Earth Day clean-up of Central State slated for Saturday
Apr. 19—Central State Hospital is hosting its first annual clean-up in celebration of Earth Day Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
The historic Powell Building, the monolithic white building that once served as the hospital's administrative center, will serve as the starting point. The Powell Building is located at 620 Broad St.
Held in partnership with Keep Milledgeville-Baldwin Beautiful, participants are asked to RSVP to the clean-up in advance by emailing briannemariedollar@gmail.com. Supplies will be provided, and participants are also asked to wear closed-toe shoes.
Earth Day was first held on April 22, 1970 as a day to emphasize protection of the environment. It started in the United States, but went global 20 years later. The day is often marked with clean-up events similar to the one happening out at Central State Saturday. Parks, rivers, and other public spaces are given a sprucing in order to make the world a cleaner place to live.
While most consider Central State Hospital closed, the institution really just moved operations to the Cook Building located south of the main campus along Vinson Highway. Operated by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), Central State is a maximum secure forensics facility providing multi-disciplinary services in psychiatric evaluation, treatment and recovery for persons referred from the state's criminal justice and corrections systems.
Operations may have moved, but the state still owns much of the former Central State Hospital property. The buildings sit in various states of disrepair and the grounds on which they sit often become a home for litter.
