Pennhurst State School & Hospital
East Vincent Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Between 1908 and 1987, more than 10,500 Pennsylvanians with developmental disabilities lived here. Public controversy over the inhumane treatment of residents and two decades of complex litigation, including three arguments before the US Supreme Court, led to the institution's closure. Groundbreaking advocacy and new public policy, including transition to community-based living, made Pennhurst a milestone in the disabilities civil rights movement.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
For nearly eighty years, more than 10,500 Pennsylvanians with developmental disabilities lived at Pennhurst, a state institution that became notorious for the inhumane conditions endured by its residents. Public outrage and two decades of landmark litigation—including three arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court—ultimately forced its closure in 1987. The fight helped establish the principle that people with disabilities belong in their communities, not warehoused behind institutional walls.
Why it matters
Pennhurst became a milestone in the disability civil-rights movement, driving the national shift toward community-based living and reshaping public policy on how America treats its most vulnerable citizens.
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