Historic asylums are buildings that seem to hold more gravity than most. Perhaps it's the notion that hundreds of years ago, treatment was not up to the standards it is now. Therefore, within the walls of these institutions, many patients suffered from the difficult conditions. The St. Albans Sanatorium in Radford is one such asylum whose history is both extensive and haunting. Today, visitors can sign up for tours of these grounds, although paranormal experiences are almost always guaranteed.
The St. Albans Sanatorium is considered by many to be the most paranormal site on the entire East Coast. This is quite a title, considering the range of historical buildings located in Virginia, let alone the entire coast.
The Sanatorium opened its doors as a prestigious boys’ school in 1892. Even before then, the area of land had a tragic history. Many pioneers faced their death at the Draper’s Meadow Massacre of 1775. Nearly a hundred years later, the same area bore witness to gruesome Civil War battles.
By 1916, the building which had served as the boys’ school had been covered to a hospital for the mentally ill. At that time, many experimental procedures were performed and ended in the unfortunate death of many patients. Some of these experiments included hydro shock therapy and electroconvulsive therapy, both of which were extremely risky.
According to reports, the conditions and environment at St. Albans Sanatorium were both incredibly depressing. There was also a severe lack of professional help, with the ratio of staff-to-patient being about 50 to 6500.
With such a tragic history, it comes as no surprise that the grounds of St. Albans have become a hotbed of paranormal activity. Some of the most haunted rooms are those where hydrotherapy sessions were conducted. There’s also an old bowling alley that is said to contain the spirits of two female ghosts.
St. Albans has not treated patients in many years, although visitors are still permitted to tour these grounds. The next public event will take place on Halloween. This ghost hunt costs $50 and includes a walking tour of the site as well as opportunities to use paranormal investigation equipment. It’s during tours like these that many have encountered disembodied voices, strange photography, and other chilling events. Enter at your own risk!
Here's an earlier article that covers more of the asylum's extensive history. For more information about tours and paranormal investigations, be sure to check out the St. Alban's website.
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