Courtyard Lawn Facing the Kirkbride Building in Fergus Falls

The Fergus Falls Kirkbride Building was designed by architect Warren B. Dunnell and completed in stages beginning in 1890 as the Fergus Falls State Hospital, a facility built on the Kirkbride Plan for the treatment of mental illness. That plan, developed by physician Thomas Story Kirkbride, called for staggered wings extending from a central administration section so that each ward received natural light and ventilation. The building's yellow brick and sandstone trim are typical of the Richardsonian Romanesque style popular for large institutional buildings in the late 19th century. The hospital operated under changing names into the 1990s before closing, and the property has since been the subject of preservation and redevelopment efforts. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.