Entry No. 52 — the Philadelphia file — filed under: asylum

Salem County Insane Asylum

Constructed in 1870, the Salem County Insane Asylum is the only surviving first-generation county asylum in New Jersey. The three-story Italianate brick structure was built to relieve overcrowding in state facilities but has been vacant and decaying since county offices relocated in 1995. Today, the boarded-up building stands as a haunting roadside relic, complete with its original wooden rooftop belvedere.

The move: Take a scenic drive down Route 45 to view and photograph the striking, boarded-up Italianate exterior and its historic rooftop belvedere from a safe distance.

📍 Before you go The building is heavily deteriorated, boarded up, and closed to the public, but it is easily visible and photogenic from the public roadside.

• 📍 Woodstown
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 900 NJ-45 building, Woodstown, NJ 08098, USA

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · preservationnj.org

last checked: 2026-07-20