Abandoned asylums hold a strange fascination. Their empty halls, peeling paint, and broken windows tell stories of lives once confined and mysteries long forgotten.
Over the years, many of these places have become the focus of chilling legends.
People claim they are haunted by former patients, echoing cries, and unexplained shadows.
Some even say certain rooms act as doorways to other realms. Here are ten abandoned asylums in the United States with terrifying myths surrounding them.
1. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia
The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston was designed to house hundreds, but at its peak, it held over two thousand patients in overcrowded conditions.
Visitors today speak of hearing footsteps in empty hallways and doors slamming on their own. Legends tell of shadowy figures and even ghostly faces appearing in the windows.
Some claim the spirits of former patients still wander the halls, replaying their final moments.
Paranormal tours frequently report cold spots and sudden chills that seem to follow visitors from room to room.
2. Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Kentucky
Waverly Hills began as a tuberculosis hospital but became infamous for its high death toll. The building’s history is filled with pain and suffering, and many say this energy remains.
Witnesses report seeing apparitions, hearing phantom screams, and feeling hands brush against them in empty rooms.
The notorious Body Chute, where bodies were transported down to the basement, is said to be especially haunted.
Legends suggest that the spirits of those who suffered and died there are trapped between worlds, unable to find peace.
3. Pennhurst State School, Pennsylvania
Pennhurst State School was intended for people with disabilities, but gained a reputation for cruel treatment and neglect.
Many former patients are believed to linger in the abandoned halls. Visitors claim to hear disembodied voices and see lights flicker without cause.
Some report sudden feelings of panic or sadness while exploring the dark corridors.
The myths surrounding Pennhurst portray it as a place where the suffering of the past still echoes, warning visitors of the horrors once contained within its walls.
4. Danvers State Hospital, Massachusetts
Danvers State Hospital was a psychiatric hospital known for experimental treatments and overcrowding.
The structure is now largely abandoned, but stories of hauntings continue. Witnesses report ghostly figures appearing at the end of hallways and strange noises in rooms no one occupies.
Some say that certain wards are gateways where the pain of the past leaks into the present.
The hospital’s dark history has made it a magnet for paranormal investigators seeking to encounter the spirits of those who once lived and died there.
5. Oregon State Hospital, Oregon
Oregon State Hospital gained notoriety as the setting for popular horror tales and films. Visitors say the old wings are filled with lingering energy.
People report hearing voices and footsteps in abandoned wards. Certain rooms are believed to be especially active, where former patients’ spirits interact with the living.
Legends suggest that the building itself holds memories, replaying moments of anguish and despair for anyone sensitive enough to perceive them.
6. Rollinsford State Hospital, New Hampshire
Rollinsford State Hospital has a history of mental health treatment stretching back decades. Now largely abandoned, it is known for eerie encounters.
People report hearing whispers and seeing shadowy figures out of the corner of their eyes.
Some claim that certain areas of the building act as portals, connecting our world with the lingering spirits trapped by past suffering.
The hospital’s myths make it a site of fascination for those drawn to the intersection of history and the supernatural.
7. Byberry Mental Hospital, Pennsylvania
Byberry Mental Hospital, sometimes called Philadelphia State Hospital, had a reputation for overcrowding and harsh treatment.
Its abandoned buildings are rumored to be haunted by former patients. Visitors report disembodied cries, cold spots, and sudden feelings of dread.
Some say that spirits can be felt moving through hallways, unable to rest because of the harsh experiences they endured.
Byberry’s dark past has made it a landmark for ghost hunters and curious adventurers seeking encounters with the unknown.
8. Kings Park Psychiatric Center, New York
Kings Park Psychiatric Center was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in the country. Its sprawling, now-empty campus is filled with legends.
Witnesses report seeing apparitions in the abandoned wards and hearing whispers in empty corridors.
Some stories suggest that the spirits of former patients are drawn to certain rooms, repeating moments of distress from their past lives.
The myths surrounding Kings Park continue to intrigue visitors, making it a symbol of haunted history and supernatural fascination.
9. Athens Lunatic Asylum, Ohio
Athens Lunatic Asylum has been closed for decades, but its stories live on. Visitors say the empty hallways echo with ghostly voices and moving shadows.
Some believe that the pain and suffering from the hospital’s past have created spiritual energy that lingers in the building.
Certain wards are considered more active, where encounters with spirits are more likely.
The asylum’s dark reputation and chilling legends continue to make it a place where curiosity and fear collide.
10. Rockland Psychiatric Center, New York
Rockland Psychiatric Center served as a mental health institution for many years. Its abandoned sections are steeped in ghost stories.
People report unexplained noises, flickering lights, and fleeting apparitions.
Some believe that particular rooms act as spiritual gateways, connecting the living world with lingering spirits.
Rockland’s legends are reinforced by its history, combining human suffering with a supernatural aura that has fascinated generations of visitors.
私は生まれたときから、常に神との強いつながりを感じていた。作家として、また指導者として、私の使命は、人々が最も暗い時代に愛と幸福と内なる強さを見つけるのを助けることである。