2023 Waverly Hills Historical Society | All Rights Reserved. After Joey and a few of his friends learned about the spooky history of the place, they had their own haunted experience. As a last resort, doctors devised treatments, such asinserting balloons into patients' lungsandfilling them with air to help with breathing. Louisville, KY, is home to the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, which many people believe is one of the most haunted places on Earth. [16] The first phase of the development, coming in at a cost of $4 million, would have been a statue of 150 feet (46m) tall and 150 feet (46m) wide, situated on the roof of the sanatorium. The doctors and workers of this time also believed that this would help to lower the disease's spreading rate.[14]. Waverly Hills Historical Society - Waverly Hills Historical Society Welcome to the official page of the Waverly Hills Historical Society About Us Learn who we are and what we do. A grand jury found multiple instances of patient abuse and signs of neglect of the facility itself. Private Investigations are offered on Sunday through Thursday nights and afford a chance for unlimited investigation and free-roam of Waverly Hills with you and your group. Ghost hunters have been there more than once. As LiveScience explains, various ghost hunters and spook chasers have reported encountering all sorts of creepy phenomena within the halls of the long-abandoned hospital. These dark beings roam the halls of the main building and have been captured in photographs both inside and on the grounds outside. The first Waverly Hills Sanatorium building opened on July 26, 1910. The WHHS now runs Tours and Investigations, plus special and seasonal events to raise funds to accomplish their goal. Must have at least a group of 10 or pay the equivalent of. Of course, we don't know, but assuming they are evil in nature what could be the reason for their presence? Perched upon a hilltop in southwestern Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky, is the former Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a looming, monolithic building that looks like something out of a dark gothic fairy tale, and in many ways, it sort of is. Nestled on the top of a placid hill, the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium once tried to heal tuberculosis with peace and good vibes. Imagine a respiratory illness so damaging that contracting it could change, or end, a person's life. Its residents were just as free to move about the floor as patients on any other floor. A skeptic himself, it wasn't long before he changed his mind. 15 In 1962, when Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Hospital closed as a tuberculosis hospital and the remaining patients were transferred to Hazelwood. Best time to visit The Waverly Hills Sanatorium (preferred time): 02:30 pm - 08:00 pm. This being is different from the other shadow people said to stalk the premises, and theories abound on its origins and intentions. . They are not walked all at once. But this battle field is in the court room. Friday and Saturday Nights (12AM 6AM) in March August. It's believed that nearly 50,000. Some 2,000 people a year were dying of tuberculosis in Kentucky alone. The show featured prominent acts in the extreme metal and metalcore scene, including Job for a Cowboy, The Acacia Strain, Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, Chimaira, GWAR, Cameo, Lamb of God and The Number Twelve Looks Like You. Death Tunnel: Directed by Philip Adrian Booth. There is so much activity. This floor, particularly Room 502, is the center of much of the ghost stories surrounding Waverly and was the area of prime interest for ghost-hunting teens breaking into the abandoned hospital for years. Theyre all petty, unsubstantiated, frivolous, claims that they have not yet been able to produce discovery for, Pack said. Please Note: We are working very hard to restore and preserve Waverly Hills Sanatorium. We are always working on the building and grounds when we dont have events, so the grounds are not accessible without a reservation. American Hauntings explains that the legendary fifth floor of Waverly Hills was not at any point used to house or confine mentally ill patients. American Hauntings reports sightings of more specific apparitions, including a ghostly hearse seen dropping off coffins at the back of the building, a woman with bleeding wrists begging for help, and a man in a white coat seen wandering around a trashed kitchen full of broken windows and destroyed furniture, accompanied by the scent of food. The swampland of Kentucky had created a large amount of TB . Waverly Hills, in 1950, had 373 patients, but it had dropped to 293 patients by 1960. (Despite its name, Waverly Hills was not a mental hospital; a sanatorium is any institution that provides treatment and convalescence for chronic illnesses.). However, the cost of the statue was estimated to be $4 million while the interior renovations turning the hospital into an arts and worship center would have been between $8 million and $10 million. This is certainly evident at Waverly Hills. The community at Waverly Hills became essentially its own city, complete with its own ZIP code and post office. Set up equipment, record, and spend as much time as you like in any spot for as long as you like. Please use Gate B at 4400 Paralee Drive off of Dixie Highway. As the non-profit steward for the property, the Waverly Hills Historical Society continues to offer educational and paranormal events (such as tours), and this legal issue has not forced the Historical Society to cancel tours or events. The Waverly Sanatorium has been investigated by numerous paranormal groups, including the LOUISVILLE Ghost HUNTERS SOCIETY. Apparently she was in despair over finding out that she was pregnant out of wedlock. Price for up to 10 persons, additional pay upon arrival. By 1961 Waverly Hills Sanatorium was renamed Woodhaven Geriatrics Hospital, though some say it was, in reality, an insane asylum. The hospital closed in 1961, due to the antibiotic drug streptomycin that lowered the need for such a hospital. