About

The hospital was initially established in 1860 as an almshouse by the Central Poor District of Luzerne County. First a female ward was opened in 1878 and later a male ward was added in 1884. In 1900, the almshouse added a hospital for treating those deemed insane. The hospital operated under the name “Retreat Hospital for the Insane and Almshouse,” but in 1930 was renamed the Retreat Mental Hospital as it was no longer solely designated for the poor. Patients of the Retreat Mental Hospital were diagnosed with a variety of ailments, including schizophrenia (referred to in reports at the time as “dementia praecox”), “manic-depression,” paralysis, alcoholism, “mental deficiency,” and senility. The cemetery opened in 1933 for the Retreat Mental Hospital. In 1943, the hospital was transferred from county to state control and once again renamed, becoming the Retreat State Hospital. After the transfer, officials stopped using the Mountainside Cemetery. In 1980, the state closed Retreat State Hospital due to deinstitutionalization and budget cuts. In 1986, state officials converted the campus into a state prison that operated until its permanent closure in 2020.

Annual reports are available from 1931 to 1936 and include information regarding deaths within the facility. Reports from 1933 to 1936 also include information on the operation and upkeep of its cemetery. During these years at least 278 deaths occurred, though it is unclear how many of these deceased patients were buried within the cemetery. The cemetery does not seem to be well maintained aside from a sign post erected giving information about the history of the cemetery and hospital. In 2003, a local resident raised concerns about the cemetery not being preserved and memorialized properly. Again, in 2023 another local resident voiced concerns over the cemetery being overgrown and difficult to find, and organized a cleanup. The cemetery is also known as Mountainside Cemetery and Retreat State Hospital Cemetery.

The sign marking the cemetery is accessible from the roadside along Rt. 11. There are no grave markers visible.