Cryptic Draft Card Clue

A WWI draft card reveals that a woman’s great-grandma was institutionalized.

A woman was alarmed to learn that her great-grandmother’s residence was listed as “insane asylum” on a 1918 draft registration card. She asked if I could look into where she stayed and why she was there. I tracked down the facility, which was called the Milwaukee Asylum for Chronic Insane in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

After researching the location, I was able to assure the woman that the “asylum” was actually a peaceful, state-of-the-art facility for patients struggling with depression and other mental health issues. The facility incorporated outdoor recreation into patients’ routines, rather than just incarcerating them.

My research revealed that the woman’s great-grandmother had lost a 2-year-old child shortly before being admitted, which may have been the reason she was there recuperating. The woman’s great-grandmother was only there a matter of months, and according to directory listings was back at home with her family the following year.

The preserved remains of the former hospital are now hidden in the wooded grounds of a park called Sanctuary Woods. The site remains undeveloped, thanks to the ongoing work of local conservationists.

Photo: Kimberly Mackowski

Photo: Kimberly Mackowski