The Lincoln Developmental Center was a

state school A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in part by taxation and operated by the government of the state. State-f ...

for people with

developmental disabilities Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...

Lincoln, Illinois Lincoln is a city in Logan County, Illinois, United States. First settled in the 1830s, it is the only town in the U.S. that was named for Abraham Lincoln before he became President of the United States, president; he practiced law there from 18 ...

. It was founded in 1877 as the Illinois Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children, became the Lincoln State School in 1954, and adopted its final name in 1975. It was closed in 2002 by Gov.

George Ryan George Homer Ryan (February 24, 1934 – May 2, 2025) was an American politician who served as the 39th Governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Secretary of State of Illinois from 1991 ...

after reports of abuse, neglect and preventable deaths. According to historian David Bakke, "conditions at the Lincoln State School were horrible; overcrowded and understaffed. It was a community unto itself. The deaths of residents were not investigated, and their bodies were buried on the grounds". According to Edwin Black, author of War Against the Weak, milk from cows diseased with tuberculosis were willingly fed to the patient/residents.

Names

History of name changes: * Illinois Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children (1877-1909) * Lincoln State School and Colony (1909-1953) * Lincoln State School (1953-1975) * Lincoln Developmental Center (1975-2002) History of administrative responsibility: * Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities (1871-1909) * Board of Administration (1909-1917) * Dept. of Public Welfare (1917-1961) * Dept. of Mental Health (1961-1975) * Dept. of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (1975-2002)

Illinois Youth Center

In 2021, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice proposed using the Lincoln Development Center property for a new Illinois Youth Center. Construction on the project began in March 2023. Funding from the Rebuild Illinois Capital program will provide renovations of two 4,300 square foot cottages for housing, with additional cottages for programming and administrative use. A new 27,000 square foot multipurpose building will include educational, recreational, and dietary services.

Notable people incarcerated

Henry Darger Henry Joseph Darger Jr. ( ; April 12, 1892 – April 13, 1973) was an American writer, novelist and artist who worked as a hospital janitor, custodian in Chicago, Illinois. He has become famous for his posthumously recovered 15,145-page manuscri ...

, who made outsider art * John Doe No. 24, unidentified deaf man who spent 30 years at Lincoln * Frank Robert Giroux

References

Educational institutions established in 1877 Educational institutions disestablished in 2002 1877 establishments in Illinois 2002 disestablishments in Illinois Schools in Logan County, Illinois Special schools in Illinois {{Illinois-school-stub