Researching the History of Institutionalized People in Pennsylvania
Presented by Tyler Stump, Pennsylvania State Archives.

Since the early 19th century, the state of Pennsylvania has operated nearly 50 different state institutions for people with intellectual and mental disabilities. Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians lived in these institutions. Today, the Pennsylvania State Archives holds the historical records created by these institutions, which are invaluable resources for researchers and genealogists. Join archivist Tyler Stump to explore this important part of Pennsylvania’s history and to learn more about what kinds of information can be found in the archives’ collections.

Tyler Stump has been an acquisitions archivist at the Pennsylvania State Archives since 2016. He mostly works with historical PA government records. He’s has published several pieces about the history of Pennsylvania’s prisons and state-run institutions, most recently an article in Pennsylvania History about Farview State Hospital, an institution in Wayne County. Tyler grew up in the Baltimore area, but his family has lived in the York Township/Dallastown area since the mid 18th century. He currently lives in Camp Hill, PA with his wife Andra (who is also an archivist at the PA House of Representatives Archives).

Attorney Richard Konkel is President of the South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Board of Directors.