In 1962 the hospital was purchased by the state and used as a nursing home. Today Serena tells us about the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Its origin and the origin of its various ghost. Mostly I saw the shadows surrounding us, banging that seemed to come from everywhere, the ceiling, floor, and walls. Later it was leased to a private nursing firm and the name was changed to Woodhaven Geriatric Center. However the spelling fluctuated between both spellings many times over the years.EXPLORATION:One of the legends told of Waverly Hills involves a man in a white coat who has been seen walking in the kitchen and the smell of cooking food that sometimes wafts through the room. The fifth floor also featured a heliotherapy department, where . Even with many new procedures available, it was impossible to save everyone. At the time, Tuberculosis was a very serious disease. There are many reports of the infamous shadow people of Waverly Hills. Since Louisville was experiencing a surge in cases that swamped its other facilities, Waverly Hills was constructed to pick up the slack, and in its day it was considered a true marvel. During their initial visit, they found the kitchen was a disaster, a ruin of broken windows, fallen plaster, broken tables and chairs and puddles of water and debris that resulted from a leaking roof. Each year thousands of people visit Waverly to see the architecture, learn of the rich history, or chance an encounter with the unknown. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Its believed that tuberculosis has claimed roughly. Aer. As the state of the patients worsened, people began to die in the facility on an almost-daily basis. The BCG vaccine was first successfully used to ward off tuberculosis in 1921 in France, but the use of vaccines tended to travel slowly in those days. 4 min read. Their only link to those they had left behind were occasional visit days that were strictly controlled, limited, and overseen, so they were basically all on their own. There are said to be several ghosts still haunting the echoing halls. Not all people believe ghost stories such as the ones that have plagued Waverly Hills. Once you went to Waverly Hills, you became a permanent resident on the hill. Oddly enough, despite that fact, many patients received visits from loved ones on visiting day. He's written articles for MU and Daily Grail and has been a guest on Coast to Coast AM and Binnal of America. In the 19th century, Pulmonary Tuberculosis, then known as consumption, killed as many as one in seven people in the US. It is the fact that in its day it saw so much death and suffering? Today, Waverly Hills reputation as a paranormal spot is on a global scale. A reminder to visitors that Waverly Hills is private property and the residence of it's owners. WAVERLY HILLS SANATORIUM. Or is it just the imaginings of those in a decidedly spooky locale, keyed up to see something strange to the point that their minds conjure up visions of ghosts? He had a small schoolhouse built on Pages Lane and hired schoolteacher Lizzie Lee Harris to teach his three daughters. Ryan and Shane discover why this Sanatorium is one of the most haunted places in the world. It opened in 1910 as a two-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients. Waverly Hills remained closed for about 20 years at that time, as the property fell into disrepair. This company operated the nursing home facility until 1982 when it was closed by the state for violations and the mistreatment of patients. Biology, nature, and cryptozoology still remain Brent Swancers first intellectual loves. The Haunted Halls Of Waverly Hills Hospital. Then as now, it was characterized by drenching night sweats, persistent coughing (that would many times produce blood), lack of appetite, lethargy, and swollen extremities. Fandom Muthead Futhead Fanatical There is also the infamous Room 502, which is haunted by a nurse who once worked here and hung herself in the room after falling into crippling depression from her job, as well as another nurse who also killed herself here by jumping from the window. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! Address: 4400 Paralee Drive,Louisville, KY. 40272, Tour prices:Two-hour paranormal tour, $25; Two-and-a-half-hour historical tour, $30; Six-hour public investigation, $90; private overnight investigation, $1,000. 4. It got to the point where death was so commonplace that bodies were sometimes carried out right in front of other patients, although mostly they tried to do this through a secret tunnel and away from witnesses. The sanatorium was featured on ABC/FOX Family Channel's Scariest Places On Earth, VH1's Celebrity Paranormal Project, Syfy's Ghost Hunters, Zone Reality's Creepy, the British show Most Haunted, Paranormal Challenge and Ghost Adventures on Travel Channel. Its supposedly around 500 feet long and leads down the hill. With little knowledge of how to fight the illness, the creators of Waverly Hills based their treatment on quarantine, fresh air, and a positive attitude. There are tales of an apparition seemingly draped in white, like a doctors coat. In mechanical drawings from 1924 and 1962, however, this room is labeled the Transformer Room, and it clearly appears to be an electrical room. Related: Here's What We Know About The Future Of Waverly Hills Sanatarium. It would only become successful when used in combination with other antibiotics. With its hospital settingwhere death lurks in every shadowWaverly Hills association with ghost stories would not be improbable. The building is host to ghost hunters from all over the globe. Major Hays liked the peaceful-sounding