Hi Janette-

From what I've read locally, the location evolved many times as needed for about 100+ years. Originally the building and or buildings were part of an insane asylum located on part of the Gatliff farm. It was built in 1889. Then it was destroyed by fire in 1904. It was near present day 21st St & Greenbay Rd. It was a whistle stop for the old train and the stop was also called Gatliff. It was them rebuilt in roughly the same location.

The building became divided at one point. One part became the TB Sanatorium where affected people supposedly went to recover and the other part was used as a convalescent or old folks home for those unable to afford a better place. I know there's more info out there about the asylum, High Ridge and Sunny Rest and they all evolved in some way to the present Ridgewood.

If you are a cardholder at your local library, check to see if they have access to newspaperarchive.com. There is a lot of reading available about the asylum and is transitions online at that site. I know 3 libraries in my area offer free access to this database and I use almost daily.

As a sidenote; my mom remembers visiting an elderly uncle that died there as a resident of the old folks home. On one memorable visit, she remembers looking up and seeing a man urinating out the window. Grandma told mom to not look at him because he was crazy! This would have been about 1953.

SISU,
John