Kings Park 25

The Kings Park Psychatric Center was built by Kings County (before becoming part of New York City) in 1885 after Dr. Oliver Dewing's successful campaign to develop a hospital for the mentally ill on an 870-acre plot of land. The hospital was originally called Kings County Farm, a care center for the poor and mentally ill operated by Brooklyn officials. Kings County Farm is the origin of the name Kings Park.

In 1954 the Center's patient population peaked at 9,303. The Center was a key source of employment for the area during this time period, and was perhaps the most important factor in the hamlet's development.

As patient totals declined, so did employment at the center. The decrease in state employment caused a demographics shift, as an increasing percentage of the population became employed in the city.

In 1996, the KPPC property closed. The remaining patients were transferred to Pilgrim Psychiatric Center. The State of New York has abandoned a deal to sell the property to Cherokee Northeast/Arker Companies for remediation and future redevelopment. The plans have been opposed vehemently by many townspeople, most notably the Kings Park Coalition Against High Density Housing, and has become an important political issue in many local political campaigns.


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