Ultimate Guide to the Most Haunted Insane Asylums in America

There was a time when those who suffered with a mental illness were not treated well. Over the last one hundred years, the number of abuse reports regarding mentally ill patients is staggering. Years ago, many of the procedures that were used to try to cure these diseases were actually forms of torture, to a slightly lesser degree. For that reason, it should come as no surprise that many American asylums are said to be quite haunted.

Below are some of the most haunted mental institutions in the US, along with a bit of the demented history associated with each.

Danvers Insane Asylum

This location resembles a castle more than a hospital. Danvers was home to criminals who were mentally ill, include those who had a tendency towards violence. There were many reports of inmates murdering each other, as well as staff members. Danvers would go on to become so understaffed that dead patients could be left to rot for days before being removed. The spirit activity here is reported in the hallways and in the back area, where there is a cemetery.

Rolling Hills Asylum

Rolling Hills initially started as a farm in 1827. The East Bethany, New York property went on to be used as a home for the poor, struggling, and mentally ill. In the 90s, Rolling Hills began being used for other purposes, such as antique shops. Even so, reports of the sights and sounds of the ghosts of former patients are still coming in to this day.

Willard Asylum for the Chronically Insane

Most who enter the doors of the Willard Asylum never returned to society. Sadly, many of the patients who died there still remain in the hospital. Willard was constructed in 1869 and was known for many ghastly treatments, including hanging patients by their thumbs when they refused to calm down. Of the more interesting ghosts in this haunted location is that of a female doctor who worked at the hospital before she herself went insane.

Richardson Olmsted Complex

Constructed in 1870 in New York, the Richardson Olmsted hospital was reportedly often understaffed. This led to many problems, including patients having to sleep in their own excrement. This hospital was used for many experiments, most of which involved essentially pulverizing the brains of patients, causing them to die. These experiments certainly may provide an explanation for the reports of the otherworldly screams that are often heard by visitors.

Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital

Folk singer Woodie Guthrie referred to Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital as “Gravestone” after he spent time there during the 1950s. This was because such a large number of patients died while Guthrie was there. Constructed in 1876, Greystone Park was closed in 2003, amid reports of sexual abuse that was taking place. Ghost hunters and visitors who are brave enough to enter Greystone say that they encounter the shadows of the former patients.

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

Interesting fact about the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum – it is the second largest hand-cut stone building in the entire world (the Kremlin is first). This West Virginia asylum was constructed during the Civil War and served as home to some of the more notorious lunatics of our time, including Charles Manson. Ghosts of Civil War soldiers are often seen in this former asylum, as is a ghost by the name of Ruth, who is said to actively be haunting the location, even causing physical harm to some visitors.

Pennhurst Asylum

Pennhurst Asylum is located in East Vincent, Pennsylvania. Pennhurst opened in 1908 and never really had a clean reputation, being widely known for abusing patients and other scandals. At this hospital, patients were reported to have been chained to walls, while young patients were forced to basically live in their cribs for years on end. Many murders took place, by both patients and staff. The spirits that haunt Pennhurt have been known to scream at visitors, with some warning visitors to get out, presumably while they still can.

Hudson River State Hospital

Hudson River opened in Fairview, New York, in 1871. Hudson River functioned as both a mental institution and a tuberculosis hospital. Many report hearing ghostly voices in its halls. Perhaps the ghosts are telling visitors of the abuses that took place there many years ago.

While we no longer have these types of institutions in the US, we still have not worked out the best means for caring for those with mental issues. It is quite possible that the psychiatric institutions that are in operation today could very well be the haunted locations that we are telling stories about tomorrow.

 

Ridgeway Chronicles Chapter 1: The Haunting Begins with a Bang

The home on Ridgeway Road was familiar to me long before I ever lived in it. Originally, it was purchased by my parents, after which, it was rented to my cousin and her husband. The first entry in what will be a long series of true ghost stories about this home, took place when my parents owned the house. My husband at the time was working for an ambulance company and would work 24-48 hour shifts, leaving me home alone (and pregnant) for extended periods of time. Sometimes, I would spend time with my siblings when I grew tired of being alone.

Before proceeding, I should give a bit of history about the home. The house was one of the oldest in town, and was not a standard home. In fact, it was a log cabin. The fact that it was a log cabin is what appealed to my mother, who was positive that she was Laura Ingalls Wilder in another life. I personally saw no appeal in the cabin aspect, and my husband and I would later cover the logs with siding, much to my mothers dismay. After the haunting started, I did speak with an elderly, local librarian, who was not much help, but did confirm that at least one person had died in the home. According to public records, the home was originally constructed in 1940.

Below are photos of the before and after. I’m still trying to find a photo of the full original front of the home, and will make sure to post it in a future post. For now, here are a few that show the old logs (along with a project car and my children at Halloween).

On this particular night, my parents were not at home, and I was hanging out with my sister and one of my brothers, both younger siblings. We were in the den, towards the end of the one-story home, when we heard a loud crash and the distinct sound of glass breaking. The basement was directly below us and in that basement was a massive glass book shelf. My family, all avid readers, had hundreds of books on those shelves. My guess was that the weight of the books were too much for the glass shelves, and that one or more had given way and come crashing down onto the concrete floor.

There was another possibility in my mind, and that was that someone had broken into the basement. A thought which was quite scary. As the oldest sibling, I knew it was my duty to investigate. I cannot recall whether I chose a baseball bat or a knife as my weapon, but I do remember being armed as I slowly descended the steps to the basement. In that home, you only needed to step down a few stairs before being able to see most of the basement. As soon as I was able to view the room, I could see that the glass shelves were perfectly fine. No cracks, no shatters, nothing.

After seeing the that the shelves were undamaged and everything else in the basement seemed to be in place, I retreated to the den to discuss the matter with my siblings. At this point, I did begin to at least wonder about a cause that would have been paranormal. My sister had told me a few weeks earlier that she as awaking at 3:15 am each night, for no apparent reason. She also said that she was hearing walking around the home in the middle of the night, and was certain that it was the large family dog, Buster. She was able to keep that assumption intact until she got out of bed one night after hearing steps, only to find Buster sound asleep.

This paranormal occurrence would be the first of many to take place in the home on Ridgeway Road over the next sixteen years. I invite you to read each of these accounts and follow the haunted history of the home from start to finish. I’ll do my best to provide as many details as possible, but if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them. Just post below or reach out to me using the contact form or on social media.

 

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[Video] Caught on Tape: Trail Camera Captures Strange Creatures

Trail cameras have given those who want to learn more about the unknown a way to capture video and photos of creatures that would never come near a human. Many who are simply using trail cameras for their intended use have also captured some really strange creatures. Imagine reviewing trail cam footage expecting to see a deer and instead seeing something that looked to be straight out of hell!

The following video will certainly leave you with some serious questions regarding what lurks in the woods at night…