Kentucky’s 5 Spookiest Old Asylums Still Standing Today
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Jenn Shockley
Author
Just the very word asylum can send a shiver down your spine. In particular, if you happen to know anything about the history of these mental institutions in Kentucky, and across the US. The old mental “sanctuaries” were places of experimental treatments, and in some cases, torture. Here are the five creepiest abandoned asylums in Kentucky that still stand today.
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium, 4400 Paralee Dr, Louisville, KY 40272, USA
The sanatorium was built in 1910 to treat victims of the "white plague" that was ravaging the country. It closed in 1961 as antibiotics were helping squelch the disease. In 1962 it reopened its doors as the Woodhaven Geriatric Center, primarily housing patients with Dementia and other mental illnesses. It closed its doors again in 1982 because of patient neglect, according to reports. The facility has been featured on "Ghost Hunters," "Scariest Places on Earth," "Celebrity Paranormal Project," "Paranormal Challenge," and "Ghost Adventures," along with "Creepy" and "Most Haunted" in Britain.
Western State Hospital, 103 Valley Center Dr, Staunton, VA 24401, USA
This was originally called the Western Lunatic Asylum and was opened in 1854. The facility had over 2200 inpatients by 1950. The institute is still open today, though treatment and conditions are much better.
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UK Eastern State Hospital, 1350 Bull Lea Rd, Lexington, KY 40511, USA
This institute is the second oldest asylum in the US. It has gone by many names, including Fayette Hospital (1817-1822), the politically incorrect, Lunatic Asylum (1822- 1844), The Kentucky Lunatic Asylum (1844-1849), and a collection of nine variations using "Lunatic" until 1894. It then became known as the "Eastern KY Asylum for the Insane," until 1912, at which point it became, and still is, Eastern State Hospital. There is an onsite graveyard for unclaimed or unknown patients.
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Central State Hospital, 10510 La Grange Rd, Louisville, KY 40223, USA
Central Insane Asylum Lakeland began in 1869 and is today known as Central State Hospital. It initially housed juvenile delinquents but in 1873, it became the Central Kentucky Lunatic Asylum. In 1877, it was simply called, The Asylum. Patients were treated for insanity, brain damage, brain trauma, and a variety of other mentally debilitating illnesses. Some were just housed because their families didn’t know how to deal with them. In the 1950s, things began to change, but the facility is still an intimidating structure.
Norton Children's Hospital, 231 E Chestnut St, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
In the 1920s, members of Kosair Shrine Temple and other community leaders saw a need to provide medical care to crippled children in the Louisville region and throughout Kentucky. They believed a free-standing, specialized care hospital was necessary, deciding on centrally-located Louisville as the site.
In addition, Louisville was the site of the only medical college in the state, where Dr. Owen, an active member of the Shrine temple, was a prominent member of the Jefferson County Medical Society and Kentucky State, Southern, and American Medical Associations and a nationally known orthopedic surgeon. He was best-known for his work as chief of staff of the Kosair Crippled Children Hospital. The conditions for this children's hospital, however, were less than ideal.
Today the Norton Children's Hospital stands at the site of the former Kosair Children's Hospital. It is a pediatric acute care children's hospital located in Louisville, Kentucky and affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Today the Norton Children's Hospital stands at the site of the former Kosair Children's Hospital. It is a pediatric acute care children's hospital located in Louisville, Kentucky and affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Kentucky is no stranger to haunted lore and legends, with spirits said to wander some of the state’s most legendary establishments. The Bluegrass is also home to its very own ghost town, too, an abandoned mine that’s an eerie reminder of a bygone time. But these abandoned asylums in Kentucky might just take the (creepy) cake!
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Abandoned Asylums in Kentucky
What are the creepiest abandoned places in Kentucky?
The Bluegrass State is home to its fair share of creepy and abandoned places, and if you're into paranormal activity and ghost hunting adventures, these abandoned places in Kentucky are worth exploring:
- Cave Hill Cemetery. In Louisville, Kentucky, Cave Hill Cemetery is a 296-acre Victorian-era National Cemetery and arboretum that's undeniably beautiful. The largest cemetery in Louisville by area and number of burials, Cave Hill has long been the topic of ghost stories and hauntings in the Bluegrass. Home to over 100,000 interments, or grave sites, many notable Kentuckians are buried at Cave Hill, from Colonel Harlan Sanders and Muhammad Ali to famous bourbon barons and Meriwether Lewis Clark, grandson of the famous explorer. Unfortunately, this beautiful place is rumored to be incredibly haunted!
- USS Sachem. In a creek in Petersburg, Kentucky, the USS Sachem has sat abandoned for over 30 years. Once a majestic tourist boat, proud vessel in the U.S. Navy, and even a backdrop for a Madonna video, this abandoned ghost ship has descended into decay. The vessel's story begins in 1902, when she made her sailing debut as a luxury liner used by businessman and yacht enthusiast John Rogers Maxwell. This New York mogul sailed her up and down the Empire State coastline in the early 1900s. Curious to learn more, including how this abandoned ship attracted the eye of Madonna herself? Read on!
- Big South Fork, Kentucky. Big South Fork is an area where the imagination can easily run wild. Encompassing 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, it's a place of deep beauty -- and deep mystery. Blue Heron, also known as Mine 18, is an abandoned coal mining town and was a part of the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company's historic operation. The Blue Heron mines ran from 1937 until 1962, when operations ceased being profitable. Today, this Kentucky ghost town is eerie, unsettling, and wholly irresistible for KY ghost hunters.