#lunaticasylum

CONSTRUCTION The asylum was constructed in West Virginia in between the years 1858 and 1881 and is the largest hand-cut stone masonry building in North America. Though the building was still being built, the asylum began taking patients in 1861, twenty years before the building was complete.

TREATMENT Mental health was not something people know really anything about in the 1800s, so many patients were treated badly. Conditions of the asylum were what we would now consider torturous. They used cruel treatments on their patients such as electro-shock therapy, lobotomies, and treated their worst patients as if they were animals, leaving them in cages and in chains, and not keeping up on their personal hygiene, leaving their patients now physically unhealthy. Even without the barbaric ways of handling their patients, the asylum was in no condition for anyone to be living in. The building was made to house 250 souls, but during their peak, the asylum housed 2,400 patients. The building was so jam packed that the environment became filthy and even more dreadful. Because of these horrific conditions, the asylum finally shut down in 1994. (Psychological testing room below)

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY The asylum’s reputation for paranormal activity started before it even opened. The asylum’s grounds consisted of exactly 666 acres (the biblical mark of the beast). Some of the dimensions of the building were also believed to be grounded on Masonic cult formulas. What greatly contributes to the belief of this building being haunted is the unsettling number of deaths that happened in the time the asylum was running. Mostly, it was patients killing other patients. Some of the asylum workers were also murdered and many female workers were assaulted.

After several decades in action, there had been countless reports of hauntings in the building. Many reports were of hearing sounds. The most common sounds reported were squeaking wheels of gurneys, moans, and hysterical laughter coming from rooms and hallways that were empty. The sounds roamed the building so often that many workers only lasted a few days before they fled. Many people believe the sounds are coming from the ghosts of the restless patients who were treated so awfully.

One very frightening and tragic incident was when a nurse at the asylum disappeared. Her body wasn’t found until nearly two months later in a stairwell in the a corner of the building. Her murderer is still unknown.

Another story was told by a psychiatrist who had treated a patient who later committed suicide. She believed the ghost of her patients would follow her home. Like the ghost was attached to her. She claims that she had also seen the ghost and that it still haunts her to this day.

Over the time the asylum was in operation, there had been so many sightings of ghosts that they are uncountable.

GHOST HOTSPOTS One of the most believed to be haunted areas of the building is known as the Civil War wing. Here, countless people have claimed to have witnessed the ghost of a soldier named Jacob.

Another area that is considered a “hotspot” for ghosts is one the fourth floor of the asylum, On this floor, people say they’ve heard thumping, banging, rustling, whispering voices, spine-chilling laughs, crashing, and have seen ghosts. (picture from 4th floor)

REOPENING In 207, Joe Jordan purchased the building and opened it for tours. One tourist claimed she felt someone pulling on her leg while she was on the fourth floor. There have been so many “ghost encounters'' from tourists that it is about impossible to find them all.

LILY One famous story about the building that draws in many people is the story of a little girl named Lily who died in the asylum. Nobody knows for sure how Lily ended up in the asylum. Some believe she was born there and her mother was a patient. Others think she was abandoned and the hospital took her in. People who say they’ve encountered Lily claim that she is a childish and gentle spirit. Many people claim to have played games with her. One game she likes to play is rolling a ball back and forth. Some tour guides and regular tourists say they’re formed a friendship with her. One tour guide, Zach McCormick said, “I’m not sure where it all started, but Lily talks.”

Lily’s room is located on the first floor between Ward One and the Civil War Wing. To this day, her walls are still painted and her toys remain there. Some people even bring her new toys. One that Lily seems to really enjoy is her pink music box that sometimes starts playing “by itself.” Her baby dolls and balls always stay scattered around the room, No matter how many times they get put away, she’s always wanted to play. Now why people think these stories are cute and not super creepy escapes my understanding, but if playing the ghosts of little girls is your thing, you know where to go. (Lily’s room below)

What are your thoughts? Do these ghosts of former patients and employees really lurk around the rooms and hallways? Does Lily really live in her old room or is it a hoax to attract tourists? Is the place even safe for tourists?

Parts of the Old hospital were still occupied, but not by patients, but by academics and doctors (Umass Medical School, Center for Mental Health Services Research). In the Summer of 1991, a fire was set in the left wing of the building.  A good portion of the hospital was destroyed, including the wooden supports of the Clock Tower. Upon the discovery of asbestos, the entire left wing was demolished, with the exception of the Clock Tower and a round building. The underground tunnels (floors constructed of teak and oak) were filled in/boarded up. I was told that along the walls of these tunnels, there were  groove marks made from  chains due many years of immobilized patients left to  anguish underground (the person who told me this had a flair for the dramatic).

    Prior to the 2008-2009 demolition, Martin Scorsese wanted to use Worcester State Hospital in his film, "Shutter Island". He was denied because the shoot would interfere with the demolition schedule. He went to Medfield State Hospital instead. During the weekend of the shoot, I was at Worcester State Hospital taking pictures. Demolition did not begin on the hospital until a month later. The buildings could of been preserved on the big screen. Supposedly, an episode of "X-Files" (a 1990's Sy-Fy tv series) was filmed here. However, I have not been able to verify that.