Construction began in 1874, and the 70,000 square foot Kirkbride building was opened four years later. It's Gothic peaks and spires looming over the solid red brick are an incredible sight of beauty and a symbol of grandeur and fortitude, but at the cost of over $1 million to build, local residents resented the beautiful castle on the hill being given to the "insane" while they were living quite meagerly in town. The hospital at Danvers was a model for humane treatment at the time, with no restraint policies and boasted a highly regarded pathology laboratory.