The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was a state run psychiatric hospital located in Weston, West Virginia. The 242,000 square foot building was built to house 250 patients but by 1950 held over 2400. The so called cures that were practiced there included frontal lobotomies and electro-shock therapy. There were documented deaths there that numbered in the thousands with many buried on site thus making this one of the most haunted places in America.
Construction started in 1858 using prison labor and eventually skilled European stonemasons were brought in to finish up. Construction was interrupted during the Civil War in 1861 for almost a year and though not completely finished until 1881, patients started arriving in 1864. The hospital, who’s grounds included 666 acres, included a dairy farm, water, gas well and a cemetery which were all intended to make the asylum self sufficient. The hospital was renamed Weston State Hospital in 1913.
The last couple decades at the hospital were extremely violent. Frequent reports of patients killing other patients, female employees were violated and killed including a nurse that was missing for nearly two months before being found dead at the bottom of an unused staircase. It is these events that are said to contribute to the high level of paranormal activity at the asylum.
Some of the paranormal events reported by employees were sounds of gurneys being pushed up and down the hallways. The electro-shock area has had reports of screams coming from it. Full body apparitions of patients as well as doctors have been claimed to be seen roam the halls and rooms. Voices that have ranged from giggling and laughing to ominous warnings to leave the building have also been reported to be heard all around the facility.
It seems that the spirits from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum did not always stay there. A woman who grew up close to the hospital and eventually went to work there as a psychiatrist, had her first patient comment suicide. This doctor claims that his ghost still haunts her to this day.
The most active spot in the asylum seems to be the fourth floor as well as the Civil War wing. On the fourth floor there have been a lot of reports of strange sounds and banging, voices, whispering and what seems to be constant conversation going on even though no one is talking. The Civil War wing apparently is visited by a soldier named Jacob. Jacob as been seen wondering the area on several occasions.
In 1990 the hospital was designated an historical site and in 2007 it was bought at an auction and now open for tours. The new owners officially changed the name back to The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
In 2008 TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) was invited in to investigate the paranormal activity being reported. TAPS got evidence of what sounded like a female laugh, strange banging sound and an EVP telling them to “Go Home”. Grant Wilson, from TAPS, also claimed to see an apparition standing in the corner and which immediately put its hands over its head and, according to Wilson, looked like it was “being sucked out of the room.” TAPS declared that the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was indeed haunted.
Construction started in 1858 using prison labor and eventually skilled European stonemasons were brought in to finish up. Construction was interrupted during the Civil War in 1861 for almost a year and though not completely finished until 1881, patients started arriving in 1864. The hospital, who’s grounds included 666 acres, included a dairy farm, water, gas well and a cemetery which were all intended to make the asylum self sufficient. The hospital was renamed Weston State Hospital in 1913.
The last couple decades at the hospital were extremely violent. Frequent reports of patients killing other patients, female employees were violated and killed including a nurse that was missing for nearly two months before being found dead at the bottom of an unused staircase. It is these events that are said to contribute to the high level of paranormal activity at the asylum.
Some of the paranormal events reported by employees were sounds of gurneys being pushed up and down the hallways. The electro-shock area has had reports of screams coming from it. Full body apparitions of patients as well as doctors have been claimed to be seen roam the halls and rooms. Voices that have ranged from giggling and laughing to ominous warnings to leave the building have also been reported to be heard all around the facility.
It seems that the spirits from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum did not always stay there. A woman who grew up close to the hospital and eventually went to work there as a psychiatrist, had her first patient comment suicide. This doctor claims that his ghost still haunts her to this day.
The most active spot in the asylum seems to be the fourth floor as well as the Civil War wing. On the fourth floor there have been a lot of reports of strange sounds and banging, voices, whispering and what seems to be constant conversation going on even though no one is talking. The Civil War wing apparently is visited by a soldier named Jacob. Jacob as been seen wondering the area on several occasions.
In 1990 the hospital was designated an historical site and in 2007 it was bought at an auction and now open for tours. The new owners officially changed the name back to The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
In 2008 TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) was invited in to investigate the paranormal activity being reported. TAPS got evidence of what sounded like a female laugh, strange banging sound and an EVP telling them to “Go Home”. Grant Wilson, from TAPS, also claimed to see an apparition standing in the corner and which immediately put its hands over its head and, according to Wilson, looked like it was “being sucked out of the room.” TAPS declared that the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was indeed haunted.
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