The Ghosts of Waverly Hills Sanitorium

In 1910, at the onset of a deadly tuberculosis epidemic, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was established in Louisville, Kentucky. The original intention of the facility had been to offer care and treatment to those infected with the highly contagious disease. What the institution ultimately became, for many, was a prison from which they would never escape, at least, not while they were still living.

When the sanatorium first opened its doors, it was a clean, efficient beacon to state-of-the-art health care. Equipped to handle up to fifty patients, those who entered the institution knew that they would be receiving the finest care that modern medicine could offer. With strict dietary, pharmaceutical and holistic regimes, there was no better place for those suffering from tuberculosis to receive treatment.

It became apparent early on that its founders had woefully underestimated the number of people in need of an isolated place in which to recover. With the highly communicable disease running rampant in and around Louisville, dozens of victims were showing up at the door everyday seeking asylum.

Overcrowded and understaffed, the level of care soon declined. After a decade of spiraling downward, Waverly Hills underwent a costly expansion project. By 1924, the facility was able to accommodate four hundred patients.

The new facility was a self-sufficient island unto itself. Staff carefully cultivated vegetable gardens on the grounds. Livestock were raised to be culled as a food source for the residents and employees alike. Waverly Hills even acquired its own zip code. Since no one knew at the time exactly how tuberculosis was transmitted from one person to another, once someone walked in the door of the institution, there was no turning back.

Although not everyone afflicted with the dreaded malady perished as a result, the mortality rate was high. Known as the ‘White Plague,’ the infection attacked the lungs of victims causing high fevers, coughing up blood, weight loss and chest pains. If left unchecked, the disease could spread to the brain and spine leading to an agonizing death.

It is estimated that thousands of patients died in Waverly Hills before a cure for tuberculosis finally ended the decades-long nightmare. When the loss of life was in full swing, staff had to figure out a means of transporting bodies from the hill on which the building sat to the hearses that awaited them five stories below. Their solution had been to utilize a five hundred foot tunnel that traversed the hillside as a sort of body chute.

In the early days of the epidemic, bodies were wheeled past patients as they looked on, mortified at what they were witnessing. Seeing the corpses in plain view sent the morale of other residents plummeting. The tunnel had, at the very least, eased the anxiety of fellow sufferers.

Even during the worst of times, there were still staff members who sincerely wished to cure their patients. Indeed, many of those afflicted with the often fatal disease recovered and rejoined their families on the outside. On rare occasions, however, the cure proved to be far more destructive than the ailment itself.

In a well-meaning but misguided attempt to find a cure, doctors carried out grisly experiments on some of the patients. One of those entailed the removal of ribs in order to allow the lungs more room to expand and thus do their job. It was a good idea in theory, but failed miserably in practice. Most patients subjected to this unconventional approach to treatment died agonizing deaths as a result.

A cure for tuberculosis was finally discovered in the 1940s. Waverly Hills had continued to house those afflicted with the disease until 1961 when the need for long term care no longer existed. The sprawling grounds would not, however, remain empty for long.

Contaminated from years of tuberculosis exposure, Waverly Hills underwent a decontamination process shortly after the last of its residents moved on to life in the outside world. Renovations were soon underway as preparations were set in motion for a grand reopening.

During the construction project, workers claimed that they had seen a man dressed in a white jacket and holding what appeared to be a clipboard roaming the hallways. They had assumed that he was a doctor, but since no patients remained in the building, no one could account for his presence. When anyone attempted to initiate conversation with the mysterious man, he would disappear around a corner or into an unoccupied room. Since no one other than the construction crew was supposed to be on site, someone would go looking for the interloper. No trace of him could ever be found.

The phantom doctor wasn’t the only presence encountered by the contractors. They also reported hearing voices when no one else was around. The laughter of children would fill the hallways as if youngsters were playing in their midst. Gleeful singing that sprang out of thin air was another of the many unexplained occurrences that took place during the renovation process.

Security guards who were tasked with watching over the property at night after the crews had gone home for the day didn’t fare much better. A constant presence they were exposed to was that of a woman who could be seen wandering aimlessly in the long corridors at all hours of the night.

