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. But in 2001, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was purchased and since then, there have been many changes and improvements to the building and surrounding property. The hospital, known as Waverly Hills, was opened in 1926 and was considered to be the most advanced tuberculosis hospital in the country. **Research compiled for Ryan & Shane on January 27, 2017 by Micki Taylor. 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. It also shows a special department where the (presumably uninfected) children of adult sanatorium patients lived and were taken care of. In this procedure, nitrogen is injected into the lungs, forcing them to collapse. Powered by www.tripod.com & Our objective is the facts as we are a resource. Essentially, once you went to Waverly Hills -- as a patient, a nurse, or a doctor -- you no longer got to be a part of the outside world. However it wouldnt be until 1949 when Streptomycin would be available to the patients at Waverly Hills. The owner (Tina) and a security guard say theyve seen lights turn on in this room while they were outside. Waverly Hills was later reportedly given $11 million dollars with which to build a new, larger hospital. Even taking into account the extra 19 years that the geriatric hospital was in operation, more than 2 people would have had to die on-premises on average every day for 70 years. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. You can imagine what follows. The sanatorium was established in the early 20th century to help deal with an outbreak of the then-incurable disease tuberculosis. On this grand tour, visitors can get the historical tales of the tunnel's actual purpose. 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. Obsessed with travel? & W.G.C. I love writing, art, sunshine, all animals and my incredibly patient husband, who tolerates my "crazy animal lady" side. Trellix. The same problems persisted, as well as suicides of the patients. Public health advocates managed the Free Tuberculosis Dispensary on West Chestnut Street, hired a corps of traveling nurses, sponsored educational campaigns, and supported anti-spitting laws. This list is organized by date of death and not by name. The most common treatment at the time was sunlight, fresh air, and nutritious food. This list is organized by date of death and not by name. will be confirmed information either by photograph, news article, and/ or historical archive of some kind. KDR - Kentucky Death RecordsS - SubmittedNP - NewspaperO - Other20 Edward A. Arthur Waverly Hills photograph collection, 019PC9, Filson Historical Society. & W.G.C. Good news: When you visit WHS, you can get in the death tunnel. Not much was known scientifically about tuberculosis at that point -- but it was clearly very contagious, and it was common practice to quarantine TB patients away from the population. 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. Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville opened in 1910 to accommodate tuberculosis patients. It was the workers that would be detached to gather the bodies of the dead and either burn, bury, or transport them elsewhere. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. In 1883, Major Thomas Hercules Hays, who had served in the Confederate army during the Civil War and fought at the. 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. Patients in every condition were accepted including those in early stages to those in the final stages. The 400-bed hospital that opened in 1926 at Waverly Hills Sanatorium. Records have been lost, but it is estimated that tens of thousands died at Waverly. We do not own all of the materials on this website/blog. In Stewarts autobiography, he recalls that the highest number of deaths in any year that he worked at the sanatorium was 153, and that most of the worst years followed World War II, when soldiers returned, infected, from overseas. In 1962 the hospital was purchased by the state and used as a nursing home. A young boy named Timmy or Tim has been seen rolling a blue rubber ball. Other accounts tell of ghostly appearances by a little girl named Mary and a little boy named Bobby in other areas of the hospital. All rights reserved. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, Kentucky. As no reason has been given for why she would have committed suicide, rumor is, she was actually pushed. When the plans fell through due to funding problems, Alberhasky, upset that the remaining building was protected by the Historical Register, tried to have the building condemned. The institution was reopened as WoodHaven Medical Services, a geriatrics hospital in 1962, but closed in 1980 under allegations of patient abuse. Hays later sold the land to the Board of Tuberculosis Hospital, and they built the sanatorium there, adopting the name, to house a rapidly increasing number of tuberculosis patients. Early-twentieth-century scrapbooks and organizational records chronicle public health measures and tuberculosis facilities in Louisville and other parts of the state. Ruins of a historic medical facility sits eerily by the water. Surgical intervention, including removal of ribs and/or parts of the lungs, was reserved for patients close to death. No matter the good vibes the site espoused, it still ended up as place to scare people. This is an active project so check back often for updates. Our objective is the facts as we are a resource. This former tuberculosis treatment facility now stands at the center of a public park. Construction on this building began in 1908 and opened for business on July 26, 1910. 