Judith Lee Photography

09/28/2026

This past Saturday, Lindsay Lee and I visited Pennhurst Asylum.

Pennhurst opened in 1908 and was originally called Eastern Pennsylvania Institution for the Feeble Minded and Epileptic, to isolate people - primarily children - with disabilities from the general public. Designed to accommodate 500-1800 residents, it ballooned to 3500-4000 by the 1960's.

In 1968, NBC journalist Bill Baldini broadcast a shocking exposé, 'Suffer the Little Children', documenting severe physical abuse, neglect, and unsanitary conditions inside Pennhurst.

After a series of federal court cases, marking a major turning point for the American disability rights movement, Pennhurst finally closed in 1987, with residents transitioning to community based housing.

To see the complete gallery, click the link below👇
https://www.judithleephotography.com/pennhurst-state-school

08/05/2026

After 7 or 8 weeks and having the suspension, actuator, motor, transmission, and the belt replaced - twice, I think my washer is finally fixed🤞 lol. The time spent waiting at home hasn't been for naught though - I blew up my website and rebuilt it. It's not 100% done, I'm not sure it ever will be🤷‍♀️, but I would really appreciate it if you all could take a look and tell me what you think. Thank you!!🧡

Judith Lee Photography offers professional photography services.

07/21/2026

I haven't be out with my camera for about 6 weeks - 5 visits from an appliance repairman and still no working washing machine🤬. But, I did make up to the OMR for couple hours this past Sunday to shoot hummingbirds!

06/10/2026

Not what I was expecting to photograph while up on the Old Mine Road yesterday. But, a very good reminder to be mindful of were you put your feet lol. Came upon this Timber Rattlesnake sleeping in the grass of one of the properties. I never was close enough to disturb him - no rattle, no defensive pose, not even a flick of his tongue.

06/09/2026

My little corner of the world is turning into quite the Disney movie lol. The first image is out my office window, from a week ago, when the fawn was about 2 days old. The others are from my kitchen window this past Sunday....such a cute little guy!!

06/04/2026

Anyone that knows me, is aware that one animal I really, really wanted to see was a Porcupine - I've only seen one about 10 years ago in the parking lot of Sunrise Mountain. Every time I'm on the OMR, I scan the trees for one. Imagine my surprise when, yesterday, I looked up from my laptop and what did I see - a Porcupine just strolling past my office window! Of course, I grabbed my camera and bolted out the door. Despite how it looks, I never got close enough to disturb him - oh the joys of a long lens lol.

05/13/2026

Also on the property of the Village, is a newer warehouse. It has be repurposed by local kids as an indoor skatepark with some very impressive graffiti.

05/09/2026

So you don't think I spend all my free time lurking in abandoned buildings lol, here are a couple guys that are actual living, breathing beings....

05/07/2026

The first post from Letchworth Village was of one of the women's dormitories, I believe - I've been unable to find a complete site map of the buildings within the village. This is Stewart Hall, a boy's dormitory, that suffered a catastrophic fire in December, 2006. The thought is that the fire was accidently set by homeless people sleeping in the building. Historical Fact: In 1950, the children living in the village were used as test subjects for the polio vaccine without consent. This was 4 years prior to the field trials of the vaccine.

05/04/2026

Last Wednesday, my daughter and I visited Letchworth Village in NY. Letchworth was an insane asylum built in 1910 that spanned 2000 acres with over 200 buildings. Although it lacked the huge gothic main building, it was built on the Kirkbride theory that mental illness could be treated, possibly cured, with structure, kindness, sunshine, fresh air and purpose. The village was self-contained where they grew their own food, had a bakery, church, school, hospital, etc.

But, like other insane asylums of the mid 20th century, it fell victim to lack of funding and staff which, in turn, lead to abuses, some horrible, of the residents. After the whole "deinstitutionalization" of mental patients, the village was abandoned. While some of the buildings have been repurposed, most stand empty, a few suffered fires set by kids partying within their walls. It's a shame a college didn't take over the property as it would be a beautiful campus.

I will need to go back - there was no way we could cover the whole village in just a few hours - with a flashlight lol.