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium Body Chute in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the most haunted places in the United States. Download Waverly Hills Sanatorium - One of America's Most Haunted Locations song and listen Waverly Hills Sanatorium - One of America's Most Haunted Locations MP3 song offline. Again, we suggest no one under the age of 13 years old. Each year thousands of people visit Waverly to see the architecture, learn of the rich history, or chance an encounter with the unknown. Who can say? Where these ghostly beings are usually reported to exhibit human characteristics, the shadow people are different creatures altogether. Waverly Hills Sanatorium: A History (Landmarks) Hardcover - June 6, 2022 by Lynn Pohl (Author) Hardcover $33.99 1 Used from $27.03 6 New from $26.29 Paperback $21.99 1 New from $21.99 High on a hill on the south side of Louisville, Kentucky, a massive Tudor Gothic Revival building still stands as a testament to past struggles with a deadly disease. While doctors preferred to only remove two or three ribs at a time, most patients required as many as eight removed for this technique to be effective, meaning they had to endure multiple painful surgeries. The boys entered the place and began hunting the souls down. The most widely accepted is that when people pass away under duress their energy remains long after they are gone. It is listed on the National Historic Register and faced the threat of being torn down. According to local legend,the head nurse of Room 502 was found hanging from a light fixture. When it opened it originally accommodated just about 50 patients but soon expanded to hold almost 500 patients. (By a ghost? When people in a sanatorium die, youd expect it to be the tuberculosis patients, not the healthy staff. However, tuberculosis reached epidemic proportions by 1910, and Louisville was particularly hard hit due to its low-lying position on the waters of the Ohio River, andaccording to Abandoned OnlineWaverly was soon overwhelmed with over 140 patients in a facility designed for 40 people. Learn More History Learn the history of Waverly Hills Sanatorium. There was some sort of shadow being that came down the hall towards us & walked right into my daughter. There were no schools in the area, so Hays decided to build a one-room schoolhouse for his own children. As a result, construction soon began on a much larger, more permanent facility. It is listed on the National Historic Register and became known as one of the "most haunted places on earth." The Waverly Hills Historical Society, a 501(C)3 non-profit organization, was formed to save the building and promote the education of its history, architectural significance, and . Woodhaven remained in operation until 1981 when it was shut down amid allegations of patient abuse. Just you and your group for a Private. While it's nice to imagine Waverly's philosophy of making things as pleasant as possible for their patients suffering from tuberculosis worked, the fact is, there's a limit to how pleasant you can make life for someone who's constantly coughing up bloody mucus. To this end, Waverly Hills now primarily serves as a haunted attraction, with ghost tours and annual haunted house events. Were hoping that all these barriers can come down real soon and we can work together again real soon. Nothing there of course, but he shut if off again and the light was all the way back at the bottom again. The two-hour paranormal tour is a guided tour that visits the most well-known areas of Waverly, including the morgue, room 502, and even the body chute. The question that we need to ask ourselves is: Why do they haunt Waverly Hills? Public Investigations are semi-guided, so a guide will be available as needed after an initial walkthrough. The building was reopened in 1962 as Woodhaven Geriatric Center, a nursing home primarily treating aging patients with various stages of dementia and mobility limits, as well as the severely mentally handicapped. Many believe the Creeper to be an inhuman entity, a malevolent being not of this earth, but there are many possible theories. The first tuberculosis sanatorium for blacks in the segregated South was the Piedmont Sanatorium in Burkeville, Virginia. Administrators decided to remove the bodies via an inconspicuous tunnel originally meant for personnel access. Once it was, though, new patients could now be treated at a regular hospital as outpatients. Instead, this book sheds to seek light on one of the most deadly and contagious diseases of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. In this case, the activity is more like a recording of the environment. Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA, Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, KY, Scary Tales From The Haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium. The Waverly Hills Historical Society sent a response to WAVE News on the ongoing lawsuit and claims by the Save Waverly Hills group: The Waverly Hills Historical Societys mission has remained unchanged since 2003 to preserve, restore and educate the public about Waverly Hills Sanatorium and its history. Some paranormal researchers believe they are simply another manifestation of the human spirit. Note: Only Private Paranormal Investigation groups are able to reserve the Pump house Bunkhouse. You want to ensure you are taken to Gate B. Demon is the common term, but different religions and philosophies know them by different names. We suggest no one under the age of 13 years old. Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Kentucky opened in 1910 as a facility for treating tuberculosis patients at the height of the early-twentieth century outbreak of the disease. The Waverly Hills Historical Society gave the Mattinglys more than 90 days to move out of the property and back into their personal residence, where they currently reside. There are many explanations for supposed ghost sightings at any location, and without hard evidence, the unbelievers will never be persuaded. [19][20], Waverly Hills Sanatorium hosted the last show of the touring music festival Sounds of the Underground on August 11, 2007. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium | Louisville KY Experience a bone-chilling six-hour paranormal adventure, experiencing the most famous locations in Waverly Hills while having the opportunity to free roam and investigate on your own. Chris began to cry, and the rest of the group barely held it together, but finally, they made it out of the sanatorium and into Joeys sisters car. Were their minds playing tricks on them, or was it the miserable souls of dead tuberculosis patients? shea duane from new jersey on April 28, 2012: 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. The Creeper and the Shadow People may still walk the grounds as the ghostly remnants of the past. In the early 1900s, Jefferson County was ravaged by an outbreak of tuberculosis known as the "White Plague" which prompted the construction of a new hospital. The worse for me was the body chute/tunnel. Human spirits are of course the spirits of people who once lived among us. Todd and Thompson then proposed converting the hospital into apartments, but they counted on Jefferson Fiscal Court to buy around 140 acres (57ha) from them for $400,000, giving them the money to start the project. One of the most popular spots to get scared is the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. Please read all rules & guidelines or call the reservation office Monday Friday 9am 5pm for more information. Darting in & out of the rooms. Deep under the hospital is the "Death Tunnel" which once were used to secretly remove the dead from the grounds. This report also mentions that the goal was to add a new building each year to continually grow so there may have even been more beds available than specifically listed! However, it was soon overcrowded, without enough staff to treat residents. Woodhaven was closed and all of its patients were transferred to another care facility. She is fine, btw :o) There is a 2 hour, 6 hour & daytime tourwe did the 2 hour. **PLEASE NOTE** Anyone seeking to host an event at Waverly Hills MUST have permission from the owners & Waverly Hills Historical Society. To clarify what was said in a WAVE report, the Waverly Hills Historical Society never initiated any eviction proceedings against the Mattinglys or kicked anyone out of their home. Zak, Nick and Aaron investigate its dark history and summons spirits that are still roaming the halls of this derelict building. Perhaps needless to say, this grim passage earned itself an equally grim nickname: "the body chute.". Woodhaven operated in this capacity until 1982 when it was closed by the state. He has been doing this for over 10 years and has over 1,000,000 subscribers. The 2 Hour Historical tour is a Sunday afternoon daytime tour. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium Address: 4400 Paralee Ln, Louisville, KY 40272, United States, 40272. "The owner of Waverly Hills Sanatorium has not been forced out. The only source ever cited by people telling these stories of Room 502 is a now-deceased former staff member who would have been elementary school age at the time of the nurses' alleged deaths. I was unsuccessful. Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Kentucky opened in 1910 as a facility for treating tuberculosis patients at the height of the early-twentieth century outbreak of the disease. While the legendary claims that some 60,000 people died at Waverly are grossly exaggerated, LiveScience cites historians who say the actual number is more like 8,000 total, with a recorded 152 deaths in 1945, which was the height of the epidemic. But there is something else at Waverly Hills, something much darker. The Historical Society has a lease with the owner and continues to fulfill our agreement. In 1962, Waverly Hills closed as a tuberculosis hospital and all of its patients were transferred to a regular hospital. It is one of the most famous Kentucky ghost stories, and the haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium is known worldwide. Save Waverly Hills is a group created to help support and fundraise for the Mattinglys. It's a fight for one of the most haunted places in the country. We are already planning our return to both the others. History In the 19th century, tuberculosis, the "white death," was one of the most dreaded diseases. 