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. Please note: We are not connected to The Waverly Hills Historical Society, Inc. Views, comments, posts, Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Over the following years the population of Waverly began to decrease until it closed in June 1961. The building was designed to accommodate 40-50 tuberculosis patients safely. It's believed that nearly 50,000. Waverly Hills Memorial In later years, the property was repeatedly vandalized, and landowners didnt seem to care much about upkeep on the building -- which was nearly condemned. In 1962, the building reopened as a nursing home that eventually became known as Woodhaven Medical Services, a geriatric facility. It was the leading cause of death during sanatorium's peak years of operation; however, it is impossible to say how many people died at Waverly Hills. (E to H) Patients of W.H.S. Even with many new procedures available, it was impossible to save everyone. Its believed that tuberculosis has claimed roughly. The 1920 & 1930 census reports were all hand written. Alberhaskys intentions were to construct the worlds tallest statue ofJesuson the site, along with an arts and worship center. The search began for a proper location to constructed the much needed facility. Many people claimed that the souls of the people who died in the hospital were still wandering in the corridors. He had a small schoolhouse built on Pages Lane and hired schoolteacher Lizzie Lee Harris to teach his three daughters. The land that the Waverly Hills Sanatorium sits on was purchased by a wealthy military man, Major Thomas H. Hays, in 1883. The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands. Treatment for tuberculosis, an infectious bacterial disease . The SciFi Channel series returned to Kentucky and did a live broadcast on Halloween night. A total of 63,000 people lost their lives up until 1961, the year when the hospital was closed. 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. Pour se dbarasser de votre ancien vhicule, voici la liste et les adresses du centres VHU agrs en rgion Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes. Some have called this long concrete structure the Death Shute over the years. Estimates vary, and records have been destroyed, but there may have been as many as 64,000 deaths at Waverly Sanatorium. I grew up running around barefoot on a farm in Kentucky. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. * followed by year - Died at WHS/WGC in that year, Copyright 2003, 2004 Construction on the first hospital began in 1908 in a quiet space atop a hill, where it was thought patients would be at peace and receive lots of fresh air (and stay far from crowded areas). 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. Waverly has been a tuberculosis hospital, mental hospital, and geriatric center, all of which had the dead transported via the death tunnel so as to not carry off the dead in front of the patients. 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 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. 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. If the bacteria did become an infection, there was an 80% chance of death at that time. If youre in the Louisville area, Cave Hill Cemetery is another haunted hotspot where many visitors report hearing disembodied voices including laughter and screaming as well as unexplained orbs of light that appear to dance over certain graves. Waverly Hills isnt the only haunted tunnel around. The Waverly Hills Death Tunnel. Microfilm rolls #7016130-7041803. The BCG vaccine was first successfully used to ward off tuberculosis in 1921 in France, but the use of vaccines tended to travel slowly in those days. Waverly Hills became known outside of the area when the TV series The Scariest Places on Earth profiled the institution in 2001. The Historical Society and the family that owns the property hold fundraising events throughout the year. At the time, Tuberculosis was a very serious disease. The following index contains recorded patient deaths at Waverly Hills between 1911-1960. Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. It is part of the. Respect all signs posted and never trespass on private property. Copyright 2003, 2004 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. Estimates vary, and records have been destroyed, but there may have been as many as 64,000 deaths at Waverly Sanatorium. During the Halloween season, Waverly Hills turns itself into a thrilling Haunted House. 2025. In 1911, the new City Hospital relocated all of their TB cases to Waverly Hills, which had erected tents on the grounds to accomodate the overflow. The enormous and haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium by night. The Midwestern United States' tribute to Michelangelo is a foam statue sprayed with gaudy gold paint. That is, 63,000 people seeking treatment at the Waverly Hills hospital were left to die, they were forced to commit suicide or they lost their minds. After World War II, the need for a TB sanatorium waned until the hospital closed in 1961. Another of Todds plans was the refurbishing of the building into apartments, this also feel through due to lack of funding. Louisville, KY, is home to the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, which many people believe is one of the most haunted places on Earth. Fewer than 5% of patients initially survived. resource site. The dead were left at the end of the tunnel. Some have called this long concrete structure the Death Shute over the years. