A deep dive into the archives has revealed sensationalized stories surrounding teen girls who found themselves in a San Francisco asylum, leading to an eye-opening exploration.
Determined to bring these stories to light, I began curating newspaper clippings from a digital archive, sharing one each day on Twitter for a year. As my project progressed, Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter prompted me to transition to my own website, where I expanded my research beyond clippings to include census records and transcriptions of registers.
This detailed work has its challenges, especially in compiling historical records. However, it has provided rich narratives of some of the young residents whose lives were often sensationalized.
Particularly memorable are the stories of girls who displayed incredible personalities, such as a 10-year-old girl who, after stealing a purse, bought two dolls and candy while attending plays, or another girl who took a series of trains to Napa, indulging in fancy hotels and horse rides.
Interestingly, some of the reasons for these girls’ placements were perplexing. In an 1897 case, one girl faced incarceration simply for staying with a woman who hosted a Black man. The term ‘incorrigible’ was frequently used in these cases, often following behaviors that today might be considered indicators of neurodivergence.
The records also provide insight into the nuns managing the asylum. An early register from 1857 to 1872 showcases the nuns’ viewpoints, sometimes detailing life stories with compassion but often filtering them through a morality-focused lens.
The Sisters of Mercy, the caretakers of the asylum, were also involved with other institutions throughout the city. Currently, research into Mount St. Joseph’s orphanage, another Roman Catholic establishment, is underway. Notably, infants born to residents of the asylum frequently ended up in this orphanage, which had a troubling mortality rate.
Contrarily, unlike the notorious Magdalene laundries in Ireland, the San Francisco asylum primarily focused on needlework, producing embroidery and stitching. Advertisements from that era sought clients by offering high-quality needlework services.
The release process for the girls from the asylum was complex. Many were simply released upon reaching adulthood, while others required petitions. In some cases, marriage to a respectable man could secure their release.
It is surprising to discover that the cemetery associated with the asylum only contains the remains of nuns, raising questions about the fate of young girls and infants who died there. Most girls were buried in the Calvary cemetery in Anza Vista, yet one Indigenous girl’s burial remains a mystery as her death record suggests she was interred at the asylum site, but no evidence of her remains was found when further investigations were conducted.
Between 1904 and 1932, the asylum underwent a name change to Saint Catherine’s, maintaining its purpose but transitioning to another Catholic institution, the Order of the Good Shepherd. In later years, it began to function more like a nursing home for elderly widows.
In 1932, the asylum closed, with city desires to seize the land being a primary motive. By the 1930 census, the resident population had drastically reduced to around 100.
My motivation behind creating this comprehensive database stemmed from a desire to counter the negative narrative surrounding these girls. Historical records typically sought to shame these individuals, a common practice, particularly in contexts similar to those in Ireland where institutions attempted to erase names from history.
It is vital to remember these girls, to ensure their stories are not lost to time, and to honor the lives they lived.
image source from：https://www.kqed.org/arts/13974380/san-francisco-magdalen-asylum-history-wayward-girls-catholic-history
