They Called It Madness: The Canton Asylum for Insane Indians 1899-1934

Description

In 1899, the United States federal government began the process that would end in the construction of a mental institution designed specifically for America’s Indian population. The Canton, or Hiawatha, Asylum opened its doors, and from across the nation, Indian people were sent to live out their days on the South Dakota Plains. When it closed in 1934, the asylum had served over three hundred patients. However, once an inmate was admitted to Canton, there was no way out other than death. Over one hundred inmates died behind the asylum walls. This previously unknown part of American history is told for the first time here.