It is part of the. memorial. The tunnel is supposed to be haunted by those who made their last journey through it. 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. Edward A. Arthur Waverly Hills photograph collection, 019PC9, Filson Historical Society. & Historical Research GroupAll files, pictures, video, E.V.P., articles, trademarks; etc. this website are the property of their respective owners or Waverly Hills Memorial & Historical Research Groupand They focused less on the tunnel and more on a college kid storyline, highlighted with a little bit of history. can not be used in any means without written persmission from the owner of the media. Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville opened in 1910 to accommodate tuberculosis patients. In 1883, Major Thomas Hercules Hays, who had served in the Confederate army during the Civil War and fought at the. According to the Waverly Hills Historical Society, guided tours and overnight stays are booked up for the rest of this year. Many of these materials are courtesy of other sources and the original copyright holders retain all applicable rights under the law. Treatment for tuberculosis, an infectious bacterial disease . In fact, it has been called one of the most haunted places in the world Room 502 (Real location, unsubstantiated myths). ome improvement began to present itself in those who spent a restful retreat in the mountains. 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. Nestled on the top of a placid hill, the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium once tried to heal tuberculosis with peace and good vibes. It also had an ulterior and much less sinister purpose. Spookiest Stories Ever: Four Seasons of Kentucky Ghosts, Tuberculosis (also known as TB, consumption, the White Death, or the White Plague) is a highly communicable bacterial infection contracted by breathing in air containing. This is an active project so check back often for updates. The search began for a proper location to constructed the much needed facility. Microfilm rolls #7016130-7041803. Metro Council clears the way for Waverly Hills to become hotel The project was canceled in December 1997. 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. 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. (A to D) Patients of W.H.S. 10 Horrifying Stories From The Waverly Hills Sanatorium - Ranker This site Waverly Hills Sanatorium has been a TB hospital, a nursing home, a failed religious monument, and now a paranormal investigation site. It opened in 1910 as a two-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients. What are the creepiest cemeteries in Kentucky? BUT, according to Patti Starr in her book. (I to L) Patients of W.H.S. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Once you went to Waverly Hills, you became a permanent resident on the hill. Oddly enough, despite that fact, many patients received visits from loved ones on visiting day. Upon death, he fell asleep as we hope in the arms of his savior.1. This tunnel has likely seen more death than most modern hospitals. Even with the building of additional pavilions, space for patients was consistently at a minimal. Four years later, in 1932, some say another nurse jumped to her death from the 5th floor patio near Room 502. Copyright 2003, 2004 During the World War, the U.S. found the tunnel to be safe in the case of an attack. Everyone at Waverly patients, nurses, doctors, and other employees had to say goodbye to everything they knew on the outside world. 2023 Project MUSE. For the past few years, this crumbling tunnel has been featured during the Halloween season. In 1873, Agatha Logan Marshall wrote matter-of-factly to her brother-in-law Thomas W. Bullitt about her recent diagnosis of consumption and her concerns about her future well-being and economic security: Dr Bush made an examination of my lungs and told me they were very seriously involveda fact I have known all alongof course I am in no immediate danger for consumption is a lingering disease but I have no hope or expectation of ever being well again and I am very anxious if possible to have my little prosperity so it will yield me an income. Marshall aptly characterized consumption as a lingering disease, one in which symptoms could come and go and progress slowly over years. 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. The following index contains recorded patient deaths at Waverly Hills between 1911-1960. Powered by www.tripod.com & It was closed down and quarantined, then renovated. In 2001, Charles and Tina Mattingly bought the property. It was considered very state-of-the-art for its day. Its supposedly around 500 feet long and leads down the hill. var tlxLastPublishedDate = null; var now = new Date(); var edited = (tlxLastPublishedDate != null) ? Louisville, KY, is home to the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, which many people believe is one of the most haunted places on Earth. This building would stand at the forefront of America's fight against the deadly disease, Tuberculosis. This list is organized by date of death and not by name. Sincerely, Waverly Even so, the CDC reported 9,557 cases in the United States in 2015. Waverly Hills was later reportedly given $11 million dollars with which to build a new, larger hospital. Contributed by Phil Tkacz, Shawn Logan, Jay Gravatte, & Hope Bryant | contact@kyhi.org. 