The word « Sanatorium » referred to a place where tuberculosis patients came to stay in hopes of being cured. During its nearly 50 years of operation, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, saw thousands of patients pass through its doors, all of whom had the hope of surviving what was called « the white plague. Before there was a cure, people with tuberculosis ended up in sanatoriums, often isolated from the cities, as Waverly Hills was.
Throughout its history, Waverly Hills Sanatorium has been a sanctuary for tuberculosis patients, but also the scene of hidden and sordid stories. From experimental treatments for tuberculosis, to other potentially dangerous treatments for poor souls whose brains had been damaged by the disease, to the destroyed fates of nurses with no history, all of these fragments of history have the potential to create an environment where the slightest crunch sends a shiver down your spine. These stories also emerge in the form of whispers, shadows, apparitions, and even direct contact with visitors to this abandoned place.
The roots of Waverly Hills
The site where Waverly Hills stands today was purchased by Major Thomas H. Hays in 1883. At that time, he needed a school for his daughters to attend. So, a school with only one classroom was built on Pages Lanes. Major Hays hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris who became a teacher at the school. Her affection for the tiny school, in addition to her appreciation of Sir Walter Scott’s « Waverley Novels » gave her the idea to call the school « Waverley School. Major Hays liked the name and decided to call his property Waverley Hills. The Board of Tuberculosis retained the name after purchasing the property and opening the sanatorium.
At the beginning of its history, Waverly Hills was only two stories high with a hipped roof and half-timbering. Construction began in 1908 and was completed in 1910. At that time, the building was designed to house between 40 and 50 people with tuberculosis. However, it is important to understand that between 1895 and 1954, tuberculosis was one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and without an effective drug, treatment or vaccine, the disease killed 15% of those it affected. Many specialists of the time had the presence of mind to isolate the sick from the general population, in a place where they could easily rest, stay quiet and enjoy the fresh air. For this reason, many sanatoriums were built away from the cities on hillsides to create an atmosphere more conducive to healing.
The Louisville area was hit hard by the tuberculosis epidemic. As the outbreak grew, in 1912, the institution needed to be expanded so that more patients could be transferred there. A children’s ward was also built to accommodate not only young patients, but also the children of parents who were now too ill to care for them.
The small clinic in Waverly Hills, which held no less than 140 patients, was barely able to keep up with the demand, and after only a few years of existence, it was clear that a much larger facility would be needed to accommodate the patients. Also, since tuberculosis was extremely contagious, and had become one of the leading causes of death in the United States at the time, it was imperative that those who suffered from it were isolated and no longer living in society.
As the years passed, Waverly Hills became a virtually self-sufficient institution. It had its own post office, a small water treatment plant, numerous gardens, and fruit trees, even had its own animals slaughtered for meat and more. A tunnel connecting the top and bottom of the hill was also built to facilitate the transportation of medical supplies and equipment to the institution.
A unique institution
Everyone who worked at Waverly Hills – doctors, nurses, maintenance staff, patients – had to leave their « outside » life and say goodbye to the world. The moment they set foot in the building; they became « permanent » residents of Waverly Hills. However, many patients were visited by family and friends when permitted. When the visit was over, these people returned home, unaware that they were at risk of spreading the disease.
The addition of floors and construction of better facilities began in 1924 and was reopened in 1926. At that time, Waverly Hills had five floors and over 180,000 square feet of space. It could accommodate over 450 patients and more and was considered one of the best equipped medical institutions of the time. Patients from all walks of life were accepted: those in the early stages of illness as well as those who were dying.
The patients were, so to speak, pampered by the environment offered by Waverly Hills. Most floors had large terraces and windows so that, when the weather permitted, patients could enjoy the fresh air, which was believed to be good for recovery.
Despite the daily care of the patients, one in seven died of tuberculosis. According to some former employees, at the height of the epidemic, one person died every hour. The number of shrouded bodies leaving the institution caused great despair to other patients. So, the administrators concluded that a tunnel with rails should be built to conceal the bodies being sent to the morgue. The tunnel, which was later nicknamed « The Body Chute, » was 525 feet (about 160 meters) long and was designed to hide the morbid sight of the corpses from the other residents.
Rumors have long claimed that more than 60,000 people died of tuberculosis during the years of operation at Waverly Hills. However, according to the institution’s official records, between 9,000 and 11,000 people died of the disease. While this is a smaller number than the rumors, it is still extremely high.
http://www.lovethesepics.com/2013/10/waverly-hills-sanatorium-1-of-the-scariest-abandoned-hospitals-in-america/
The building was built to accommodate all types of patients, of all ages. There was even a wing dedicated to babies and young children. A playground was built on the roof for children to play on when their health allowed.