name, so he named his property Waverley Hill. If you don't believe in ghosts, you will NOW!!! Shadows everywhere, we began to see perfect formations of shadows of people that were not there. At some point between Chris and us, behind Chris and in front of us, 2 bright balls of light shot from one room across the hall and into the adjacent room. The current owners of the Waverly Hills Sanatorium use the derelict space as a haunted attraction, staging horror houses in the fall and running ghost tours the rest of the year. In its heyday, Waverly Hills could be called state of the art. It was well-equipped and considered modern. Lately, the southwest Jefferson County site has been at the center of a lawsuit between its owner and the Waverly . The empty building was purchased by a number of buyers in the following years, but nothing ever saw fruition. Charlie claims John told him he was one of the people who found the nurse and confirmed that there had been a lot of blood and a baby -- and that because it was so taboo at the time, the death wouldnt have been recorded. This floor is actually centered in the middle of the hospital and the two wards, extending out from the nurses station, is glassed in on all sides and opens out onto a patio-type roof. We ran past the area where the light traveled to get to Chris who stopped at the end of the hall not knowing where to go. Today Serena tells us about the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Its origin and the origin of its various ghost. Like those who are known to be pet lovers viciously harming cats. The Historical Society and the family that owns the property hold fundraising events throughout the year. In 1944, there was a groundbreaking discovery of a type of antibiotic that could successfully treat tuberculosis, called streptomycin, and with this amazing new treatment the need for such a large sanatorium became steadily unnecessary, rendering Waverly Hills obsolete. NASA's Photos From Mars: Don't Tell Me the Red Planet Wasn't Once a Thriving World! Director: Christopher Saint Booth | Stars: Christopher Saint Booth, Philip Adrian Booth, Keith Age, Chris Haberman. #haunted #ghost #podcastLIKE and SUBSCRIBE!! In a 2001 newspaper story ahead of an on-site taping of Fox Family's "Scariest Places on Earth," a Courier Journal reporter noted "countless local legends about the place being haunted" had been fueled by the high number of people who succumbed to tuberculosis during the more than 50 years it housed patients. The only building in Louisville (hopefully) that contains two ancient holy skeletons. The management allows tours that can only take place by way of prior reservation. Construction of this Sanatorium began in March 1924 and opened for business on October 20, 1926. Just be careful, keep your eyes to the shadows, and make sure to tell us all about it. In the early 1900s, Jefferson County would experience a surge in Tuberculosis outbreaks. Over the years many expansions were built, including a hospital for advanced cases and a childrens pavilion, vast open-air areas, and there was a new building built practically every year. This original building was meant to hold 40-50 patients at one time, roughly half male and half female. And the United States abounds with such paranormal tales. The 180,000 square-foot facility provided treatment for over four hundred patients, each having access to their own telephone, radio, and solarium porch space. The tunnel is an attraction. Regardless, these medical advances would eventually put facilities such as the Waverly Hills Sanatorium out of business. We gotta go back out the way we came!" With Ryan Bergara, Shane Madej, Tina Mattingly, Helen Pan. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. A visit to Waverly Hills is a journey to the strange world of ghosts and ghostly experiences. During the late 1800s, roughly one in five deaths (20%) was attributed to tuberculosis. See why this Sanatorium is one of the most haunted places in the world. One of these, Room 502, is the subject of many rumors and legends and just about every curiosity-seeker that had broken into Waverly Hills over the years wanted to see it. The second e was dropped at some point.). Death was an everyday occurrence here, with bodies piling up and shipped out on a daily basis, and to be sent to Waverly Hills was a one-way ticket, a veritable death sentence. It is part of the Waverly Hills Haunted House tour, which draws waves of haunted house lovers, along with parents and children. They've feared Waverly Hills Sanatorium their entire lives, and for good reason. The Waverly Hills Historical Society runs tours by reservation only each year, March through August. What they catch on video lives up to its reputation. Waverly Hills Sanatorium is a beautiful example of early 20th century early Tudor Gothic Revival style architecture and a significant contributor to the Louisville, Ky community. (Please get in the death tunnel.). One of his best experiences is walking barefoot on forest trails.. The warm, wet weather in Kentucky near the Ohio River was a breeding place for bacteria, and insects often helped to spread disease. Also popularizing Waverly Hills was the film Spooked: The Ghosts of Waverly Hills Sanatorium, released in 2006, which purports to document paranormal sightings at the sitePlans have been developed to convert the sanatorium into a hotel and conference center.HISTORY:The land that is today known as Waverly Hill was purchased by Major Thomas H. Hays in 1883 as the Hays' family home. It would close in 1961, and reopen the following year as Woodhaven Geriatric Center, before closing its medical business twenty years