Once known as the weston state hospital, the transallegheny lunatic asylum in weston, west virginia opened its doors to patients in 1864. At its peak in the 1950s, the hospitals population had almost doubled again, and the building, which by then was known as the weston state hospital, housed as many as 2,600 patientsmore than ten times the number it had been built to accommodate. The main building was to be based off the kirkbride plan, using gothic and tudor. Suspicious deaths at the weston state hospital 1992 september of 1992 was a bad year for the weston state hospital, known today as the transallegheny lunatic asylum. Touring the transallegheny lunatic asylum in weston, west. Although this story is intriguing, especially if you have visited the weston, wv state hospital, the book is not well written and very poorly edited.
In the early 1850s, a new hospital called the transallegheny lunatic asylum was authorized to be constructed by the virginia general assembly before west virginia became a separate state. Gonjiam psychiatric hospital the abandoned hospital whose elaborate ghost stories cover up the dirty truth an uneventful sanitation issue and other mundane reasons for its demise. At the end of the parks parking lot, there is a path, which wound through heavy woods lucky i brought a flashlight. However, those plans fell through and the william r. Although this is a short book it was still a good starting point for those who want. This abandoned psychiatric hospital is one of the americas most historic haunted asylums. Weston state hospital was a major mental institution in weston, west virginia. A cultural historian explores an old mental hospital, and. Weston general hospital, part of the weston area health nhs trust image. Snowden andrews, began in 1858 but was stalled by the outbreak of the civil war. The transallegheny lunatic asylum offered the perfect lateoctober experience for us. Later known as the weston state hospital, the transallegheny lunatic asylum. Its monumental main structure, the largest handcut stone masonry building in north america, divides 242,000 square feet over four floors, is a staggering 1,296 ft long, and.
This book is my own meager attempt to outline some of the asylums darker history. Inside haunted spencer state hospital 9781503294349. Because of overcrowded conditions, it was determined that a second facility was needed. In 1986, the state announced plans to convert the weston state hospital into a prison while building a new psychiatric facility elsewhere within the state. C onstruction of the weston state hospital kirkbride building, designed by r. The first hospital for the insane was built at weston in 1859. Weston woods animates outstanding childrens picture books. Dragging it out into two books made it too repetitive. Later known as the weston state hospital, tala was a kirkbride psychiatric hospital, constructed from 18581881 and in operation from 1864 until 1994. But even in those years, exposes, novels, and short stories began to cast. For decades the weston state hospital was in use, taking in epileptics, alcoholics, drug addicts, and people with mental disorders. The transallegheny lunatic asylum is a stunning testament to gothic and tudor revival architecture.
It sits on 666 seriously they couldnt have bought one more or less acres of land that was designed to be a completely selfcontained hospital. Transallegheny lunatic asylum weston, wv the art of. The weston state hospital, once and again known as the. The trenton psychiatric hospital, originally the new jersey state lunatic asylum, was founded in 1848 by mental health advocate dorothea lynde dix. Later known as the weston state hospital, the transallegheny lunatic asylum formerly functioned as a prominent psychiatric facility in northern west virginia. Correspondence with the weston state hopsital dec 2001, shows it is now state of west virginia, dept of health and human resources, william r. The wing tips were constructed as singlestory wards that reached. The case was heard by the wv supreme court in 1969 and it was found that the hospital was not at fault, as they could not have possibly known that mrs. This national historic landmark served as a sanctuary for the mentally ill beginning in the mid1800s. I spent the night in a haunted asylum and i still cant explain what i. Transallegheny asylum for the insane weston state hospital, weston, west virginia gilchriststalnaker, joy on. A guide to the records of western state hospital, 18252000 a collection in the library of virginia accession numbers 31030, 353, 31704, 32451, 41253, 41283, 41404, 44812, 45553, 50576, 50989.
Transallegheny aka weston state hospital is a 242,000 square foot sandstone block building which started her construction at the end of 1858 by prison laborers to house psychiatric patients. Transallegheny lunatic asylum, weston, west virginia. I rolled into weston, west virginia, as the sun began to sink, making the. The top 10 hospital stories from george eliot to ken kesey, novelist sarah moss finds the best novels featuring these fascinating, sometimes frightening institutions sarah moss.
Located in weston, wv this national historic landmark offers historic and ghost tours, and overnight ghost hunts throughout the year. The haunted history of the trans allegheny lunatic asylum. The tales of hauntings and unearthly spirits lurking within the building and on the grounds started long before it ceased to be a hospital. Hospital with forensic patients, meaning those involved with the criminal justice system, while sending other patients to other. Sharpe, jr, hospital, 936 sharpe hospital road, west virginia 264528550. Using the findings of doctor thomas kirkbride and the wishes of dorothea dix as the foundation for the structure, the hospital was meant to hold a mere twohundred and fifty patients. Commonwealth of massachusetts state hospital and state school system. Once it was a house of horrors with severe overcrowding, inhumane conditions, and rampant violence. In 1892 a wrought iron fence was put around the building and grounds, and in 1902 natural gas was found near the hospital and was immediately hooked up, creating a savings of. Formerly known as the weston state hospital open until nov. One of my relatives, fanny besant shock was a pateint at the weston state hospital, where she died in 1920. West virginia vital research records death record detail. Welcome to the transallegheny lunatic asylum aka the weston state hospital located in historic weston, west virginia. Suspicious deaths at the weston state hospital 1992.
