Historic Waverly Hills Sanatorium, perched high on a hill in Kentucky, was once a hospital for tuberculosis. Have the patients returned to haunt the hospital?
First, Some History
Waverly Hills Sanatorium was built in 1908, with accommodations for 40-50 patients. Construction took two years and the sanatorium opened on July 26, 1910. Tuberculosis, formerly known as consumption or the white plague was considered very serious because antibiotics were not used yet. It was believed that patients would benefit from the fresh air and serene surroundings of sanatoriums that were built in more secluded locations and up on hills. The patients were also isolated from the general public as to not infect anyone else.
Because of tuberculosis reaching epidemic proportions in 1924, to the point of the smaller building becoming over-run with patients, a new building was constructed to meet the needs of the epidemic. The new sanatorium opened in 1924 and had the capacity of holding up to 400 patients. Built in a Gothic-style architecture, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was considered one of the best in it's time.
It served as a tuberculosis hospital until 1961, when it was shut down and then re-opened in 1926 with the name WoodHaven Medical Services, a geriatric center. WoodHaven was closed by the state in 1980.
Waverly Hills Today
In 2001, Charlie and Tina Mattingly purchased the sanatorium where Charlie's dad had worked as an orderly for about four years during the time it was the tuberculosis hospital. They opened the building up to the public and conduct historical tours, paranormal tours and even overnight stays. Waverly Hills Sanatorium has since become one of the favored 'hot-spots' for paranormal researchers from all over the United States and perhaps even further. There must be good reason why this building has become so widely talked about in the ghost hunting community! Let's take a look at some of the ghost stories that have come from this old sanatorium.
Room 502
Sitting on the fifth floor, this room is the spot where two suicides supposedly took place in the room. One was a nurse who by local legends, hanged herself from a light fixture in the room because she was pregnant out of wedlock, and perhaps by a doctor at the sanatorium. The name of the woman is said to be Mary Hillenburg, but documents cannot be found to back up this story.
The Death Tunnel
The death tunnel, as people call it today, was originally made so that workers could transport various items and supplies down the corridor by a rail and cart system. Due to the number of people who were dying from tuberculosis, another use for the tunnel was born and deceased bodies were sent down on gurneys so that hearses could later pick them up.
Ghost Sightings
Alleged ghost sightings at Waverly Hills Sanatorium include shadow people-dark figures who seem to dart in and out of the sanatorium rooms and hallways, a little girl who likes to play with a ball, and various other claims of apparitions and sightings. Sounds have also been reported and spirit voices have been captured on tape(evps).
The ghost tours at Waverly Hills fill up quickly these days, as researchers of the paranormal and even just the curious, want to see for themselves if former patients and workers have come back to haunt this massive building. If you are brave enough you can stay overnight in what once was a place of sickness, courage, strength, death, but most of all, hope..
Sources: Waverly Hills Historical Society
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