The Fairhill Campus has proudly served the Greater Cleveland community for over 78 years. Its roots trace back to 1837 when the Medical Board of Marine Hospitals designated Cleveland as the site for a hospital to care for sick seamen, boatmen, and other navigators.
Early Beginnings In its early years, the hospital was located in a facility with just 85 beds, which by 1916, was deemed inadequate. As a result, Congress began the process of relocating the hospital to the Fairhill site.
On June 28, 1930, the US Marine Hospital opened at Fairhill with a staff of 15 doctors, 42 nurses, and 72 attendants. However, by 1953, the hospital’s operations had diminished, and Congress voted to close it. The Marine Hospital officially shut its doors on June 30, 1953.
Transformation to Fairhill Psychiatric Hospital In 1956, the facility was repurposed as Fairhill Psychiatric Hospital. A significant renovation in 1973 added a two-story front addition to the original structure. However, after years of operation, the psychiatric hospital closed in December 1983, and the property remained dormant for the next four years.
The Development of the Fairhill Collaborative Campus In 1987, the process began to transform the site into the collaborative campus we know today. The land was originally cleared by Otto I. Leisy, president of Cleveland’s Leisy Brewing Company, who built a grand three-story brick mansion on the site in 1905, complete with a two-story wood-frame stable. These historic stables remain in use today and are available for community rentals. For more information, please visit our Event Rentals page.
The Fairhill Campus continues to honor its rich history while serving as a hub for community engagement and development.