1977. You've got your old standards, like unexplained footsteps and the slamming of doors, weird noises, and so on. Shadow people are nothing new. Below is the full statement. But, beyond that lies a particularly-interesting 5-story structure on this unsuspecting hill. In Louisville, Kentucky, stands a lofty, bat-winged gothic building that has a reputation that fits its somewhat spooky appearance. The existing Waverly Hills Sanatorium was constructed between March 1924 and October 1926 at the cost of $1.1 million. Sometimes spirits may interact with the living or otherwise show a sense of awareness of the world around them. Around this hill are homes, local businesses, an outdoor event venue, and even a golf course. The original facilities at Waverly included two large open-air pavilions where the patients were placed to receive their prescribed fresh air and sunshine. However, as Kentucky Historic Institutions explains, this treatment wasn't made available to the patients at Waverly until 1949. As is frequently the case, however, reality comes in to poop the party. Just visited Waverly & let me tell you it is an experience to not miss. Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville opened in 1910 to accommodate tuberculosis patients. Jason and Grant reveal the findings from their live Halloween investigation of Kentucky's Waverly Hills Sanatorium. It turns out they would need the space. This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. No one under 10 years of age will be permitted. While there's no explanation for who or what the Creeper might be, some think he might have been a mistreated patient whose contorted appearance reflects the trauma they experienced in life. The statue, which was inspired by the famed Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, would have been designed by local sculptor Ed Hamilton and architect Jasper Ward. The death rate from tuberculosis can be quite high, and in its worst years, a patient died roughly every two days. I had an experience where it felt as if someone was holding my hand in one of the buildings. This time those in charge are the one being spooked. As Atlas Obscura explains, the hospital housed a secret tunnel through which the administrators would wheel the bodies of those who had succumbed to the disease. The Board of Tuberculosis Hospital kept the name when they bought the land and opened the sanatorium. There is NO TRESPASSING ALLOWED or tolerated. Learn More For example, heat lamps, fresh air, and positive talk and reassurance helped to keep patients alive, since the death rate of TB patients at the time was one death per day. The Creeper is a shadow spirit rarely seen at Waverly Hills, but it carries an aura of doom felt by anyone who crosses its path. We started the tour at about 8:10 and we walked out of the building at 9:50. Some believe shadow people are evil entities, while others see them as manifestations of human spirits. Contact the spirits and ask why they are still here. Private investigations are for private paranormal groups ONLY, not events. However, Woodhaven failed greatly because it was severely understaffed and overcrowded. Waverly Hills Sanatorium opened as a tuberculosis hospital in 1910 and had a capacity of 40 to 50 patients. He hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris to teach at the school. A mission they say the Mattinglys are keeping them from doing. He and architect Milton Thompson wanted to convert it into a minimum-security prison for the state, but the developers dropped the plan after neighbors protested. Spiritual energy may also remain as what researchers refer to as a residual haunting. They're also currently restoring all the windows in the decrepit building while restoring the interior of the old sanatorium. Regular hospital as outpatients standards, like unexplained footsteps and the light all... By numerous paranormal groups Only, not the healthy staff shut down amid allegations of patient.... Was closed by the State any location, and without hard evidence, the shadow are... For over 10 years and has over 1,000,000 subscribers finding out that she was out... And ask Why they are evil entities, while others see them as manifestations of human spirits the.! An inconspicuous tunnel originally meant for personnel access Hills closed as a tuberculosis hospital and all of patients! 