Groveland Correctional Facility

At this location near Sonyea, NY a community of Shakers settled in 1837 and grew to a size of perhaps 150. Later in the century, as their numbers declined, the 1,800-acre plot was purchased by the State Board of Charities and eventually named the Craig Colony for Epileptics. It was envisioned to be a self-supporting enterprise, making use of the Shakers' mills, blacksmith shops, farmland, and houses. It opened in 1896.

The reality of life at the Craig Colony was very different, in part due to the warehousing of inmates with various psychiatric and developmental needs. At its peak in the 1930s, population at the overcrowded and underfunded facility approached 3,000 inmates; credible reports of neglect and abuse persisted throughout the decades.

During the late 1970s a movement to de-institutionalize patients, combined with a drastic rise in prison populations, led Gov. Hugh Carey to propose a the repurposing of Craig Colony as a medium-security prison--a move opposed by local residents. Nevertheless Groveland Correctional Facility began operations in 1982 and has faced similar problems of overcrowding and inhumane conditions.

The image here is drawn from a satellite view of the property, showing how the Colony's original footprint remains intact although virtually none of its buildings remain.

Esri

Screencap of satellite imagery