In 1862, the residents of Providence Township in Lackawanna County decided to establish a poor farm for those who were impoverished,
handicapped, elderly, and otherwise unable to work and care for themselves. This facility, which was then known as the Hillside Home, also provided housing and treatment for the mentally ill. In 1943, the name was changed to the Clarks Summit State Hospital, which continues to operate to this day.
As with any asylum with such a long history, the Hillside Home has seen some dark moments, including several violent inmate deaths at the hands of staff members, but none so tragic as the brutal murder of two female inmates in the summer of 1906 by a deranged mute named Ignatz Krewzyk.