later. Something had just hurled a brick at us hitting the wall. People who were afflicted with Tuberculosis were isolated from the general public and placed in an area where they could rest, stay calm, and have plenty of fresh air. The massive, collegiate, gothic style Sanatorium that you see in the 1926 photo (above) remains standing on Waverly Hill, today. Aerial Views and Ghost Hunting at Waverly Hills Sanatorium, known by many as \"One of The MOST HAUNTED PLACES ON EARTH\". The two TB sanatoriums were open for a total of 51 years, which means that 3 to 4 people would have died every single day. Then in 1882, a German physician called Robert Koch announced to an expectant world the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes Tuberculosis. It was clear that a bigger facility would soon be needed. We were extremely flattered that the popular TV show "Supernatural" made reference to the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in their 11th season finale last week. In fact, it has been called one of the most haunted places in the world Room 502 (Real location, unsubstantiated myths). The Waverly Hills Sanatorium is a former sanatorium located in southwestern Louisville / Jefferson County, Kentucky . Here's what residents told us. Nevertheless, it was hugely demoralizing, spreading fear and panic among a populace that was increasingly more aware that the medical professionals had no idea what they were doing. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Before it gained fame as a so-called "haunted" site, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium served as an important medical center in Louisville. The doors to the patients rooms began to slam shut. They screamed and banged on the door until two security guards came to their rescue -- and found that the door gave way easily for them. . This weeks podcast Serena shows us ecidence of the various hauntings of the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. If left untreated, the bacteria would begin to eat away at the lungs and could spread throughout the body -- consuming it. Discovery+ version contains 4 minutes of additional footage. The fifth floor consisted of two nurses stations, a pantry, a linen room, medicine room and two medium-sized rooms on both sides of the two nurses stations. Room 502 is said to be so imbued with negative energy and a sense of overwhelming despondency and sadness that it is impossible to stay in there for very long, and is one of the most haunted places in the whole facility. Its usually in a hospital that the angel of death is most active. They've feared Waverly Hills Sanatorium their entire lives, and for good reason. A chute was built to aid in disposing dead bodies in such a way that the sick did not have to see them leaving. Join MU Plus+ and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more! As I tried to calm him down something crashed against the wall near where we stood. The roof of Waverly Hills is also said to be rather intensely haunted, and one dramatic encounter was related on the site True Ghost Tales, by a witness who says: My friends and I went out on the roof and just hung out thinking about the stories we heard about the place when we began to see figures moving around in the dark inside the area of the 5th floor where the patients were bedded outside for air. Welcome to the Supernatural Corner Podcast, a weekl. Another nurse would jump to her death from the same place. The Board of Tuberculosis Hospital kept the name when they bought the land and opened the sanatorium. Waverly Hills Sanatorium was an abandoned sanatorium Sam and Dean visited in order to collect the many ghosts haunting there. Some other treatments were a bit more ominous and often nearly as deadly as the disease itself, such as and pneumectomy, a procedure in which infected parts of the lung and sometimes the entire lung were surgically removed, and thoracoplasty, which was the removal of several rib bones from the chest wall to collapse a lung. 83 minutes of ghostly evidence of the damned. Spookiest Stories Ever: Four Seasons of Kentucky Ghosts, Tuberculosis (also known as TB, consumption, the White Death, or the White Plague) is a highly communicable bacterial infection contracted by breathing in air containing. ome improvement began to present itself in those who spent a restful retreat in the mountains. Could it be that this strife and the negative emotions bled out to stain the very walls of this place and tether these spirits here? Visitors to Waverly Hills have alluded to several accounts of paranormal events on different sites including the second and third floors. When I looked to the floor it was a brick. More than half of those diagnosed with TB would die in three to five years. Construction on the site began in 1908 and it opened in 1910, according to Waverly Hills' website, to serve as an isolated medical center for patients afflicted with tuberculosis, which had been spreading through the Louisville area. The idea was to be completely self-reliant and isolated, and indeed everyone who came here, including doctors, nurses, and staff were required to cut off all links to the outside world, say goodbye to those they knew, and remain within this place permanently, making it almost like leaving Earth behind on a one-way voyage to some far away world. (Note the slightly different spelling of Waverley here. Waverly Hills was later reportedly given $11 million dollars with which to build a new, larger hospital. Due to Miss Harris' fondness for Walter Scott's Waverley novels, she named the schoolhouse Waverly School. Heres the truth. 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