| Western Center | |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare | |
  A map showing the Western Center's location in Pennsylvania | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Cecil Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Coordinates | 40°16′28″N 80°09′59″W / 40.27436°N 80.16642°W |
| History | |
| Closed | 2000 |
| Demolished | 2011 |
| Links | |
| Lists | Hospitals in Pennsylvania |
Western State School and Hospital, later known as Western Center, was a state-run mental hospital and reform school located near Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. It was best known for serving individuals with intellectual disabilities. Throughout its history, the institution was also referred to as the Pennsylvania Reform School, Youth Development Center of Canonsburg, and The House of Refuge. Locally, it was commonly known as Morganza.[1] The center was a prominent part of the Canonsburg community, even featuring as a stop on tours during local festivals.[2]
The exterior of Western Center's administration building was used as the setting for the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, where Hannibal Lecter was incarcerated, in the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs and its 2002 prequel Red Dragon.[3]
- ^ a b Canonsburg, Washington County, Pennsylvania 1897 (Map). Library of Congress. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
- ^ "Canonsburg kicking up its heels for big Perry Como weekend". Observer-Reporter. May 13, 1999. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
- ^ Kirsch, Tom. "Western Center – Abandoned Photography". Opacity. Retrieved March 11, 2014.