About Austin State Hospital

Austin State Hospital is a facility operated by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission that provides psychiatric services to children, adolescents, and adults. The hospital offers short-term care to patients with the goal of reintegration into society where they can transition into healing through community-based options.


Austin State Hospital is located at 4110 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78751.

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The History of Austin State Hospital

Austin State Hospital was the first state facility of its kind built west of the Mississippi. Construction started in 1857, and the first patients were admitted in 1861. As the oldest mental health care facility in Texas, the hospital holds a close connection to the history of Austin and the state.


By the late 1890s, patient population had increased from the original 12 patients to almost 700. Additional buildings sprung up to support the growing number of patients.

An old postcard of an insane asylum in amity texas

The Hospital functioned as a self-supporting village with artesian wells, gardens, a dairy, ice factory and a sewing/tailor shop. The Hospital was more than a treatment facility, it was home to both patients and staff. Many people stayed for many years, some even through their entire lives.


Early residents of Austin were drawn to the expansive landscaped campus to take carriage rides on the graveled drives and enjoy picnics under the live oak trees and along the banks of lily ponds. Children explored Japanese gardens and paddled small boats to the tiny islands dotting the large lake on the southeastern corner of the property.

The Hospital functioned as a self-supporting village with artesian wells, gardens, a dairy, ice factory and a sewing/tailor shop. The Hospital was more than a treatment facility, it was home to both patients and staff. Many people stayed for many years, some even through their entire lives.

A black and white photo of a group of women sitting on a porch

Early residents of Austin were drawn to the expansive landscaped campus to take carriage rides on the graveled drives and enjoy picnics under the live oak trees and along the banks of lily ponds. Children explored Japanese gardens and paddled small boats to the tiny islands dotting the large lake on the southeastern corner of the property.

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