After encountering the wayward spirit on several occasions, one of the guards found an old photograph among the many keepsakes left behind by residents that depicted a familiar face. The woman in the picture appeared to be in her twenties with long brown hair. The name etched on the back of the image was Mary Lee. The man recognized her immediately as the woman he had seen in the hallways as he made his rounds.

A bit of research revealed that Mary had died from consumption years before the facility shut down. With no one to claim her belongings, her picture had been discarded along with the memories of other patients lost to the disease. According to the night watchman, she remained in the facility, unable to make peace with her fate, long after others had moved on.

In spite of the alleged paranormal activity taking place within its walls, in 1962 the old tuberculosis quarantine facility opened its doors as Woodhaven Medical Services. The new nursing home would cater to the elderly and infirm who required long-term care in a peaceful country setting. Much like in the early days of the sanatorium, things didn’t work out as planned.

Overcrowding soon became a major concern at the care home. Patient neglect was said to run rampant. Accusations of abuse soon followed. The facility fell into a state of disrepair and decay. Much like its residents, it showed signs of neglect and maltreatment.

In 1981, the nursing home closed its doors due to multiple violations involving patient care. Its reputation preceding it, the institution sat dormant for two decades until being purchased by private citizens. The buyers were well-aware that, besides being an historical landmark, the old sanatorium was also well-known in the area as a paranormal hotspot. They decided to use both of these attributes to their advantage.

Waverly Hills, as it was once again known, soon became a destination for ghost hunters from all over the world. Rich with spirit activity, few who entered left without feeling that they had been in the presence of things they could not explain nor understand.

One of the most commonly seen apparitions is that of a phantom hearse that waits patiently at the foot of the hill to collect the bodies as they make their way through the tunnel. Some visitors claim that they were approached by a woman wearing a hospital gown who pleaded for their help. As her eyes beg for assistance, she holds out her arms revealing deep gashes to her wrists. As they stand in stunned silence, she slowly moves away and disappears without a trace.

Children’s toys are said to appear out of nowhere. Balls have been seen rolling along the corridors of their own volition. One of those responsible for this bit of mischief is thought to be the ghost of a boy named Timmy.

The youngster’s life was both short and tragic. His mother and he had both contracted tuberculosis and had subsequently been sent to the sanatorium for treatment. Sadly, Timmy’s life would end before it had hardly begun. His last days would be spent wandering the halls of Waverly Hills. If the sighting holds true, the child’s spirit remains bound to the last place he had known on earth.

Timmy is said to be a friendly presence who craves interaction with visitors. Knowing this, some guests bring toys specifically for him. This could account for the multitude of balls and other play things that are often seen strewn about the hallways.

In a place rife with strange happenings, one area of the sanatorium stands out from the rest: Room 502. The alleged site of two suicides, it boasts more than its share of spirit activity. The first death was said to have occurred there in the 1920s when one of the medical staff entered the room and summarily hanged herself. Since no one had seen her go into the room, which at that time was unoccupied, her body wasn’t discovered for several days.

Another suicide occurred in Room 502 a decade later when a young nurse leapt from one of the windows. Fellow employees were stunned when they learned that she had taken her own life. The woman had shown no signs of depression in the time leading up to her death. If there had been warning signs, those around her had missed them. Given the doubts that arose regarding her motives, along with the fact that there were no witnesses to the act, rumors swirled that she had actually been pushed. If this was the case, no one was ever held accountable.

Room 502 is said to possess an almost suffocating aura of unadulterated evil. Whether this oppressive feeling is the result of the suicides that supposedly took place there or something even worse, is not known. It has been speculated that sinister forces that laid claim to the room may have been the catalyst for the suicides. Whatever the explanation, few can deny that Room 502 leaves one with a feeling of doom that is difficult to shake.

Considering the thousands of men, women and children who drew their last breaths within the walls of Waverly Hills Sanatorium, it should come as no surprise that a few of those who lived their final moments there would be damned to remain on the grounds in the afterlife.

As of this writing, Waverly Hills Sanatorium remains open to anyone interested in exploring a place chock-full of unexplained occurrences. If you count yourself among them, be forewarned that this famously haunted locale purportedly houses spirits that continue to suffer in death just as they did in life. It would seem that, at Waverly Hills, there are no happy endings.

Resources: thewaverlyhillssanitorium.com, wiki.com, tripadvisor.com, kentuckytourism.com, kyhi.org