They would not be subjected to seeing dead patients taken away for burial/burning. Please note: We are not connected to The Waverly Hills Historical Society, Inc. Views, comments, posts, Upon death, he fell asleep as we hope in the arms of his savior.1. It opened as a 40 room hospital and they found that they needed to add on very quickly. So while it's true that the most common treatments were exposure to sunlight, bed rest, healthy foods, and fresh air, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium Memorial records that several other methods were applied to patients, including surgical methods that were cutting edge for the time, but that might sound barbaric now. Kentucky. Thank you! 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. There are many reports of the infamous shadow people of Waverly Hills. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. 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. Trellix. 2715 North Charles StreetBaltimore, Maryland, USA 21218. 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. The Waverly Hills Death Tunnel. publications, etc do not reflect the views of The Waverly Hills Historical Society, Inc. At the beginning of the 20th century Louisville Kentucky had the one of highest rate of tuberculosis deaths in the United States. It was not known at the time that Tuberculosis was an airborne disease. this website are the property of their respective owners or Waverly Hills Memorial & Historical Research Groupand Other accounts tell of ghostly appearances by a little girl named Mary and a little boy named Bobby in other areas of the hospital. If a patient had any chance of surviving the disease, Waverly Hills was the place to come for treatment. A city in and of itself, complete with its own zip code. His plan was to turn the main hospital building into a minimum-security prison for state use. Another theory is that Mary got pregnant by one of the doctors, and when he tried to perform an abortion, she died, and the suicide was staged. 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. 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. Deep under the hospital is the "Death Tunnel" which once were used to secretly remove the dead from the grounds. 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According to the Waverly Hills Historical Society, guided tours and overnight stays are booked up for the rest of this year. Some time before the property was purchased in 2001, a story circulated about a group of teenage boys who snuck into the sanatorium. Mind you, we are not confirming nor denying that Waverly is haunted, but it has been featured on quite a few documentaries and television shows over the years. At the height of the tuberculosis epidemic, it is reported that one patient an hour died. In crowded cities in the 19th century, anywhere from 70 to 90% of the population may have been infected with the bacteria, which could lie dormant for any amount of time. Over the next several years, the main building as well as surrounding structures fell into a state of abandonment. With little knowledge of how to fight the illness, the creators of Waverly Hills based their treatment on quarantine, fresh air, and a positive attitude. shared photos and the stories of their family members who were patients and staff members of Waverly Hills. Its believed that, at one point, he hospital was tending to as many as 140 patients. This is an active project so check back often for updates. This building would stand at the forefront of America's fight against the deadly disease, Tuberculosis. We do not have access to records of any patients from Waverly Hills and we cannot accommodate any requests at this time. Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. Estimates vary, and records have been destroyed, but there may have been as many as 64,000 deaths at Waverly Sanatorium. ), 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]. BUT, according to Patti Starr in her book. Let's see what might have caused all these tragic deaths. All information contained in this website Was a May Day Attack by Pilgrims a Practice Run for a Massacre? 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. If left untreated, the bacteria would begin to eat away at the lungs and could spread throughout the body -- consuming it. 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. 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. The building was designed to accommodate 40-50 tuberculosis patients safely. The institution was reopened as WoodHaven Medical Services, a geriatrics hospital in 1962, but closed in 1980 under allegations of patient abuse. Construction on this building began in 1908 and opened for business on July 26, 1910. Today, the building is spooky enough to give anyone chills. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium death tunnel in Kentucky has an interesting history, and you can read more about it in our previous article. 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 Today, it stands today as a monument in the fight against the dreaded disease. Alberhaskys plan fell through, as only $3,000 was raised in a year. . If the bacteria did become an infection, there was an 80% chance of death at that time. Its also believed that patients whose infection spread to the brain, rendering them insane, were sent to the 5th floor. Waverly Hills was later reportedly given $11 million dollars with which to build a new, larger hospital. As the state of the patients worsened, people began to die in the facility on an almost-daily basis. I love writing, art, sunshine, all animals and my incredibly patient husband, who tolerates my "crazy animal lady" side. Construction of this Sanatorium began in March 1924 and opened for business on October 20, 1926. More Waverly Hills haunted history, after the jump. Letter-writers described the symptoms of consumption, such as drenching night sweats, constant coughing, lack of appetite, weakness, and swollen extremities. but patients families still visited them on designated visitors days, lol. Over the next two years of construction, a two-story wooden administration building as well as two connected open air pavilions on either side, each housing 20 male and female patients were built at a cost of $25,000. 