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! Our objective is to provide a resource and a memorial for all the building and the people whose lives made an impact on Louisville's history. Kentuckys Home to the Largest and Most Haunted Victorian Neighborhood in America, The Haunted Spurlington Tunnel In Kentucky Has A Bone-Chilling History, One Of The Most Haunted Cemeteries In Kentucky Is Also The Most Beautiful, Driving Down This Haunted Kentucky Road Will Give You Nightmares, Spend A Night At This Haunted Sanatorium In Kentucky If You Dare, This Haunted Tunnel In Kentucky Is Not For The Faint Of Heart, 11 Staggering Photos Of An Abandoned Hospital Hiding In Kentucky, The Story Behind This Evil Place In Kentucky Will Make Your Blood Turn Cold. Plans are underway for an on site memorial will currently be the memorial for the tuberculosis & geriatric hospitals. Some of the names were difficult if not impossible to read. It wasnt until 1882 that Robert Koch published a paper identifying this bacillus for the first time. The warm, wet weather in Kentucky near the Ohio River was a breeding place for bacteria, and insects often helped to spread disease. ome improvement began to present itself in those who spent a restful retreat in the mountains. The tunnel itself was originally 525 feet long and ran out to the bottom of the hill. It is made with concrete all around, which makes this tunnel of nightmares a very sturdy structure. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. 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. It is said that 63,000 people died at Waverly Hills over the years, but that is just what records . Neither story is documented, but neither is completely discounted. 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. The tunnel is supposed to be haunted by those who made their last journey through it. Visitation is only available during Historical Society events. The story goes that Lizzie Lee Harris loved Sir Walter Scotts series, The Waverley Novels -- more than, Hays reportedly like the name and so named all of his land Waverley Hill. 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. No, it is actually a long tunnel with flooring. Sincerely, Waverly Tuberculosis, also known as consumption, or "the white plague", had a high mortality rate before streptomycin was introduced as a treatment in 1943. Nestled in the Ohio Valley, Louisville doesnt get a proper amount of fresh air flow. Waverly Hills Sanatorium has been a TB hospital, a nursing home, a failed religious monument, and now a paranormal investigation site. A reminder to visitors that Waverly Hills is private property and the residence of it's owners. 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. can not be used in any means without written persmission from the owner of the media. 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. While no records exist to report an accurate death count that occurred within the building, it is . Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. 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. There are two legends concerning the room: a nurse committed suicide by jumping out the window, and a nurse who hanged herself in room 502 because she was single and pregnant. Today, the building is spooky enough to give anyone chills. Four years later, in 1932, some say another nurse jumped to her death from the 5th floor patio near Room 502. US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. 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. Meet MasterChef Gordon Ramsays Children - Who are They? this website are the property of their respective owners or Waverly Hills Memorial & Historical Research Groupand The second e was dropped at some point.). Kentucky. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. This list includes only patients that died at the hospital. 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. To learn more about the Historical Society, see the Historical Society section under About. Everyone at Waverly patients, nurses, doctors, and other employees had to say goodbye to everything they knew on the outside world. Louisville's Waverly Hills Sanatorium has been called "the most terrifying building in America," with an infamous history that draws paranormal thrill-seekers from all over the world.Lately, the . The two TB sanatoriums were open for a total of 51 years, which means that 3 to 4 people would have died every single day. Waverly Hills Sanatorium sits on land that was originally purchased by Major Thomas H. Hays in 1883. Trellix. At the height of the tuberculosis epidemic, it is reported that one patient an hour died. The building is host to ghost hunters from all over the globe. Symptoms of tuberculosis include: a lasting cough, chest pains, fever, loss of appetite / weight loss, hills, sweating, and coughing up blood. The Filson Historical Society holds a wide range of collections documenting individual experiences of tuberculosis and collective efforts to manage the disease. From 1962 to 1981, the building served as a medical facility for geriatric patients: the Woodhaven Geriatrics Center. They found themselves stuck in a room whose door would not open and shadowy figures appeared in the room. Since then, it has become a popular destination for paranormal investigators. The second purpose was to protect those who had to transport the dead to the pickup spot to be laid to rest. 