Contributed by Phil Tkacz, Shawn Logan, Jay Gravatte, & Hope Bryant | contact@kyhi.org. It could accommodate at least 400 + patients and be considered one of the most modern and well-equipped facilities at the time. Major Hays was in need of a school for his daughters to attend, so he started a one-room schoolhouse that was located on Pages Lane. The tubercle bacillus that causes tuberculosis was identified in an Egyptian mummy that dated back to 3000 BCE. An abandoned tuberculosis hospital moulders on into an uncertain future. In 1883, Major Thomas Hercules Hays, who had served in the Confederate army during the Civil War and fought at the. Frank J. Stewart served as the assistant medical director and as a physician at the sanatorium up until the 1950s. Some have reported seeing shapes near the window in room 502 and even a voice saying, Get out.. Haunted tours helped raise money for the restoration project, which will eventually include a bed-and-breakfast. During the TB years, this tunnel was also used to transport the dead, so they wouldn't be seen by other patients. Even with many new procedures available, it was impossible to save everyone. In 1962 the hospital was purchased by the state and used as a nursing home. There are tales of an apparition seemingly draped in white, like a doctors coat. The second phase was to convert the old sanatorium into a chapel, theater, and agift shopat a cost of $8 million or more. (I to L) Patients of W.H.S. Obsessed with travel? The little TB clinic was filled with more than 140 people, and it was obvious that a much larger hospital was needed to treat those afflicted with the condition. In the nineteenth century, tuberculosis killed as many as one in seven people in the United States. shared photos and the stories of their family members who were patients and staff members of Waverly Hills. The institution was reopened as WoodHaven Medical Services, a geriatrics hospital in 1962, but closed in 1980 under allegations of patient abuse. Key: A childrens pavilion was also built to house not only young victims of the disease, but also children whose parents were too ill to care for them. In 1926, the massive building seen today opened its doors to accommodate another 450 beds. It's believed that nearly 50,000. The 400-bed hospital that opened in 1926 at Waverly Hills Sanatorium. It was the leading cause of death during sanatorium's peak years of operation; however, it is impossible to say how many people died at Waverly Hills. Several people have claimed shadowy figures have peered around corners at them. Due to the rapid increase of Tuberculosis cases, the original hospital was soon to capacity. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Waverly Hills was a self-contained community. With a design from local renowned architect D. X. Murphy, the new building now had a capacity of 400 and opened on October 17, 1926. Room 502 has a reputation due to the two suicides that supposedly occurred there. This is an active project so check back often for updates. See. TB - Tuberculosis PatientG - Geriatric Patient This list includes only patients that died at the hospital. To be honest, it is very much a B flick at best. If the bacteria did become an infection, there was an 80% chance of death at that time. Woodhaven was closed by the state of Kentucky in 1982 after a Grand Jury inspection found several patient abuse, and the degrading state of the facilities. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waverly_Hills_Sanatorium, http://paranormal.about.com/od/hauntedplaces/ig/World-s-Most-Haunted-Place/Waverly-Hills-Sanatorium.htm, http://practicalwanderlust.com/2016/09/louisville-kentucky-a-locals-guide-to-visiting-fall.html. Then, the tuberculosis epidemic began to spread in Jefferson County, and the hospital could not keep up. Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. More than half of those diagnosed with TB would die in three to five years. After careful planning, Construction began on a new 5-story brick and concrete Sanatoriumin March 1924. The following year, most of the land on which the buildings sat were auctioned off, and the main hospital building, several remaining facilities, as well as 40 acres were purchased by Simpsonville developer J. Clifford Todd, at a cost of $3,000,5,000. These dead patients were taken to the burial site through the tunnels known as the 490-foot (150-meter Death Tunnel), one of the most famous parts of the hospital. Louisville, KY, is home to the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, which many people believe is one of the most haunted places on Earth. This list is organized by date of death and not by name. One report from a paranormal investigation group noted that six members saw what they claim looked like a young girls shadow that was completely opaque. Spooked: The Ghosts of Waverly Hillsis a horror film about events that took place in thehospital. 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. All rights reserved. 