Saturday, July 11, 2015

Louisville's Haunted Sanitarium

Sit back, relax, and I will tell you a true story, a story of intrigue, of death.

Okay, intrigue and death may be pushing it a little, but it is most definitely a story of my visit to a haunted sanitarium in the most unlikely place in the world: Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville has lots to offer in the way of attractions and entertainment. There’s the zoo, museums, historical homes to tour, Churchill Downs, of course, and plenty of shopping arenas. But, Waverly Hills Sanitarium is a must-see for anyone visiting the area who is interested in medical history, local history, architecture, locations where movies have been filmed, locations where television shows have visited, ghost stories, and even official ghost hunting. In other words, Waverly Hills has something for just about everyone.

Hidden behind security gates and a golf course is a huge gothic-looking building, complete with gargoyles, that towers over the parking lot like a fortress one dare not try to penetrate. Although the building may not seem as threatening in the daylight, at night it appears like a king reigning over its kingdom, and none too happy with intruders. Yet, myself and many others braved the concrete beast and took a 10 p.m. tour. It was more than worth the time and ticket price.

Led by a knowledgeable guide through a labyrinth of hallways and staircases, usually only with a single flashlight and, at other times, only in the darkness of the corridors, we were educated on the history of Waverly Hills and informed of the many ghosts that have been encountered. Sitting on the edge of medical advances, Waverly Hills housed and treated tuberculosis patients during an epidemic of the disease in this country. Yet, because of medical knowledge that was not learned until much later, many of the patients at Waverly Hills died, and many of their spirits are said to remain there, including a nurse who hung herself in the hospital.

So that everyone enjoys their visit and has the opportunity to capture potential apparitions, photography is limited at times so that (living) people taking tours are not disturbed. With this in mind, I decided to leave the good camera in the car and just enjoy the tour. In one particular location, however, the guide informed the group that we would be allowed to take photographs with flashes for a brief time. Since my phone has never taken good pictures, I removed my tablet and, after several moments of trying, discovered that no part of the tablet, including the camera, would work. “Apps are down,” the error read. Odd, I thought, since it had worked perfectly the day before. Frustrated, I turned it off as the tour continued on.
At a later part of the tour, the guide explained an experiment conducted for a few minutes during each tour so that visitors have the opportunity to possibly view or hear or have some experience with the apparitions so often caught by ghost hunters who frequent Waverly Hills. Although not in the locations the guide suggested may be hot spots, I did see something move in the darkness and sensed a strange presence nearing me from a former patient room. Repeated glances to the side, however, and a thorough look about the room revealed no physical presence. I blew it off as eerie imagination and continued on the tour.

Around midnight, when the tour ended, I took the good camera out of the car to take some flash-less photographs of the outside of the building which is relatively well-lit with white and red lights. Focusing on the tower and the fourth and fifth floors, I repeatedly tried to take a picture. The camera wouldn’t work. Then, with my finger off the shutter release, the camera took a photo on its own. Thinking it suddenly worked again, I focused again on the tower and the fourth and fifth floors, and again the camera would not work. I released my finger from the shutter release, and after a brief pause that was just long enough for me to think it wouldn’t work, the camera again took a photo on its own. Several times this occurred, and in each photograph there was nothing in the image but what looked like electrical currents of white with patches of red. I called it a night and left. About thirty minutes later, curious as to what was wrong with the camera and the tablet, I tried them both again, and both worked perfectly, properly.

The next day I reviewed the handful of photos from Waverly Hills, zooming in, zooming out, and looking for some resemblance of the gargoyles or the tower. In the midst of some of the red lights, I thought I saw four faces, one of which had something around her throat, but they seemed more like blurs when transferred and reviewed on the computer.

Is Waverly Hills haunted? I can’t say with certainty. I believe it to be haunted. It feels haunted. With certainty, however, I can say that it is a fascinating tour and I hope to return again someday to take another.



Thursday, July 9, 2015

A Tour of a Haunted Asylum

Nestled in the beautiful mountains of Weston, West Virginia, is a tranquil setting rich with history which begs the visitor to sit and stay a while. Beside a quiet fountain, one can sit and enjoy the architecture, the shade trees, and the filtered sounds of the nearby town as the sun beams on the clock tower which stopped keeping accurate time many years ago. It is a place rich with history of society and science, medicine and madness, and colorful stories of ghosts and growth. It is the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.

