The evolution of the Preserve Greystone movement and its impact on preserving other Kirkbride buildings nationwide will be the focus of a talk by authors Rusty Tagliareni and Christina Mathews at Acorn Hall on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 2 p.m. The program is sponsored by Morris County Historical Society (MCHS).
This is the first of two multimedia presentations by the best-selling authors of the award-winning Images of America book Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, Greystone’s connection to remaining Kirkbride buildings, and the similarities between Greystone and the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (TALA) in West Virginia, a preserved Kirkbride building. A MCHS trip to TALA, which is open to the public, is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, April 12-14.
In addition to discussing how the loss of Greystone has led to stronger preservation efforts of surviving Kirkbride buildings nationwide, Tagliareni and Mathews will show a 15-minute screening of their never-before-seen, in-production documentary film Greystone’s Last Stand. They also will review their plans with the Morris County Park Commission to build a memorial on the grounds of the old Greystone hospital. Proceeds from this event will be donated to the established fund for the memorial.
The second event featuring Tagliareni and Mathews will be held on Sunday, March 11, also at 2 p.m., when the authors will focus specifically on the history of our nation’s Kirkbride asylums and the many connections between Greystone and Trans-Atlantic Lunatic Asylum. The program also will include a vignette screening of Greystone’s Last Stand, highlighting the link between the two asylums and how one could have saved the other from demolition, if only given the chance.
Book signings will follow both presentations.
Tickets to each event are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $7 for students, and free for MCHS members, attendees participating in the TALA bus trip, and children under 12. Acorn Hall is located at 68 Lafayette Ave., Morristown.
To RSVP or for further information, visit the MCHS website: MorrisCountyHistory.org, or call MCHS at 973-267-3465.
Founded in 1945, MCHS is a member-supported 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to preserve and promote the history of Morris County.
