Back to the Funny Farm

...and the unreal world of the mental hospital.

As of January 1, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Steps: 545,959
Miles: 232.38


I start my real world walk at the gate of the Norristown State Hospital (founded 1879). This gate is at the southeast corner and is closest to the town of Norristown and Philadelphia. As I walk through the gate a sudden, unexpected thought enters my head, "Prozac Will Set You Free."*

*and then again, maybe not.


Gates and fences. Do they keep the folks on the inside, in or the folks on the outside, out? I am reminded of the old joke about the fence around the cemetery being needed because folks were dying to get in. Here, there is picket after of picket of nicely painted black wrought iron shining in the sun.


This fence is obviously intended to keep people out. The house is called the Castner House. John Castner was a cordwainer. A cordwainer is somebody who makes shoes and other articles from fine soft leather.

In 1802 Castner built this stone house and placed at the top of the gable a date stone containing the initials J & L C and the shape of a boot, fashioned with stone. The house, at 1600 Stanbridge Street, is reached today by traversing the connecting trail path across a wood bridge over the Reading Railroad Stony Creek Branch track.

For More History of the Farm Park, the park's website.


Once again the soothing sound of tumbling water meet the walker. The bridge in the background was once the Reading Railroad's and now the CSX's.


The winter time is a good time to see what you cannot see in the summer time. Here, we see the bare trees reaching skyward. I have always enjoyed seeing the winter sun shining down on the bleached white bark of the majestic Sycamore tree. These trees are lined up and almost appear to be a white picket fence.


A welcomed view for every walker, real or virtual. The fluffy white clouds, the grasses in the fields blowing in the breeze, the blue sky, the car in the parking lot, and welcomed above all else, the brilliant blue port-a-john.