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. This is the building that still stands to this day. Every state in the country has its fair share of haunted locations, and Kentucky is no different. He hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris to teach at the school. An abandoned tuberculosis hospital moulders on into an uncertain future. Please now use the Bobby Nichols Golf Course Gate entrance at 4400 Paralee Drive off of East Pages Lane. I would like to live and watch over and take care of my poor Fatherless children. Individuals worried about their health as well as about their family responsibilities and livelihood. A tunnel connecting to the base of the hill was also built so that workers and supplies could be ferried to the facility at the top of the hill. To learn more about the Historical Society, see the Historical Society section under About. Nestled on the top of a placid hill, the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium once tried to heal tuberculosis with peace and good vibes. Louisville, KY, is home to the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, which many people believe is one of the most haunted places on Earth. When the visit was over, the visitors left Waverly and ventured back out into the community. Now and Always,The Trusted Content Your Research Requires, Now and Always, The Trusted Content Your Research Requires, Built on the Johns Hopkins University Campus. Kelli Patrick:Waverly Hills Sanatorium opened in around 1910 because of an outbreak of tuberculosis. A homeless man and his dog supposedly fell down the elevator shaft when the building was vacant, and some have seen the. Can I visit any abandoned places in Kentucky? Buildings were added to the institution in 1912, 1916, and 1926. 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. If you can correct us on anything we have posted, please do so. **Research compiled for Ryan & Shane on January 27, 2017 by Micki Taylor. Laundry facilities, a maintenance garage, butchery, as well as several hundred acres of farm land were established on the Hill.. This video by Youtube user JustAVideoPage shows a hauntingly beautiful collage of many faces that may have eventually traveled down the death tunnel. No, it is actually a long tunnel with flooring. In 1962, the building reopened as a nursing home that eventually became known as Woodhaven Medical Services, a geriatric facility. B.A.S.E.-Bay Area Supernatural Encounters 2009Follow us @ www.facebook.com/bayareaseor visit our webpage @ www.bayarease.comBack before the sanatorium was ev. 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. 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! At the time, Tuberculosis was a very serious disease. There are tales of an apparition seemingly draped in white, like a doctors coat. This new treatment meant that newer cases could now be treated as outpatients in a regular hospital. 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. 2025. Waverly Hills was a self-contained community. The dead were left at the end of the tunnel. The Board decided to keep the name Waverly, as it had a peaceful sound to it. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Many of these materials are courtesy of other sources and the original copyright holders retain all applicable rights under the law. Even with many new procedures available, it was impossible to save everyone. Ain (01) Allier (03) Ardche (07) Cantal (15) Drme (26) We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. Records have been lost, but it is estimated that tens of thousands died at Waverly. From 1962 to 1981, the building served as a medical facility for geriatric patients: the Woodhaven Geriatrics Center. Patients in every condition were accepted including those in early stages to those in the final stages. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. ***Note:***The 1920 & 1930census reports were all hand written. I am somewhat a cliche'. Some of the names were difficult if not impossible to read. 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! 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. In 1961, the hospital finally closed its doors. These include nineteenth-century correspondence, diaries, and medical publications in which Kentuckians wrote of debilitating symptoms and possible treatments. Another of Todds plans was the refurbishing of the building into apartments, this also feel through due to lack of funding. The building is host to ghost hunters from all over the globe. This is an active project so check back often for updates. Bodies were not dumped but rather carried down the tunnel to the bottom of the hill, where they could be collected by a hearse, as there was no cemetery at the hospital. It was closed down and quarantined, then renovated. In 1912, patients in advanced stages of infection were moved from from the City Hospital to Waverly Hills Sanatorium. After World War II, the need for a TB sanatorium waned until the hospital closed in 1961. Since then, it has become a popular destination for paranormal investigators. Previous property owners had no desire to maintain the luster of the building and did little to stop people from slowly destroying her. Its believed that tuberculosis has claimed roughly. The tunnel is supposed to be haunted by those who made their last journey through it. For the past few years, this crumbling tunnel has been featured during the Halloween season. This is an active project so check back often for updates. Estimates vary, and records have been destroyed, but there may have been as many as 64,000 deaths at Waverly Sanatorium. TB - Tuberculosis PatientG - Geriatric Patient Frank J. Stewart served as the assistant medical director and as a physician at the sanatorium up until the 1950s. Love Kentucky? We do not own all of the materials on this website/blog. Charlie claims John told him he was one of the people who found the nurse and confirmed that there had been a lot of blood and a baby -- and that because it was so taboo at the time, the death wouldnt have been recorded. Waverly Hills Sanatorium We now have a patient death index for patients that died at Waverly Hills starting in 1911. The tunnel was the subject of the 2005 movie The Death Tunnel. The History Behind the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. The building is host to ghost hunters from all over the globe. It has a somewhat mysterious and sinister past The sanatorium was established in the early 20th century to help deal with an outbreak of the then-incurable disease tuberculosis. - 1920 Census Report30 - 1930 Census Report 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. Waverly Hills Sanatorium once housed hundreds, perhaps thousands of tuberculosis patients during a major, years-long outbreak in Jefferson County, Kentucky the building that still stands today is said to be haunted by those who died there.