During the 1800s, the mentally ill had a strong voice in Dorothea Dix. She visited North Carolina in 1848 to advocate for better care of the mentally ill. The State Medical Society was formed the following year, and the capital city of Raleigh was chosen for the hospital, Dix Hill, which opened in 1856. The original property covered 2,354 acres. Over time, pieces were sold or given away -- a large chunk of land was donated to NC State for its Centennial Campus in 1984. The hospital closed in 2008, and by 2015, Raleigh officially acquired the remaining 308 acres for the creation of a park. Today, Dorothea Dix Park is at the heart of the Dorothea Dix neighborhood, hosting community events and serving as a gathering place for the neighborhood.
The Dorothea Dix neighborhood begins along I-40 and extends north to Western Boulevard.
