Dr. Bigelow Sanborn began working as assistant physician at the Maine Insane Asylum in Augusta, Maine, upon his graduation from Bowdoin College in 1866. He was appointed Superintendent in 1883 and continued in this position until his death in 1910.
Mrs. Margaret Hodgdon of East Boothbay Harbor, Maine, is Dr. Sanborn’s granddaughter. She compiled summaries of the diaries he kept during his 44 years at the institution. In 2003, Mrs. Hodgdon offered to share these summaries with the State of Maine as part of a project to preserve the history and stories of the Augusta Mental Health Institute—as the institution was known during more recent years—before it was officially closed in 2005. Mrs. Hodgdon’s gift of her grandfather’s words brings vividly to life what the Maine Insane Asylum was like from the perspective of the person who was in charge for more than a quarter of the institution’s 164-year history.
Below are excerpts of Dr. Sanborn’s words from Mrs. Hodgdon’s summaries. The State of Maine is most grateful for her contribution.
1866
June
Bigelow Sanborn graduated from Bowdoin College.
Commenced work at Maine Insane Asylum as assistant physician at a salary of $400 yearly.
