8 Abandoned Hospitals That Will Give You Chills Down Your Spine
As an urban explorer, visiting abandoned hospitals can be a thrilling and eerie experience. These former places of healing have been left to decay and become havens for trespassers seeking adventure. Here are eight abandoned hospitals that will pique your curiosity and send chills down your spine.
1. Kings Park Psychiatric Center – Long Island, NY
Kings Park Psychiatric Center was once one of the largest psychiatric facilities in the world, treating thousands of patients over its 100-year history. It closed in 1996 after reports of patient abuse and neglect surfaced. Today, many buildings on the campus remain abandoned, including wards filled with old equipment and personal belongings.
2. Danvers State Hospital – Danvers, MA
Danvers State Hospital opened in 1878 as a state asylum for mentally ill patients. The hospital’s design was based on the Kirkbride Plan which aimed to provide “moral treatment” by giving patients ample space to roam outdoors while receiving therapy indoors. The hospital was closed in 1992 after years of controversy surrounding allegations of patient abuse and unsafe conditions.
3. Lorton Reformatory – Fairfax County, VA
Lorton Reformatory was once a maximum-security prison that housed notorious criminals such as John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981. In 2001, the prison was shut down due to unsafe living conditions for inmates and staff members alike.
4. Waverly Hills Sanatorium – Louisville, KY
Waverly Hills Sanatorium is said to be one of the most haunted places in America due to its gruesome past as a tuberculosis hospital where thousands perished from the disease between 1910-1960s. Today it is rumored that ghosts still haunt its halls along with other unexplained events like doors slamming shut on their own or shadowy figures appearing at night.
5. North Brother Island – New York City, NY
North Brother Island once served as a quarantine center for contagious diseases like typhoid and smallpox. It was also the site of a tragic accident in 1904 when a steamship collided with another vessel causing over 1,000 deaths. Today, North Brother Island remains abandoned but can be visited via guided tours.
6. Manteno State Hospital – Manteno, IL
Manteno State Hospital opened in 1930 as a mental health facility for World War II veterans who were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The hospital closed in 1985 and many of its buildings remain abandoned today.
7. Essex Mountain Sanatorium – Verona, NJ
Essex Mountain Sanatorium once provided care to tuberculosis patients until it was converted into an asylum that housed mentally ill patients. The sanatorium was shut down in the late 1970s due to overcrowding and lack of funding.
8. Broughton Hospital – Morganton, NC
Broughton Hospital is one of the oldest psychiatric hospitals in North Carolina opening its doors in 1883. The hospital has been plagued by allegations of abuse and neglect over the years resulting in several investigations by state officials that led to reforms being implemented at the facility.
In conclusion, exploring abandoned hospitals can be both fascinating and haunting experiences that allow us to glimpse into our past while reminding us of how far we have come regarding treating mental illness and other illnesses throughout history. As always when exploring these sites make sure you are doing so safely without breaking any laws or putting yourself or others at risk!