In operation for over a century and only closing in 1994, the Asylum housed the insane, the unwanted, and anyone who generally went against the grain of acceptable social behavior of their times. Now, it is open to guided tours that share with the general public the changes in the treatment of those considered mentally ill and the stories of former patients who continue to reside at the Asylum in ghostly form.

My tour of the Asylum occurred on a warm afternoon as sunlight poured in through the windows. With a small group of other tourists and a knowledgeable guide we explored four floors of the Asylum, the medical building, and viewed various parts of the grounds. But, instead of finding the Asylum entirely frightening, I found parts of it quite eerie and uncomfortable and other parts rather inviting.

Although many photographs were taken of both the inside and outside of the facilities, sadly I saw no signs of apparitions in the images….prior to my memory card becoming damaged and erasing them all. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed my tour and I look forward to visiting the Asylum again in the future for another photographic opportunity.

Well worth the time and the reasonable ticket price, the Asylum will educate, enlighten, and entertain all visitors with both eerie tales of ghosts, haunting stories of activities that occurred, and truth about the tortures formally used in the name of medical treatment. But, with the sense of serenity that resides in various parts of the building and along the grounds, will you really want to leave?

Monuments to Life

Cemeteries are intriguing places, filled with sorrow, hope, and a peacefulness not found elsewhere. Yet, as in life, there is a hierarchy here, a need to prove that one existed, that one had a life of importance that has carried on beyond the grave. Just as teens paint “I was here” on notebooks, overpasses, and sidewalks, so here the tombstones beg passersby to notice “I was here” and I was of value, significance.



In life, we display our importance to the world by owning the biggest house, the fastest car; in death we display the significant of our life’s contributions with the tallest or widest monument. In life, we struggle to define our person by our occupation, our family role, our age, or our political beliefs; in death, we are immortalized as a mother, father, or a child, a mason, town founder, scientist, or possibly a soldier, a hero.



The rumors and reputations that others projected on to us in life follow us to our resting places, often exaggerated toward the positive or the negative. The truth of one’s life becomes relative to the person remembering it.



Yet, we are still dead, unable to work on any unfinished business we may have left behind and, possibly, able to feel the unending regret of such. Cemeteries may hold not the ghosts of the deceased but the ghosts of love never found, dreams never chased, chances never taken.



But everyone in every cemetery was alive, was someone of value in their own way, regardless of how high they rose up the corporate ladder or whether or not they saved the town from financial ruin. Each one was a Somebody that was important to another, even if this was unknown, unrecognized, or unacknowledged.



The living have much to learn from the dead, primarily that we should take our chances while we are still alive, though our fear may be great and our fortitude shaky, so that we may overcome our need to prove to others our significance and simply be.



Could it be that the most important lessons the dead have to teach the living is to believe, in the here and now, “I am here,” and “I am worthy.”


Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Road Trip! I-64

Nothing’s better than a road trip, whether you’re traveling fifteen minutes or fifteen hours. It’s along the interstates, the small highways, and the back roads where you truly see America at its best, where you get to learn from motel receptionists and tour guides who are proud of their local history; where you can talk to waiters and waitresses who are working their way through college on a path to pursue their dreams; where you get to speak with small business owners who have already been pursuing their American dream, and are willing to share their successes and failures along the way; where you can chat with, learn from, and observe artists at their craft and be in awe of their talent; and where you begin to realize that anything is possible in The Land of the Free and dreams really can come true. After all, no road exists that didn’t begin as someone’s dream.

When George Mallory was asked why he wished to climb Mt. Everest, his famous reply was, “Because it’s there.” I, too, have used this reply on occasion when someone would ask why I wished to visit a particular location. But both on and off the beaten path are treasures waiting to be explored. With this in mind, I set out on a road trip, traveling I-64 from Mt. Vernon, Illinois, to Charleston, West Virginia, and was not disappointed.