2023 Waverly Hills Historical Society | All Rights Reserved. It also had an ulterior and much less sinister purpose. The statue would have been based on the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, only 20 feet taller. The TV show Ghost Hunters did a program on Waverly Hills in March of 2006. At the height of the tuberculosis epidemic, it is reported that one patient an hour died. Its also believed that patients whose infection spread to the brain, rendering them insane, were sent to the 5th floor. this website are the property of their respective owners or Waverly Hills Memorial & Historical Research Groupand Upon death, he fell asleep as we hope in the arms of his savior.1. Winner will be selected at random on 06/01/2023. Neither story is documented, but neither is completely discounted. & Historical Research GroupAll files, pictures, video, E.V.P., articles, trademarks; etc. an impact on Louisville's history. Director Philip Adrian Booth Writers Christopher Saint Booth Visitation is only available during Historical Society events. The warm, wet weather in Kentucky near the Ohio River was a breeding place for bacteria, and insects often helped to spread disease. While the building is now primarily a tourist attraction for those with creepy predilections, it used to be a functioning tuberculosis hospital. After World War II, the need for a TB sanatorium waned until the hospital closed in 1961. Some of the names were difficult if not impossible to read. Some have called this long concrete structure the Death Shute over the years. Create a website or blog at WordPress.com, Historical Case Studies in Crime & Punishment, Infirmaries and Poorhouses: Image Gallery, Transylvania University Medical Department, University of Louisville Medical Department, Kentucky Institution for Feeble Minded Children, Covington-Kenton County Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Madisonville State Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Land was donated and $11 million was used to started construction on the new hospital in 1924. This company operated the nursing home facility until 1982 when it was closed by the state for violations and the mistreatment of patients. The Board decided to keep the name Waverly, as it had a peaceful sound to it. Our objective is the facts as we are a resource. The tunnel was the subject of the 2005 movie The Death Tunnel. Out of room, the hospital had to house these patients on the grounds, under tents. The story goes that Lizzie Lee Harris loved Sir Walter Scotts series, The Waverley Novels -- more than, Hays reportedly like the name and so named all of his land Waverley Hill. Construction on this building began in 1908 and opened for business on July 26, 1910. As such, Waverly Hills was largely self-sufficient; they grew their own food and raised animals; they had a post office and a water treatment facility. Estimates vary, and records have been destroyed, but there may have been as many as 64,000 deaths at Waverly Sanatorium. We do not own all of the materials on this website/blog. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. The number of shrouded bodies being taken away from the building began to have a dramatic effect on the morale of the victims, which was hugely problematic since this was the cornerstone of treatment. mentioned or used within Of course, Waverly Hills Sanatorium is one of the most popular abandoned places in Kentucky, but there are many abandoned places peppered around the state that would send a shiver up anyones spine like the Red Bridge on Devils Hollow Road near Frankfort. The following index contains recorded patient deaths at Waverly Hills between 1911-1960. Nothing that went down the death tunnel ever came back up. The building was designed to accommodate 40-50 tuberculosis patients safely. Powered by www.tripod.com & The Filson Historical Society holds a wide range of collections documenting individual experiences of tuberculosis and collective efforts to manage the disease. will currently be the memorial for the tuberculosis & geriatric hospitals. Official Waverly Hills Sanatorium/ Woodhaven Geriatric Center Memorial & Historical Resource. If left untreated, the bacteria would begin to eat away at the lungs and could spread throughout the body -- consuming it. To learn more about the Historical Society, see the Historical Society section under About. In 1912, patients in advanced stages of infection were moved from from the City Hospital to Waverly Hills Sanatorium. Before we go any further, its important to note that abandoned places can be extremely dangerous and many are off-limits to the public. The second e was dropped at some point.). Built in 1910 to combat tuberculosis, the 180,000 sqft, deeply haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium has seen thousands of deaths and many ghosts. this website are the property of their respective owners or Waverly Hills Memorial & Historical Research Groupand The Waverly Hills Sanatorium was closed in 1961; it was first quarantined and then renovated. No, it is actually a long tunnel with flooring. It is sad that a place that played such a vital role during this period of history and medical discovery was not only over, but now disrespected. The facility served as a tuberculosis hospital until 1961 when the discovery of an antibiotic that successfully treated and cured TB rendered the facility obsolete. will be confirmed information either by photograph, news article, and/ or historical archive of some kind. Tuberculosis got its nicknames from the sickly pallor of the victims the disease claimed. 