If you grew up in the Bay Area, you likely heard rumors about Agnews Developmental Center. Odds are, those rumors were based on misconceptions learned from scenes in movies like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” or “Shutter Island.” These beliefs certainly weren’t improved by the clumsy names the state gave Agnews. It was called the “Great Asylum for the Insane” at its founding in 1885 and “Agnews State Mental Hospital” in 1911.

In reality, Agnews was something completely different, and that’s what Kathleen Lee, the lead docent at Agnews Historic Cemetery and Museum, wants to teach the public. If anyone knows, it’s Lee; she and her team of museum volunteers worked at Agnews before the site officially closed in 2009.

“I want people to understand that there was a real loving environment,” said Lee. “Yeah, there were people that had some severe mental disabilities, but there also were people … this young man said he was put out when he was 17. He came and spent a few years at Agnews, got his medication straightened up, and went back and lived at home. Then, when he felt like his meds weren’t working right again, he came back and spent his 21st birthday out here. Then never had to come back again.”

Lee says the 1906 earthquake was a major turning point for Agnews. It was devastating at first because the brick buildings crumbled and more than a hundred patients and employees died. But from that, a new idea was formed. Agnews transformed from an “asylum” to a “developmental center.”

“Leonard Stocking said, ‘Okay, I’m gonna go out.’ So, he went all over the United States and came back with this idea of making it a more therapeutic area,” said Lee. “That means people were learning different jobs. They were busy during the day rather than just being held here.”

Patients learned to sew, can food, iron, care for pigs and chickens and work in the fields. In addition to giving patients something to do, Stocking turned the buildings into more dormitory-style settings with common areas.

“Agnews became a city of its own. We were out here in the boonies, so we had our own police and fire department. We had our own pharmacy,” said Lee. “Leonard Stocking’s idea was to give people jobs to take care of this village called Agnews.” 

During the day, patients worked. At night, they played.

“They also had evening activities and weekend activities. So, we had baseball teams and basketball teams, and this was daily life here,” said Lee. 

Agnews Historic Cemetery and Museum is located at 1250 Hope Dr. in Santa Clara. It’s open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (except city holidays) and by appointment. Lee is the lead docent. She’s usually joined by another former Agnews employee.

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