Rear Wing Demolition Exposes Brick Walls at Fergus Falls Kirkbride

The Fergus Falls Kirkbride Building, part of the former Fergus Falls State Hospital, was designed by architect Warren B. Dunnell and completed in 1890 using the Kirkbride Plan, a 19th-century model for asylum design that emphasized light, ventilation, and separation of patient wards. The hospital operated under state control for over a century before closing in the early 2000s, after which sections of the sprawling brick complex fell into disrepair. Partial demolition efforts in later years removed portions of the rear service wings, exposing interior brick walls, arched window openings, and structural framing once concealed by adjoining sections. The building remains listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and preservation groups have continued to advocate for adaptive reuse of the surviving structure.