4400 Paralee Lane,Louisville, Ky 40272Owners: Charles & Tina MattinglyThe GPS address for tours and investigations is: [redacted]Note: Nobody is allowed on the premises without a reservation! Some time before the property was purchased in 2001, a story circulated about a group of teenage boys who snuck into the sanatorium. In 2001, Charles and Tina Mattingly bought the property. A private tour of the death tunnel is available by appointment. Vital Statistics Original Death Certificates Microfilm (1911-1964). publications, etc do not reflect the views of The Waverly Hills Historical Society, Inc. We do not have access to records of any patients from Waverly Hills and we cannot accommodate any requests at this time. Ms Harris had a fondness for author Walter Scotts Waverley novels, and she received Hays permission to name the schoolhouse the Waverley School. There are currently 10 different medications available in the US to treat tuberculosis. The same problems persisted, as well as suicides of the patients. Since any existing schools were a good distance away, Hays decided to establish a sone room school house for his children to attendand hired Ms. Lizzie Lee Harris as the teacher. Movies were shown and crafts were made to keep patients in high spirits. Photographs, text, illustrations and all other media not authored by KHI belong to their respective authors/owners/copyright holders and are used here for educational purposes only under Title 17 U.S. Code 107. 2023 Atlas Obscura. There are a large number of people who enjoy the idea of believing and chasing ghosts and ghosts tales, and this fanbase is one that seems to grow byleaps and boundsevery single year. Buildings were added to the institution in 1912, 1916, and 1926. WoodHaven Medical was closed by the state in 1981. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Produced by Johns Hopkins University Press in collaboration with The Sheridan Libraries. We do not have access to records of any patients from Waverly Hills and we cannot accommodate any requests at this time. Since there was no cure for tuberculosis in those days, anyone who caught this disease was brought to this hospital in a sense to be separated away from society. There have been reported ghost sightings in Room 502 at the sanatorium, particularly the ghost of a nurse in uniform. Cemeteries often become the center for ghost stories and spooky tales, and there are several haunted cemeteries in Kentucky youll want to check out if youre in the mood to do a little paranormal investigating. Located on the south end of Jefferson County and now in the city limits of Louisville, Kentucky, the building, with its distinctive tower, was designed by D. X. Murphy and opened in 1926, adding four hundred additional beds to Waverly Hills facilities for tuberculosis patients. Nineteenth-century correspondence and diaries in the Filsons manuscript collections document the understandings and experiences of ordinary people, primarily white Kentuckians, as they struggled with the disease. They were buried by passing through the death tunnel. The most common treatment was simply bed rest in the, One fairly horrific procedure used on TB patients before medication was available was called. Locals place their offerings on this nightmarish gnarled tree so the witches won't summon another storm. During its time as a hospital, Waverly Hills would sadly see many deaths. . Last, a rich variety of records from the early and mid-twentieth centuryincluding pamphlets, photographs, letters, and architectural recordshelp document the history of Waverly Hills Sanatorium from the perspective of administrators and some of the employees and patients who lived there. If you can correct us on anything we have posted, please do so. Letter-writers described the symptoms of consumption, such as drenching night sweats, constant coughing, lack of appetite, weakness, and swollen extremities. At the beginning of the 20th century Louisville Kentucky had the one of highest rate of tuberculosis deaths in the United States. Get more stories delivered right to your email. A new sanatorium opened on October 17, 1926 that could accommodate 400-500 patients. & W.G.C. A total of 63,000 people lost their lives up until 1961, the year when the hospital was closed. The Beginnings of industrialism, as well as geographic make-up were contributing factors. We now have a patient death index for patients that died at Waverly Hills starting in 1911. Welcome to the Official Waverly Hills/ Woodhaven memorial & historical resource site. Treatment for tuberculosis, an infectious bacterial disease . If youre in the Louisville area, Cave Hill Cemetery is another haunted hotspot where many visitors report hearing disembodied voices including laughter and screaming as well as unexplained orbs of light that appear to dance over certain graves. If a patient had any chance of surviving the disease, Waverly Hills was the place to come for treatment. This tunnel has likely seen more death than most modern hospitals. 