The site started out as the Baldovan hospital after being founded in 1852. The hospital opened on 30th November 1854 as an orphanage, hospital and place of education for imbecile children, it accommodated 30 children. It became known as Baldovan asylum in 1856.
In 1867 the orphanage moved to another site and so the hospital began to focus on the care and education of imbecile children. The number of children had increased to 70 by 1879. The site was extended and by 1904 with the new wards, the hospital was home to 160 children.
Between 1904 and 1932 the site was extended by adding more wards, a school, recreation hall, staff accommodation, occupational therapy, training facilities and a farm/garden.
1948 saw the hospital taken over by the NHS. Strathmartine hospital was adopted in 1959. The site was demolished in stages between 1963 and 1965. New buildings were erected on the site; with the addition of the swimming pool and a further three single story wards. Further building work was carried out in 1980 with the addition of two 25 bed wards.
The hospital closed down in 2003. The 17-hecatre site was sold 2 years later in 2005 with b-grade listing on the buildings. There has been several arson attacks on the buildings since it’s closure. The site is currently sitting awaiting re-development.