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. If you can correct us on anything we have posted, please do so. 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. 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. The first phase of the development, coming in at a cost of $4 million, would have been a constructing the 150 foot tell statue, to be situated on the roof of the sanatorium. Fewer than 5% of patients initially survived. This list includes only patients that died at the hospital. Robert Alberhasky bought the property in 1996 with plans to to erect the world's tallest statue of Jesus and a religious center. Rumors VS. Facts, 10+ of Hollywood's Most Famous Twins Listed, 7 Best Horror Audiobooks of 2022 that Will Make Your Spine Chill, 8 Best British Crime Series on Netflix: Crime Series, the English Way, 9 Best Comedies on HBO Max to Watch Right Now, 10+ Best Stand-up Comedy Specials on Netflix: Tickle your funny bone with the best comedy shows, 10 Best Anime Series on Netflix (Updated), 10 Best True Crime Podcasts to Keep You Up at Night, 10 Best Movies To Watch On Disney+ For All Ages (Updated! The Board decided to keep the name Waverly, as it had a peaceful sound to it. What makes this tunnel in Kentucky stand out from the others? One of the creepier Waverly Hills legends is a room near the morgue dubbed the draining room, where dead bodies were supposedly hung on hooks and cut open top to bottom to rid them of infected fluids. Pour se dbarasser de votre ancien vhicule, voici la liste et les adresses du centres VHU agrs en rgion Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes. The assumed number of total deaths at Waverly Hills sanitorium has been wildly inflated over the years; some have said the number is approximately 63,000. Alberhaskys intentions were to construct the worlds tallest statue ofJesuson the site, along with an arts and worship center. Spooked: The Ghosts of Waverly Hillsis a horror film about events that took place in thehospital. 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. WoodHaven Medical was closed by the state in 1981. Tuberculosis and Waverly Hills Sanatorium in the Filsons Collections, The Filson Historical Society and Cincinnati Museum Center. However, after massive protest from the surrounding area, the plan was dropped. We do not have access to records of any patients from Waverly Hills and we cannot accommodate any requests at this time. Official Waverly Hills Sanatorium/ Woodhaven Geriatric Center Memorial (Note the slightly different spelling of Waverley here. Sanatoriums were built on high hills surrounded by peaceful woods to create a serene atmosphere to help the patients recover. A private tour of the death tunnel is available by appointment. We do not own all of the materials on this website/blog. A dedicated staff worked with thousands of TB patients, often contracting the disease themselves. Waverly Hills is one of the most fascinating buildings to be found that stores within its wallsmany horrible and pain filled memories of a time where it seemed to continuously consume 100s of lives. 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. Our objective is the facts as we are a resource. Since then, it has become a popular destination for paranormal investigators. Some have called this long concrete structure the Death Shute over the years. for all the names listed and to be listed. Symptoms of tuberculosis include: a lasting cough, chest pains, fever, loss of appetite / weight loss, hills, sweating, and coughing up blood. It's a place where the smell of death is hidden, and where the painful screams are still in the air. The official estimates were admitted at more than 60,000 individuals died from TB or some of the questionable treatments utilized as attempted cures for the ailment. (Please get in the death tunnel.). Once a state-of-the-art tuberculosis treatment spa, these ruins are now ruled by paintball players. If left untreated, the bacteria would begin to eat away at the lungs and could spread throughout the body -- consuming it. The video above is the movies trailer posted by YouTube Movies & Shows. In 1850, James Stewart wrote of a friend who suffered exquisite pain during almost nine months spent in bed. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. In the nineteenth century, tuberculosis killed as many as one in seven people in the United States. 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. It had its own post office, water treatment facility, grew its own fruits and vegetables, raised its own meat for slaughter, and maintained many of the other necessities of everyday life. We now have a patient death index for patients that died at Waverly Hills starting in 1911. Very little of this part of Waverly has fallen down, and the structure itself is still safe. Waverly Hills Sanatorium sits on land that was originally purchased by Major Thomas H. Hays in 1883. