I've watched horror movies since I was three and I have always believed ghosts. Since I also love researching and finding out facts and history, I wanted to tell you about the five places I find most fascinating. From Asylums to a cemetery and even a prison, these are just a few of the haunted, mysterious places I discovered.
*These are in no specific order*
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
Weston, West Virginia
Opened in 1864 and originally designed to house 250 patients. In the 1950's, however, the asylum held 2,400. Many treatments, or rather tortures, took place. Such things as lobotomies, dental implements, electro-shock therapy, and many others. The asylum finally closed in 1994.
Waverly Hills Sanatorium
Louisville, Kentucky
The original building was opened as a schoolhouse in 1883 until the Board of Tuberculosis Hospital bought it. They expanded the building to house 40-50 tuberculosis patients which then opened in 1910. In 1924 another expansion became needed when it began housing over 140 people. The new building soon opened in 1926 and could house 400+ patients. The hospital then closed in 1961 after the tuberculosis antibiotic, streptomycin, was introduced in 1943 and the hospitals residency dropped.
Winchester Mystery House
San Jose, California
Sarah Winchester, widow of William Winchester, moved west from her home in New Haven after the death of her husband and infant child. Sarah had went to a Boston medium who claimed they were channeling Sarah's late husband, William. The medium had Sarah to believe that William wanted her to build a house for herself and the victims of the Winchester Rifles. Sarah done just that and she began in 1884 by buying an unfinished farmhouse. Sarah had only one working bathroom in a house of roughly 161 rooms, including 40 bedrooms, and even 2 ballrooms (one being unfinished). She kept only one toilet working because she wanted to "confuse the ghosts." Also in doing so, she slept in a different room each night. Sarah Winchester never stopped building her mansion up into her death in 1922.
Oakland Cemetery
Atlanta, Georgia
Being founded in 1850, there is sure to be some residential ghosts in this Atlanta cemetery. In fact, some reports tell of confederate soldiers being seen roaming the area and even hanging from trees. Let's also note that this cemetery is the resting place of such names as Margaret Mitchell, Bishop Wesley John Gaines, and Bobby Jones, plus more.
Eastern State Penitentiary
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Opening in 1829 Eastern State Penitentiary, or ESP, is reportedly the most haunted prison in the United States. It is on every list of "haunted places" to be found, and apparently this list is no different. It houses several ghosts that have made themselves known by passing through as shadow people and even letting their voices be heard. For eight months, from 1929-1930, this prison was the home of the famous gangster Al "Scarface" Capone. The penitentiary eventually closed in 1971.
