Falconwood Hospital

Falconwood 1868

A Story of Tragedy, Survival, and Renewal on Prince Edward Island

On the banks of the Hillsborough River in Prince Edward Island once stood a sprawling red-brick institution known as Falconwood Hospital—a place built with good intentions, shadowed by the evolving understanding of mental health, and forever marked by tragedy.

Origins: A Place of Refuge (1868)

In 1868, amidst a time when mental illness was still poorly understood, the Prince Edward Island government opened the Falconwood Asylum to provide care for those deemed mentally ill or “infirm of mind.” The hospital was situated just outside Charlottetown, a large and imposing building with towering chimneys, high-ceilinged wards, and vast farmland to the south where patients grew food and tended animals as part of their rehabilitation.

Built of timber and later supplemented with brick extensions, Falconwood quickly became a central part of the province’s health system. For decades, it was home to hundreds of patients, cared for by a small, dedicated team of doctors, nurses, and support staff. Some patients stayed only briefly; others lived out their lives within its walls.

By the 1920s, overcrowding was becoming a concern. Designed to house just over 100 people, the population had swollen to over 300 patients by 1931. The structure, nearly 65 years old, had become worn, dry, and increasingly unsafe.

The Fire of 1931: “The Night the Sky Glowed Red”

On the bitterly cold night of December 15, 1931, disaster struck.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., flames were first seen licking the upper floors of the central structure. Fueled by old timber, dry insulation, and frigid winds from the Hillsborough River, the fire spread rapidly. There were an estimated 320 patients in the building that night, many locked into their wards as per standard practice of the time.

The Charlottetown Fire Department was called, but the icy roads and distance meant response was slow. Within minutes, the flames had reached the attic and top floor. Residents across the river reported seeing the sky “glow a terrible red.”

Heroic efforts were made by staff and able-bodied patients to evacuate others. Some smashed windows. Others kicked down doors. But chaos quickly set in.

One of the hospital’s patient-cooks, John MacKenzie, had been residing in the attic quarters. Trapped by flames and smoke, he made a desperate bid for escape, leaping from the top floor attic window. He landed on the frozen ground below, breaking his neck. He was found unconscious and later succumbed to his injuries.

In Ward Four, William McGuinn, a patient from Vernon, perished in the flames. He had been seen helping another patient moments before the floor collapsed beneath him.

Another man, Francis MacDonald, tried to escape through an upper window. He jumped two stories and landed hard, fracturing his ribs and shoulder. Though he was rescued and treated, he later died of internal injuries.

When the blaze was finally extinguished, only the brick foundation and blackened remains of chimneys remained. The death toll was officially reported as “several lives lost,” though some rumors persisted of unrecorded casualties—residents too ill or isolated to be immediately accounted for.

The fire not only destroyed the building but shook the entire province. Islanders mourned, and public outcry followed. Inquiries were made into fire safety standards and emergency planning for institutions.

Rebuilt in April, 1935

Rebuilding and Renewal (1935)

Despite the devastation, the need for mental health care on the Island remained.

In the months that followed, temporary accommodations were arranged. Survivors of the fire were housed in churches, private homes, and the few standing outbuildings on the Falconwood grounds. Staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to restore some semblance of routine and care.

Then, in April 1935, less than four years after the fire, a new Falconwood Hospital opened on the same grounds. Constructed with fire-resistant materials—brick, steel, and reinforced concrete—the new building was designed with improved safety standards, including fire escapes, wider stairwells, and unlocked ward doors.

It marked not only a physical rebuilding but a philosophical shift. The 1930s brought a slow, evolving understanding of mental health, and the new Falconwood reflected more humane treatment models. Patients were given more autonomy, daily programs were introduced, and staff were trained in more progressive methods.

Legacy and Transformation

Falconwood remained in operation under that name for decades. In the 1970s, the institution gradually transitioned and modernized again, eventually becoming what is known today as Hillsborough Hospital, Prince Edward Island’s main psychiatric facility.

Yet, those who work there—or even pass by the grounds—sometimes still feel the weight of its history.

To this day, local lore tells of a man’s silhouette in the upper windows, of phantom footsteps in empty corridors, and of a faint smell of smoke on winter nights.

Perhaps it’s just memory—an echo of the cold night in December 1931 when a wooden hospital on a hill lit up the sky and carved itself forever into the heart of the Island.