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Waverly Hills became known outside of the area when the TV series The Scariest Places on Earth profiled the institution in 2001. The sanitorium opened in the midst of a widespread epidemic It was within this devastating context that the Waverly Hills Sanitorium first opened its doors on July 26, 1910, as a two-story wooden structure built to house about 50 patients. The LGHS "Waverly Hills Sanatorium" Investigation All information contained in this website The Filson Historical Society holds a wide range of collections documenting individual experiences of tuberculosis and collective efforts to manage the disease. Frank J. Stewart served as the assistant medical director and as a physician at the sanatorium up until the 1950s. No purchase necessary. Deep under the hospital is the "Death Tunnel" which once were used to secretly remove the dead from the grounds. The tunnel, also known as "the body chute", was serviced by a winch which hauled supplies up the hill and lowered gurneys with bodies down to the bottom. Visitation is only available during Historical Society events. I am somewhat a cliche'. During the late 1800s, roughly one in five deaths (20%) was attributed to tuberculosis. This list does not included patient data from the geriatric center after inpatient tuberculosis treatment had stopped. You can imagine what follows. With the discovery of a new antibiotic, Streptomyc in 1943, there was finally a way to combat Tuberculosis . Estimates vary, and records have been destroyed, but there may have been as many as 64,000 deaths at Waverly Sanatorium. No records could be found for these deaths, but the rumors and ghost stories have persisted and many tourists and ghost hunters have reported strange activity in . A childrens pavilion was built in 1916 that housed 40 children and included a schoolroom. 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. They found themselves stuck in a room whose door would not open and shadowy figures appeared in the room. KEY: S - Submitted NP - Newspaper Article KDR - Kentucky Death Records TB - Waverly Hills Sanatorium G - Woodhaven Geriatrics Center 20 - 1920 Census Report The tunnel was the subject of the 2005 movie The Death Tunnel. Plans to turn Waverly Hills Sanatorium into a hotel, restaurant, and convention center are moving forward after the Louisville Metro Council approved a zoning change request by the owner on Feb. 27. It was not known at the time that Tuberculosis was an airborne disease. Its said that the state shut it down due to reports of improper care and physical abuse of the elderly patients there. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium death tunnel in Kentucky has an interesting history, and you can read more about it in our previous article. There are a few abandoned tunnels in Kentucky, but none have quite the reputation of the notorious Waverly Hills Death Tunnel on 4400 Paralee Lane in Louisville. 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. It was two stories tall and had only enough space for 40 patients in early stages of TB. 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. A total of 63,000 people lost their lives up until 1961, the year when the hospital was closed. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Located just outside of Elizabethtown, Kasey Cemetery is so haunted, its known as the Gates of Hell. resource site. This former tuberculosis treatment facility now stands at the center of a public park. 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. Unfortunately, the sanatorium's medical records (up to 1935) were destroyed during the Flood of 1937, and subsequent documentation was haphazardly discarded following the hospital's closing . It was thought that doing so would close up the small holes that tuberculosis causes. In the film, five college girls fulfill an initiation rite by spending the night in the haunted institution. The Ghosts of the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville - Ghost City Tours The hospital was deteriorating badly when they took possession. When the visit was over, the visitors left Waverly and ventured back out into the community. A homeless man and his dog supposedly fell down the elevator shaft when the building was vacant, and some have seen the. Over the following years, Waverly would become a nearly self contained community. Key: **Research compiled for Ryan & Shane on January 27, 2017 by Micki Taylor. 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 bottom line is that the death tunnel is a must-stop if you happen to be a haunted places enthusiast. It's believed that nearly 50,000. (E to H) Patients of W.H.S. Records have been lost, but it is estimated that tens of thousands died at Waverly. The Haunted Hospital Where 63,000 People Died: Waverly Hills Sanatorium, myoldkentuckyroadtrip.files.wordpress.com, From Turkey to Hollywood: The Most Successful Turkish Actors and Actresses, Paradise Found: The Most Beautiful Coastal Towns to Visit in Turkey, Uncovering the Hidden Gems of Turkish Architecture and Design, The Funniest Films in Turkish Cinema You Can't Miss, Cansu Dere: The Talented Actress and Humanitarian Making a Difference in Turkey, The Many Talents of Beren Gkyldz: A Look at the Young Actress Taking Turkey by Storm, Beren Saat: The Journey of a Turkish Actress, The Best Turkish Romantic Movies and Series to Watch Right Now, Furkan And: From Professional Athlete to Rising Star in Turkish Entertainment, Dilan iek Deniz: From Miss Turkey to Leading Lady, Turkish Mythology: The Legends that Reflect the Hearts of People, A Look at Shante Broadus, Snoop Doggs Wife: Age, Bio & More. Over the following years the population of Waverly began to decrease until it closed in June 1961.