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. I am somewhat a cliche'. In 1961, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was closed because there was no longer a need for a tuberculosis facility. Please click here to view the index. KDR - Kentucky Death Records S - Submitted NP - Newspaper O - Other 20 - 1920 Census Report 30 - 1930 Census Report * followed by year - Died at WHS/WGC in that year Patients of W.H.S. There is an underground tunnel from the sanatorium to the bottom of the hill. Even with the building of additional pavilions, space for patients was consistently at a minimal. Over the next few decades, Waverly Hills would fall into more dark times. All information / names gathered from research and visitors will be added to the Kelli Patrick:Waverly Hills Sanatorium opened in around 1910 because of an outbreak of tuberculosis. This company operated the nursing home facility until 1982 when it was closed by the state for violations and the mistreatment of patients. The Mattinglys have established the Waverly Hills Historical Society in an effort to raise funds to help restore the interior of the old sanatorium. The statue, which was inspired by the famedstatue of Christ onCorcovadoMountain inRio de Janeiro, would have been designed by local Louisville sculptorEd Hamiltonand architect Jasper Ward. an impact on Louisville's history. The second phase was to convert the old sanatorium into a chapel, theater, and agift shopat a cost of $8 million or more. Offer subject to change without notice. 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. Vital Statistics Original Death Certificates Microfilm (1911-1964). It opened as a 40 room hospital and they found that they needed to add on very quickly. (Please get in the death tunnel.). Very little of this part of Waverly has fallen down, and the structure itself is still safe. Can I visit any abandoned places in Kentucky? After the geriatric center closed down, various owners considered turning the building into a number of things, including a jail and. 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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. The tunnels main purpose was to protect the morale of other patients. Some time before the property was purchased in 2001, a story circulated about a group of teenage boys who snuck into the sanatorium. Over the following years, Waverly would become a nearly self contained community. . Are they real, or arent they, that is the question? In 1926, the massive building seen today opened its doors to accommodate another 450 beds. The tunnel was the subject of the 2005 movie The Death Tunnel. The tubercle bacillus that causes tuberculosis was identified in an Egyptian mummy that dated back to 3000 BCE. Spooked: The Ghosts of Waverly Hillsis a horror film about events that took place in thehospital. The Board decided to keep the name Waverly, as it had a peaceful sound to it. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. img7.mynet.com They were buried by passing through the death tunnel. In the nineteenth century, tuberculosis killed as many as one in seven people in the United States. Thank you! This new treatment meant that newer cases could now be treated as outpatients in a regular hospital. With a design from local renowned architect D. X. Murphy, the new building now had a capacity of 400 and opened on October 17, 1926. Its supposedly around 500 feet long and leads down the hill. can not be used in any means without written persmission from the owner of the media. We do not have access to records of any patients from Waverly Hills and we cannot accommodate any requests at this time. (I to L) Patients of W.H.S. A city in and of itself, complete with its own zip code. A documentary named Spooked was also made during the filming of The Death Tunnel. 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 1912, patients in advanced stages of infection were moved from from the City Hospital to Waverly Hills Sanatorium. In March 1996, Robert Alberhasky bought Waverly Hills. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! The empty building was purchased by a number of buyers in the following years, but nothing ever saw fruition. Our objective is to provide a resource and a memorial for all the building and the people whose lives made Many of these materials are courtesy of other sources and the original copyright holders retain all applicable rights under the law. Welcome to the Official Waverly Hills/ Woodhaven memorial & historical resource site. The reasons for doing this may have been to keep from spreading disease once the body was brought back into town, and/or to make the body lighter. 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.
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