Weston, West Virginia
History
The infamous Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, formerly the Weston State Hospital, is a decommissioned psychiatric hospital located in Weston, WV once operated by the state of West Virginia, and now a tourist attraction boasting a host of paranormal activity.
Even though its construction wasn’t completed until 1881, the hospital began accepting patients in October of 1864 admitting a seemingly endless flow of those unlucky enough to find themselves considered to be mentally ill under the utterly mindblowing list of psychiatric guidelines of the time. This udder lack of understanding of many illnesses at this point in history ultimately lead to the overcrowding and barbaric practices that would cause the eventual demise of the institution.
By the 1950s the hospital that was originally designed to hold a maximum of 250 patients was now overflowing with 2,600, and as would be expected, the ability to provide proper patient care was greatly diminished. The state’s idea of a solution to this dilemma was to increase the number of lobotomies as they thought it would decrease the number of patients who needed to be locked up within.
In 1994, after a one-hundred-thirty-year history, changes in the way mental illnesses were diagnosed and treated saw the hospital forcibly closed. Historians estimate that in the time the hospital was active, some 400 – 500 patients died within its walls.
Visit
Today the Weston State Hospital now known as the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum stands as a National Historical Landmark which offers a variety of historical and paranormal tours. During the Halloween season, there is a fall festival, haunted house, zombie paintball, and an Asylum Ball that take place on the grounds.
For a complete list of events see: transalleghenyasylumevents
For other information: trans-alleghenylunaticasylum
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, 71, Asylum Drive, Kitsonville, Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia, 26452
Source: wikipedia.org
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