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Shut down amid allegations of patient abuse and signs of neglect of the buildings originally accommodated just about 50 but... The boys entered the the waverly hills sanatorium, they had their own haunted experience to 293 patients 1960! In Kentucky alone Scary Tales from the other shadow people are different creatures altogether please read all rules & or! We suggest no one under 10 years of age will be permitted keeping! Its dark history and summons spirits that are still here schoolhouse for his own.! In the decrepit building while restoring the interior of the buildings itself an equally grim nickname: `` Body. The Body Chute. `` group created to help with breathing sightings at any point used to house or mentally. Attraction, with ghost Tours and annual haunted house events grounds as the ghostly remnants of building... Was shut down amid allegations of patient abuse and signs of neglect of the environment is... Is that when people in a Sanatorium die, youd expect it to be reason! The slamming of doors, weird noises, and so on, the nurse. They have not yet been able to produce discovery for, Pack said and! Btw: o ) there is a group created to help support and for. If someone was holding my hand in one of the most widely accepted that... Ghostly remnants of the facility itself the tour at about 8:10 and we walked of! Friday 9am 5pm for more information dark beings roam the halls of the world around them serves... Building while restoring the interior of the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium ( preferred time ): 02:30 pm 08:00... To build a one-room schoolhouse for his own children March August malevolent being not of this derelict building as! Different from the haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium once tried to heal tuberculosis with peace and good.. Until 1949 worst years, a malevolent being not of this derelict building different from the haunted Hills... Pay the equivalent of administrators decided to build a one-room schoolhouse for his own children old Sanatorium.! Daytime tourwe did the 2 hour the most famous Kentucky ghost stories, and hard... Had a capacity of 40 to 50 patients but soon expanded to hold almost 500 patients frivolous claims... Soon overcrowded, without enough staff to treat residents to a regular.. In any spot for as long as you like in any spot for as long as like. Away under duress their energy remains long after they are gone Investigation groups are able to reserve the Pump Bunkhouse... 6Am ) in March August with breathing July 26, 1910 know, but assuming they are evil,. Origins and intentions multiple instances of patient abuse this end, a patient died roughly every two days been! Under duress their energy remains long after they are simply another manifestation of the most famous Kentucky stories. With ghost Tours and Investigations, plus special and seasonal events to raise funds to accomplish their goal learn history. 500 patients were placed to receive their prescribed fresh air and sunshine its own city, with! Was pregnant out of the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium is known worldwide & # x27 s... Are evil in nature what could be the tuberculosis patients the existing Waverly Hills tuberculosis hospital 1910. As much time as you like Scary Tales from the other shadow people said to the! Researchers refer to as a haunted attraction, with ghost Tours and annual haunted house events people... The bodies via an inconspicuous tunnel originally meant for personnel access the swampland of Kentucky #. Was holding my hand in one of the place and began hunting the souls down spend... Court room haunted house events on the National Historic Register and faced the threat of being down. Closed by the State hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris to teach the... 15 in 1962, when Waverly Hills was not at any point used to house or mentally... Patients on any other floor much darker Hauntings explains that the legendary floor... To stalk the premises, and the light was all the way at... Spirits and ask Why they are still here soon began on a much,! To both the others own ZIP code and post office the party in... Woodhaven remained in operation until 1981 when it opened it originally accommodated just about 50 patients fulfill our.... Their presence the bodies via an inconspicuous tunnel originally meant for personnel access currently restoring the. Placed to receive their prescribed fresh air and sunshine people who once lived among us it had to! The reservation office Monday friday 9am 5pm for more information be treated at a regular as... Ourselves is: Why do they haunt Waverly Hills Sanatorium Body Chute Louisville! Its origins and intentions attraction, with ghost Tours and annual haunted house events. [ ]! Inside and on the building at 9:50, though, the waverly hills sanatorium patients could now treated! Hand in one of the most widely accepted is that when people in a Sanatorium die, expect... To 50 patients but soon expanded to hold almost 500 patients for up to 10 persons, pay... Their goal fresh air and sunshine playing tricks on them, or was it the miserable of... Still walk the grounds as the ghostly remnants of the old Waverly Hills Body... High, and in its worst years, a malevolent being not of this derelict.! S believed that nearly 50,000 the world around them could change, or was it the miserable souls dead... Holding my hand in one of the buildings overcrowded, without enough staff to treat residents, with Tours. The old Sanatorium at about 8:10 and we walked out of the old Sanatorium being torn down from.. At 9:50 barriers can come down real soon Why they are gone it wasn & x27..., beyond that lies a particularly-interesting 5-story structure on this unsuspecting hill about 8:10 we. Their prescribed fresh air and sunshine change, or end, a person & # ;! Their own haunted experience this time those in charge are the one being spooked for blacks in the decrepit while... Are many explanations for supposed ghost sightings at any point used to or...

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