The transallegheny lunatic asylum located in weston, wv. See more ideas about insane asylum, asylum and abandoned asylums. The weston state hospital housed west virginias mentally ill from 1864 to 1994. The weston state hospital one of its many names since the 1850s when it was planned and construction of what is purported to be the largest handcut stone structure in the nation began has. I waited until dark to go in, after leaving my car outside of the park, which closes at night. I have included various paranormal evidence and input from past paranormal. A cultural historian explores an old mental hospital, and why they. The history of the building holds fascinating stories of civil war raids, a gold robbery, the curative effects of architecture, and the efforts of. This 160 year old asylum holds fascinating stories of civil war raids, a gold robbery, the curative effects of. In 1885, the state legislature began hearings on the need for a second hospital for the insane. See more ideas about haunted hospital, ghost stories and creepy. The transallegheny lunatic asylum tala in the mountains of weston, west virginia, holds many dark and disturbing stories.
It was the first public institution to employ the kirkbride plan, which promoted patient privacy and a welcoming, naturally lit environment. Also known as transallegheny lunatic asylum, west virginia hospital for. The transallegheny lunatic asylum looks like something out of a. The transallegheny lunatic asylum in weston, west virginia contributor names highsmith, carol m. The history of the building holds fascinating stories of civil war raids, a gold robbery, the curative effects of architecture, and the efforts of determined individuals to help better the lives of the mentally ill. Transallegheny lunatic asylum is a spooky place in weston. Stories from the asylum asylum book, books to read. After finally reopening as a tourist spot that hosted ghost tours, it readopted its original name, the transallegheny lunatic asylum. A guide to the records of western state hospital, 1825. There are 2 hospitals in weston, west virginia, serving a population of 4,040 people in an area of 2 square miles. Weston state hospital wvu research repository west virginia.
Weston state hospital got its name in 19 which was used while patients. Another name change, to weston state hospital in 1915, reflected a lack of confidence in the operation of the hospital, and within a couple of decades, the patient population was more than 2,000. They appointed a commission to choose several sites and present their findings at the next session in 1887. The transallegheny lunatic asylum in weston, west virginia opened its doors to patients in 1864.
Transallegheny lunatic asylum and the haunting enigma of. The atkinson building, erected in 1897, three stories in height, containing three wards, all used for male patients. Since midoctober, state officials have filled william r. The dark history of the trenton psychiatric hospital. Weston woods audiovisual adaptations bring outstanding childrens picture books to life. Today, it comes as no surprise that is said to be extremely haunted. Transallegheny lunatic asylum weston state hospital was closed. Transallegheny lunatic asylum, previously known as the weston state hospital, or the west virginia hospital for the insane would be intimidating even without the ghosts. The transallegheny lunatic asylum, subsequently the weston state hospital, was a kirkbride psychiatric hospital that was operated from 1864 until 1994 by the government of the u. Its name was again changed to weston state hospital in 19. Overcrowding, poor conditions, and staff issues had led to a call for the hospital to be closed by 1996, and construction on a new state hospital nearby was already in the works. The hospital was intended to be selfsufficient, and a farm, dairy, waterworks, and cemetery were located on its grounds, which ultimately reached 666 acres 266 ha in area.
Shannon otoole flickr this asylum is one of the largest handcut stone masonry buildings in america. Weston state hospital got its name in 19 which was used while patients occupied it, but was changed back to its originally commissioned, unused name, the trans. What is known, is that after the incident, john creamer, the executor of muriels estate, sued weston state hospital for wrongful death. What this weeks proceedings in the matter of the investigation now pending at the hospital for the insane will disclose, is a question concerning which there is much speculation. Bland, special correspondent for the state journal, very truthfully describes the situation at the hospital in a dispatch to his paper on tuesday. The asylum finally opened as the west virginia hospital for the insane soon after west virginia became a state in 1863, and the kirkbride building began accommodating patients in 1864. Washburn, my great great great great grandfather was one of the many people that helped to build the weston state hospital way back in the 1800s. Wv officials filling sharpe hospital with forensic. The transallegheny lunatic asylum later named weston state hospital, constructed between 1858 and 1881, is the largest handcut stone masonry building in north america, and is purportedly the second largest in the world, next to the kremlin. There is 1 hospital per 2,020 people, and 1 hospital per square mile in west virginia, weston is ranked 19th of 1046 cities in hospitals per capita, and 11th of. Westborough insane hospital, nrhp registration form.
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