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. After Alberhaskys efforts failed, Waverly Hills was sold to Tina and Charlie Mattingly in 2001. In Stewarts autobiography, he recalls that the highest number of deaths in any year that he worked at the sanatorium was 153, and that most of the worst years followed World War II, when soldiers returned, infected, from overseas. (A to D) Patients of W.H.S. When the plans fell through due to funding problems, Alberhasky, upset that the remaining building was protected by the Historical Register, tried to have the building condemned. This road trip takes you to some of the most haunted places in Kentucky, including notorious paranormal hotspots like Mammoth Cave, the Jailers Inn, Maple Hill Manor Bed and Breakfast, and what might just be the most haunted place in the country: Bobby Mackeys Music World.. ), 10 Best Animations to Watch on Netflix Right Now, 15 Best Scandinavian Shows That Also Inspired Other TV Shows, 10+ Best Lesbian Movies on Netflix [Updated for 2022]. tlxLastPublishedDate.toLocaleString() : now.toLocaleString(); document.write("Last updated on " + edited); WHS Memorial Website would like give a warm and heartfeltthanks toall the wonderful people who've Kelli Patrick:Waverly Hills Sanatorium opened in around 1910 because of an outbreak of tuberculosis. nothing without you. Please remember that information contained on this site, authored/owned by KHI, is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. From Alabama to Wyoming, there are abandoned towns, amusement parks, and ruins lurking in your home state. BUT, according to Patti Starr in her book. There are two legends concerning the room: a nurse committed suicide by jumping out the window, and a nurse who hanged herself in room 502 because she was single and pregnant. Waverly Hills became known outside of the area when the TV series The Scariest Places on Earth profiled the institution in 2001. All information contained in this website Kentuckys Home to the Largest and Most Haunted Victorian Neighborhood in America, The Haunted Spurlington Tunnel In Kentucky Has A Bone-Chilling History, One Of The Most Haunted Cemeteries In Kentucky Is Also The Most Beautiful, Driving Down This Haunted Kentucky Road Will Give You Nightmares, Spend A Night At This Haunted Sanatorium In Kentucky If You Dare, This Haunted Tunnel In Kentucky Is Not For The Faint Of Heart, 11 Staggering Photos Of An Abandoned Hospital Hiding In Kentucky, The Story Behind This Evil Place In Kentucky Will Make Your Blood Turn Cold. Even with many new procedures available, it was impossible to save everyone. Tuberculosis and Waverly Hills Sanatorium in the Filsons Collections, The Filson Historical Society and Cincinnati Museum Center. This website wouldbe In 1907, the Louisville Tuberculosis Association established Hazelwood Sanatorium for the treatment of white patients from any part of Kentucky, even before Waverly Hills Sanatorium opened, in 1910, for city and county residents. The tunnels main purpose was to protect the morale of other patients. These include nineteenth-century correspondence, diaries, and medical publications in which Kentuckians wrote of debilitating symptoms and possible treatments. img7.mynet.com They were buried by passing through the death tunnel. He hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris to teach at the school. In the first few years of possession, the Mattinglys removed the asbestos and replaced 100 broken windows. With the discovery of a new antibiotic, Streptomyc in 1943, there was finally a way to combat Tuberculosis . Some of the names were difficult if not impossible to read. Horror For an initiation stunt, five college women are locked in a Kentucky hospital built in 1910 where 63,000 people died from a disease known as the "white plague". Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky opened in 1910 to treat tuberculosis patients. There are said to be several ghosts still haunting the echoing halls. What are the most haunted places in Kentucky? The second purpose was to protect those who had to transport the dead to the pickup spot to be laid to rest. If you want to visit, make your plans early! It was the workers that would be detached to gather the bodies of the dead and either burn, bury, or transport them elsewhere. This is an active project so check back often for updates. Laundry facilities, a maintenance garage, butchery, as well as several hundred acres of farm land were established on the Hill.. After the geriatric center closed down, various owners considered turning the building into a number of things, including a jail and. Today, the building is spooky enough to give anyone chills. No matter the good vibes the site espoused, it still ended up as place to scare people. The reasons for doing this may have been to keep from spreading disease once the body was brought back into town, and/or to make the body lighter. We wouldnt want you to end up in the hospital, or worse, jail. There is an underground tunnel from the sanatorium to the bottom of the hill. He hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris to teach at the school. Our objective is to provide a resource and a memorial for all the building and the people whose lives made an impact on Louisville's history. In later years, the property was repeatedly vandalized, and landowners didnt seem to care much about upkeep on the building -- which was nearly condemned. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium Body Chute in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the most haunted places in the United States. The new Sanatarium was officially opened July 26, 1910. The owner (Tina) and a security guard say theyve seen lights turn on in this room while they were outside. The search began for a proper location to constructed the much needed facility. In 1961, the hospital finally closed its doors. They had noticed that some improvement began to present itself in those who spent a restful retreat in the mountains. Our objective is to provide a resource and a memorial for all the building and the people whose lives made The building is host to ghost hunters from all over the globe. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. On this grand tour, visitors can get the historical tales of the tunnel's actual purpose. However, after massive protest from the surrounding area, the plan was dropped. The Waverly Hills Death Tunnel. Offer subject to change without notice. It opened in 1910 as a two-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients. for all the names listed and to be listed. The 1920 & 1930 census reports were all hand written. Waverly Hills was later reportedly given $11 million dollars with which to build a new, larger hospital. The Waverly Hills Historical Society continue to work tirelessly and devote their lives to restoring the historic gem that is Waverly Hills to its once amazing splendor! The tunnel itself was originally 525 feet long and ran out to the bottom of the hill. Create a website or blog at WordPress.com, Historical Case Studies in Crime & Punishment, Infirmaries and Poorhouses: Image Gallery, Transylvania University Medical Department, University of Louisville Medical Department, Kentucky Institution for Feeble Minded Children, Covington-Kenton County Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Madisonville State Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. The first antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis was called streptomycin, and it was discovered by American biologists in 1943. Major Hays was in need of a school for his daughters to attend, so he started a one-room schoolhouse that was located on Pages Lane. Important note:If you would like to use any information on this website (including text, bios, photos andany other information) we encourage you to contact us. Thank you! Originally, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was a two-story frame building with a hipped roof and half-timbering. It has a somewhat mysterious and sinister past Because Tuberculosis was so extremely contagious and at epidemic proportions, those living with it could not be allowed to live and exist among the general population. A young boy named Timmy or Tim has been seen rolling a blue rubber ball. Pour se dbarasser de votre ancien vhicule, voici la liste et les adresses du centres VHU agrs en rgion Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes. Tina and Charlie Mattingly bought the property in 2001 with the aim of completely restoring it. Many people claimed that the souls of the people who died in the hospital were still wandering in the corridors. Love Kentucky? We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. It is part of the. Originally a heating duct, this tunnel was also used by the staff to climb the hill in bad weather. Eddie Murphys Kids: Everything We Know About His 10 Kids, Is Vampire Diaries Coming Back? Construction on the second hospital was underway in March 1924. Its believed that tuberculosis has claimed roughly. A new wing was built that year to accommodate those patients in advanced stages. The project was canceled in December 1997. While no records exist to report an accurate death count that occurred within the building, it is . Waverly Hills isnt the only haunted tunnel around. In 1850, James Stewart wrote of a friend who suffered exquisite pain during almost nine months spent in bed. In 1961, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was closed because there was no longer a need for a tuberculosis facility. As the outbreak spread, the facility needed to be expanded and, in 1912, the larger building was built and patients from a number of surrounding hospitals were transferred to the facility. In 1911, the new City Hospital relocated all of their TB cases to Waverly Hills, which had erected tents on the grounds to accomodate the overflow.

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