However, treatment of patients based on exposure to fresh air, good food and rest was not the only treatment used at Waverly Hills. A form of tuberculosis, tuberculous meningitis, which threatened children and young adults, affected the brain. The treatment used was electroshock therapy, which was also common practice in psychiatric hospitals. These patients were on the 5th floor.
A first drug called streptomycin was discovered in 1943 and was successful in curing a patient of tuberculosis. However, it wasn’t until 1961 that an effective vaccine was discovered that would put a stop to one of the most devastating diseases of the modern era. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium was deserted by workers and patients. It was rightly closed and quarantined, and then renovated. In 1962, the building reopened as a geriatric institution, under the name Woodhaven Medical Services. It was closed by the state government in 1981.
Abandoned and forgotten
After several decades, Waverly Hills has fallen into oblivion. It was heavily damaged, vandalized and narrowly escaped demolition. Owners came and went and most of them were not interested in investing in remodeling or even upgrading the building to make it minimally sanitary. They left this medical institution, which had played a predominant role during its years of service, abandoned.
In 2001, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium was purchased by history and paranormal buffs, Charles and Tina Mattingly. Since that purchase, many changes have been made to the building itself, but also to the grounds. The new owners have teamed up with the Waverly Hills Historical Society to restore the old sanatorium to some of its former glory.
What remains today?
After opening its doors for the first time in 1912, the century-old building has become an endless source of fascination for urbex and paranormal enthusiasts alike. Tours of Waverly are organized to satisfy the curiosity of hundreds of visitors. These tours take place day and night and the owners have also set up horror events on the occasion of Halloween. The place is considered a tourist attraction in Louisville and the owners do their best to preserve the history of the place and the building itself.
One of the most haunted places…in the world?
With such a history and thousands of deceased people within its walls, it might seem obvious that the place would be haunted. Since the place has been opened to the public for tours, paranormal experiences have multiplied; many visitors have heard whispers, seen figures disappear through a wall and been touched. Paranormal investigators have also reported numerous events, such as EVPs (electronic voice phenomena), and shadows passing by.
Investigators have reportedly spent the night on the 5th floor (known to be the most paranormally active) in a tent and were disturbed all night by children’s laughter and « things » touching the fabric of their tent. They even saw faces pressed against the windows during the day.
Owner Tina Mattingly has witnessed many paranormal phenomena herself. She claims to have seen the ghost of a large man and his dog wandering the hallways. The man was rumored to be a homeless man who had moved to Waverly Hills and fell (or was pushed) down the elevator shaft.
The phenomena don’t stop there. A professional photographer who regularly comes to take pictures of the building would have captured an image of a full-bodied apparition. Many full-bodied apparitions have been seen in the building, but they seem to be concentrated around room 502 where two unfortunate incidents have occurred. The first incident occurred in the early 1930s when a nurse, who knew she had tuberculosis, threw herself off the 5th floor. Later, a nurse who became pregnant out of wedlock (rumored to be with one of the doctors) committed suicide by hanging herself near room 502. However, another rumor is that the doctor responsible for the pregnancy performed an abortion that caused the young nurse’s death and made it look like suicide.
https://medium.com/@TheHound/stories-of-waverly-hills-sanatorium-178fd20eebe1
Visitors have also seen a ghost in a white doctor’s coat walking through a wall on the 5th floor. However, one of the most recognized « inhabitants » of Waverly Hills is a boy, whom the owners have nicknamed Timmy. The child would like to play with a blue ball and would have fun rolling them around when people visit.
Some paranormal investigators claim that the Waverly Hills Sanatorium is the most haunted place in the United States, others that it is the most haunted place in the world. This remains a title that is still difficult to decide.
Even more than 100 years after its construction, Waverly Hills continues to fascinate the curious, as much for its historical aspect and its contribution to modern medicine, but also for its gloomy and eerie side that delights thrill seekers.
Would you dare to spend the night in this gigantic building where more than 10,000 people have died?
The choice is yours…
Web Sources
https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/waverlytb
https://www.therealwaverlyhills.com/about/
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/plague-gallery/
http://exhibits.hsl.virginia.edu/alav/tuberculosis/
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/plague-gallery/
https://www.cpha.ca/history-tuberculosis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_tuberculosis
Video Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_cEvf7RuNs&ab_channel=DanOshierProductions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXhLlWQtdt0&ab_channel=BuzzFeedUnsolvedNetwork
Sanctuaire - Blogue de Véronique Lessard 