It’s easy to relax driving along I-64 through the scenic countryside, including Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky and Hoosier National Forest in Indiana. The rolling hills, particularly in the fall, are colorful and appear to stretch out their limbs, leading travelers toward their destination. Because there is so much forestland along this Interstate, there aren’t as many exits as there are on other interstates and some of the rest stops are closed, so it’s important to plan head for refueling stops and rest breaks. If one is interested in hiking, however, and the weather is agreeable, there are many exits for state parks and for the gamblers there are ample casinos along the way, including Evansville, Indiana, and Charleston, West Virginia.

Due to the rainy, cold, and somewhat unpredictable weather, I chose on this trip to explore indoor activities. If you find yourself in any of these areas, I’d recommend the following locations. If on a schedule, keep in mind that house tours are typically an hour in length and museums usually require a couple of hours to truly examine. But the knowledgeable and friendly people you’ll chat with along the way, well always leave plenty of time for that.
In Morehead, Kentucky, be sure to visit the Kentucky Folk Art Center. Thoughtful and whimsical pieces depicting country life, social issues, and emotional struggles populate the first floor. Currently upstairs at the Center is a civil war retrospective that will be in place only until the end of November, 2014. Containing moving photographs from the George Eastman House, it’s impossible to leave the exhibit untouched by the emotion and turmoil of the era or of the determination and sacrifice of the people. It’s free to visit the museum, but donations are appreciated.

In Milton, West Virginia, The Blenko Glass Company, known for handblown glassware and for having made the actual CMA trophies, is a worthwhile stop. The gift shop and visitor’s center has Blenko glassware for sale and above the sales floor is a museum, free to tour, explaining the history of the Blenko Company and displaying some beautiful stained glass. Tours of the factory and glassblowing demonstrations are available, but call ahead for dates and times. And, if it’s a pretty day, it’s nice to sit beside the pond that is to the back of the factory and watch the many ducks and geese that call it home.

Lexington, Kentucky, has a lot to offer, but for those of us who enjoy touring historical homes there are three beautiful locations to visit: The Mary Todd Lincoln House, the Henry Clay Estate, and the Hunt-Morgan House, each of which has political and social relevance to the local area as well as to the nation. Admission is charged at each site, but it is worth it and, if possible, tour the three houses during the same visit due to information at one being related to information at another. In addition to learning what life was like for these families, the restoration process of each house, and the successes and failures of people associated with the houses, you also view each home as it would have been two centuries ago while listening to stories of how members of each family are connected to other historical figures that helped shape this great nation with political changes, medical advances, and artistic endeavors. If you have time, a stop at Lexington Cemetery will also reveal socially relevant history related to these home tours.

Just a short drive from I-64 up Highway 35 in West Virginia will lead you to Point Pleasant, a small town that sits on the West Virginia-Ohio state line. The Mothman Statue is on Main Street, and it can be seen as you drive down the one-way street to Tu-Endie-Wei Park, the location of the Battle of Point Pleasant. Another incredible (and free) resource for history, Tu-Endie-Wei is located where the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers meet, has monuments and plaques that honor the history and the fallen of that Battle, and the Mansion House (cabin) that serves as a museum. On a pretty day, it’s a wonderful place to sit on one of the many benches overlooking the Rivers and contemplate. For a nice walk, follow the river to view the FloodWall Murals and Riverfront Park, which contains metal statues of local historical significance.

In Charleston, West Virginia, there are two don’t-miss locations. First, no visit to Charleston is complete without a trip to the State Museum and Culture Center. This incredible resource is available for free and contains history on how West Virginia obtained Statehood, the history with coal and glass mines, and prominent figures throughout its history. In addition to a video presentation, there are paintings, displays of artifacts, and an interesting display of the dresses worn by the current and former West Virginia First Ladies. The West Virginia State Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion are also available for free tours. The second don’t-miss location in Charleston is the Capitol Market. Amidst the Interstate, the entrance and exit ramps, and traffic is nestled a wonderful outdoor and indoor farmer’s market, the visitor’s center, and a couple of local eateries, and it’s all in walking distance of the downtown area. From home grown apples to freshly made chocolate goodies, you can find just about anything there.

Nothing’s better than a road trip. It’s here where you’ll discover that, at the end of each day, regardless of where we live or what we do, we’re all the same, each of us with our own story to tell and each of us with our own dream to follow. So, why take a road trip? Why go visit someplace most people may never have heard of just to find that it’s not really that different from where we began? “Because it’s there.”