Curved Bay Parlor with Built-In Bookcase, Fergus Falls Kirkbride Building

The Kirkbride Building at the former Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center was designed by architect Warren B. Dunnell and completed in phases beginning in 1890, following the Kirkbride Plan of linear, staggered wings meant to maximize light and ventilation for patients. The state hospital operated under that model until changing psychiatric care standards led to the building's closure in the late 20th century. Rooms like this one, with their curved bay windows and built-in cabinetry, were part of the administrative and staff quarters rather than patient wards, reflecting the more refined finishes reserved for those sections of the building. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and much of its original woodwork and plaster detailing survives despite decades of vacancy.