Rockhaven Sanitarium was first opened by Agnes Mary Richards in 1923 as a private women’s facility for individuals with “mild mental disorders.” Ms. Richards served as a nurse for the Red Cross during World War I, and afterward, moved to California. She began working as a nurse at Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino, but was disturbed by the way mentally ill women were treated. Consequently, she opened Rockhaven as an establishment that would provide respectful care. Notably, Crescenta Valley, where the facility was located, already had numerous mental health facilities, which were a significant industry for the area. Residents traveled from around the country to recover from illnesses in the beautiful weather of Southern California.
However, Rockhaven was different in that it was a facility developed with compassionate care standards. The women were never called patients but were instead referred to as either “residents” or as “ladies.” Residents were taken on regular excursions, rooms were decorated by interior designers, and patients were allowed to wear regular clothing. Ms. Richards believed in the therapeutic value of the outdoors and worked to create a therapeutic setting, including numerous patios, arcades, and sitting areas. The facility, which started with only four residents, grew quickly, and eventually attracted a number of high-profile residents, including Gladys Baker, Marilyn Monroe’s mother. This later earned it the nickname “Screenactor’s Sanitarium.” But more important than its clientele, Rockhaven set an example for humane practices and holistic treatment of the mentally ill, particularly women. Thus, it was monumental in setting a new standard of care.
After Ms. Richards retired, Rockhaven was run by her daughter until 2001, when it was sold. Currently, it is the only intact example of the many sanitariums that were present in this area throughout the 1900’s.