The process of American psychiatric care started with the development of lunatic asylums during the early nineteenth century. There were 122 state supported lunatic asylums opened in the United States before 1900. Most histories of early asylums have been lost except for the significant or unusual ones. Tracing the history of these early institutions, which emphasized care for the common patient, will allow current researchers to understand the actions and attitudes that previously doomed such programs, saving time and money.