For more than a century, the sprawling Fergus Falls State Hospital for mentally ill patients was a mainstay of this small western Minnesota town, a landmark and a major employer. The glowering structure has sat vacant since 2009. Now, the abandoned mental hospital has found a new purpose, as Fergus Falls, population 13,000, becomes home to a burgeoning local arts scene. City leaders hope the town’s attention to the arts will help spark economic revitalization in other parts of the city.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 28, 2017 12:56 UTC