Prior to 1906 , the Agnews State Hospital , constructed in 1885 , was modeled after the Kirkbride Plan and designed by architect Theodore Lenzen . This building was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , and Agnews became infamous as the site of the Santa Clara Valley 's greatest loss of life resulting from the quake . The '' Daily Palo Alto '' reported : " The position of the people in Agnews is critical ; a number of insane persons having escaped from the demolished asylum , are running at random about the country . " 117 patients and staff were killed and buried in mass graves on the site . The main building and some others were irreparably damaged
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Agnews Developmental Center