People of Rockhaven

Founder-Agnes Richard

Agnes Richard was a pioneering figure in the early 20th century, whose work at the Rockhaven Sanatorium significantly contributed to advancing women’s mental health care. As the superintendent of the sanatorium, Richard dedicated her efforts to creating a safe and supportive environment for women suffering from mental illnesses, particularly those affected by the societal pressures and gender-specific issues of the time. Rockhaven, established in 1923 in the city of Glendale, CA, offered an alternative to the harsh, overcrowded, and often inhumane conditions of larger mental hospitals. Agnes Richard’s approach emphasized compassionate care, holistic treatments, and privacy, which helped to alleviate the stigma surrounding mental illness. Her contributions to mental health care not only provided essential services to women but also challenged the prevailing notions of mental illness and women's roles in society. Through Rockhaven, Richard became a key advocate for better, more personalized treatment, leaving a lasting legacy in the field of women's health.

Patricia Traviss

Patricia Traviss, granddaughter of Agnes Richard, continued her family's legacy of dedication to women’s health through her work in advocating for mental health awareness and supporting marginalized communities. As a prominent advocate and mental health professional, Traviss played an important role in preserving and expanding the impact of her grandmother’s work at the Rockhaven Sanatorium. She was instrumental in ensuring that Rockhaven's legacy endured, focusing on providing care for women suffering from mental illnesses while combating the societal stigma that often surrounded such conditions. Traviss’ approach emphasized the importance of community support, accessibility to mental health resources, and the integration of mental health care with broader social services. Through her commitment to enhancing women’s mental health services, Patricia Traviss contributed to reshaping how mental health was perceived and treated, ensuring that the values of compassion and respect instilled by Agnes Richard continued to influence future generations.

Ladies and Residents

The Ladies of the Rockhaven Sanatorium were all women, many of whom suffered from mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and nervous disorders, which were often exacerbated by the societal pressures and gender norms of the early 20th century. At a time when mental illness in women was frequently misunderstood or stigmatized, Rockhaven offered a more compassionate and individualized approach to treatment, focusing on rest, therapy, and a peaceful, natural environment. However, acquiring detailed information about the women who resided there proves difficult due to the privacy and discretion with which the facility operated. The sanatorium’s records were kept confidential, and the women who sought care often did so in a time when mental health issues, especially among women, were regarded as shameful or taboo. Additionally, many records from the sanatorium’s early years have been lost or were never fully documented, leaving historians and researchers with limited insight into the personal experiences and histories of the women who lived there. As a result, much of what is known about Rockhaven's residents remains fragmentary, making it challenging to fully understand the scope of their lives and the treatment they received.

Residents in Revive

Residents of the Month

Notable Residents

Notable residents of the Rockhaven Sanatorium, such as Gladys Pearl Baker and Billie Burke, added a layer of intrigue to the facility’s history, as both women were public figures who sought treatment at the sanatorium during a time when mental health issues were still highly stigmatized. Gladys Pearl Baker, the mother of Marilyn Monroe, and Billie Burke, the famous actress known for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz, were among the women who sought refuge at Rockhaven, seeking respite from the pressures of fame and personal struggles. The presence of such high-profile individuals in a private and discreet setting further solidified Rockhaven’s reputation as a sanctuary for women in need of compassionate mental health care. However, as with most residents, acquiring detailed information about their time at Rockhaven is difficult due to the confidential nature of the facility and the reluctance to publicly disclose the personal struggles of its residents. The limited documentation and the privacy surrounding the treatment of these notable figures contribute to the challenge of fully understanding their experiences at Rockhaven. This mystery surrounding the lives of its prominent residents highlights the broader societal taboos of the time regarding mental health and the stigma attached to seeking care.

Gladys Pearl Baker

Billie Burke

Staff

The staff at Rockhaven were primarily all female, due to the greater mission of Rockhaven being a place that would respect and fairly treat females with mental illnesses. The only fair and humane way to treat women was by another women. This was the mission statement of the entire Rockhaven institution. Respect and proper rehabilitation were the utmost priority of Rockhaven. Staff life was a role filled with the job of a caregiver to all their residents or “ladies,” which they preferred to call their residents. An ex-nurse that worked at Rockhaven from 1965 to 1975 tells us her story and what working there at Rockhaven meant to her and to her fellow coworkers. Gina Rozyczka came from Spain and ended up finding her way to California and becoming employed at the Rockhaven Sanitorium. She worked there for 10 years as a nurse. As she looked back into her decade working there, she had nothing but fond memories of Rockhaven. One thing she would constantly mention was the overall mission of Rockhaven and the founder, Agnes Richards. Richard's idea was to stay away from the stereotypical notion of sanitarium being an inhumane place for those in need. Gina even says, “Richards’ heart was as a big as the whole United States.” This goes to show that the staff had an infatuation for Richards’ mission at Rockhaven and heavily supported it. The staff was an influential piece of Rockhaven journey of being a place for mentally ill women to be treated and taken care of with respect.

Works Cited

Weekly, CV. “CV Weekly.” The Foothills Community Newspaper, November 14, 2013. https://www.crescentavalleyweekly.com/news/11/14/2013/memories-rockhaven-nurse/

Gale, Sadie. “The History of Sanatoriums and Surveillance.” Wellcome Collection, 2022. https://wellcomecollection.org/stories/the-history-of-sanatoriums-and-surveillance.

Jordan, Elisa. Rockhaven sanitarium: The legacy of Agnes Richards. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2018.

Weekly, CV. “CV Weekly.” The Foothills Community Newspaper, August 2, 2012. https://www.crescentavalleyweekly.com/viewpoints/08/02/2012/treasures-of-the-valley-mike-lawler-14/.