New York established the Utica Psychiatric Center in 1843, the nation’s first state-run mental health facility. By the Civil War, it was nearing capacity, prompting Governor Reuben Fenton in 1866 to form a commission to find a second hospital site in the Hudson Valley. They secured a 296-acre tract of land north of Poughkeepsie, gifted by the citizens of Dutchess County. This would become Hudson River State Hospital. A nine-member Board of Managers was formed to oversee construction, hiring architect Frederick Clarke Withers to design the building based on the Kirkbride Plan. The planned facility would measure 1,500 feet in length and feature two wings for patient housing, making it the first High Victorian Gothic institutional building in the U.S. Landscape architects Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted designed the surrounding grounds. The design included an administration building with two wings for 300 patients, separated by a chapel to ensure privacy. Construction began in 1868, with an estimated cost of $800,000. Cost-saving strategies included building a dock for material transport and using local resources. The board adjusted the plans by creating a shorter wing for female patients, resulting in asymmetrical wings, which is rare for Kirkbride hospitals. In 1948, a Refrigerating Plant was built, followed by a Tubercular Hospital in 1951, designed by Samuel Juster. Throughout the 20th century, the institution operated various buildings and treated up to 6,000 patients as late as 1952. However, changes in mental illness treatment, including psychotherapy and medication, diminished the need for large facilities. A significant fire in the 1960s destroyed part of the hospital but was contained. Although rebuilt, some areas still showed fire damage. By the late 1970s, with low occupancy and neglected conditions, the hospital closed its main wings. In 1976, it housed 1,780 patients. Despite receiving National Historic Landmark status in 1989, plans to demolish the wings sparked disputes between state offices. In the 1990s, many areas were abandoned, and in 1994, the hospital consolidated with Hudson River Psychiatric Center. It ultimately closed in 2003, moving operations to the smaller Ross Pavilion on Route 9G.  In 2005, the state sold the property to Hudson Heritage LLC for $2.75 million, with plans to transform the Main Building into a hotel/apartment complex as part of a larger development named Hudson Heritage Park. However, redevelopment faced challenges, including a moratorium on new construction imposed by the Town of Poughkeepsie in 2005. A major setback occurred on May 31, 2007, when lightning struck the south wing, causing significant damage. A fire also affected the Administration building on April 27, 2018. Since then, the property has been closed to the public, and there were concerns about security after suspicious fires in 2010. By May 2012, CPC Resources owned the campus and listed it for sale, with Walmart showing interest. An unnamed buyer purchased the site in November 2013, with plans for a $300 million mixed-use project featuring 750 residential units, commercial space, a hotel, and a conference center. Demolition started in 2016, with the plan to preserve key buildings like the main administration building, library, and chapel. As of May 2020, the fate of other buildings on the North Campus remains undecided.