out next time you go back.  He's been working there for 33 years and told me some of the history of the place and what they're doing with the formerly abandoned buildings.  Both the T-shaped building and the former children's ward are now being used as storage/warehouses for the active parts of the campus.

I'd like to see those pictures as well.