waverly hills sanatorium death records

The two TB sanatoriums were open for a total of 51 years, which means that 3 to 4 people would have died every single day. This list includes only patients that died at the hospital. It was not known at the time that Tuberculosis was an airborne disease. Here are 9 things that make the death tunnel in Kentucky unique: The patients that passed on at Waverly were left at the end of the tunnel. The enormous and haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium by night. The city suffered one of the largest outbreaks in the country. The 400-bed hospital that opened in 1926 at Waverly Hills Sanatorium. The sanatorium was established in the early 20th century to help deal with an outbreak of the then-incurable disease tuberculosis. Thank you! An event referred to as the Lbeck disaster, in which a contaminated vaccine ended up killing 72 children in Germany, curtailed the popularity of the BCG vaccine for several years -- even though the vaccine itself was exonerated. These include nineteenth-century correspondence, diaries, and medical publications in which Kentuckians wrote of debilitating symptoms and possible treatments. Welcome to the Official Waverly Hills/ Woodhaven memorial & historical resource site. KEY: S - Submitted NP - Newspaper Article KDR - Kentucky Death Records TB - Waverly Hills Sanatorium G - Woodhaven Geriatrics Center 20 - 1920 Census Report Another of Todds plans was the refurbishing of the building into apartments, this also feel through due to lack of funding. Its believed that, at one point, he hospital was tending to as many as 140 patients. The administrators began taking the bodies through the hidden tunnel to hide the morbid evidence from the other tenants, earning the tunnel the nickname the body chute. Luckily this misery came to an end in the 1940s when a tuberculosis drug was introduced that drastically lowered the need for such a large facility. The following index contains recorded patient deaths at Waverly Hills between 1911-1960. It opened in 1910 as a two-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients. Construction on the first hospital began in 1908 in a quiet space atop a hill, where it was thought patients would be at peace and receive lots of fresh air (and stay far from crowded areas). Bodies were not dumped but rather carried down the tunnel to the bottom of the hill, where they could be collected by a hearse, as there was no cemetery at the hospital. & W.G.C. Some have called this long concrete structure the Death Shute over the years. A tunnel connecting to the base of the hill was also built so that workers and supplies could be ferried to the facility at the top of the hill. Even with many new procedures available, it was impossible to save everyone. Several people have claimed shadowy figures have peered around corners at them. This video by Youtube user JustAVideoPage shows a hauntingly beautiful collage of many faces that may have eventually traveled down the death tunnel. Waverly Hills isnt the only haunted tunnel around. Waverly Hills Sanatorium sits on land that was originally purchased by Major Thomas H. Hays in 1883. Offer subject to change without notice. Produced by Johns Hopkins University Press in collaboration with The Sheridan Libraries. This list is organized by date of death and not by name. It is part of the. The only building in Louisville (hopefully) that contains two ancient holy skeletons. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. This new treatment meant that newer cases could now be treated as outpatients in a regular hospital. The video above is the movies trailer posted by YouTube Movies & Shows. I love writing, art, sunshine, all animals and my incredibly patient husband, who tolerates my "crazy animal lady" side. Haunted tours helped raise money for the restoration project, which will eventually include a bed-and-breakfast. Contributed by Phil Tkacz, Shawn Logan, Jay Gravatte, & Hope Bryant | contact@kyhi.org. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. (Note the slightly different spelling of Waverley here. The most common treatment at the time was sunlight, fresh air, and nutritious food. shared photos and the stories of their family members who were patients and staff members of Waverly Hills. As it happens, one of his daughters needed to attend school, so he built a facility that would come to be called "Waverly School" by a teacher named Lizzie Lee Harris. Letter-writers described the symptoms of consumption, such as drenching night sweats, constant coughing, lack of appetite, weakness, and swollen extremities. A new wing was built that year to accommodate those patients in advanced stages. Vital Statistics Original Death Certificates Microfilm (1911-1964). Then, the tuberculosis epidemic began to spread in Jefferson County, and the hospital could not keep up. In 1961, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was closed because there was no longer a need for a tuberculosis facility. Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky opened in 1910 to treat tuberculosis patients. This road trip takes you to some of the most haunted places in Kentucky, including notorious paranormal hotspots like Mammoth Cave, the Jailers Inn, Maple Hill Manor Bed and Breakfast, and what might just be the most haunted place in the country: Bobby Mackeys Music World.. Since any existing schools were a good distance away, Hays decided to establish a sone room school house for his children to attendand hired Ms. Lizzie Lee Harris as the teacher. There are a large number of people who enjoy the idea of believing and chasing ghosts and ghosts tales, and this fanbase is one that seems to grow byleaps and boundsevery single year. He had a small schoolhouse built on Pages Lane and hired schoolteacher Lizzie Lee Harris to teach his three daughters. In 2014, the most recent year for which the CDC reports a mortality figure, 493 people died of TB. The Waverly Hills Historical Society continue to work tirelessly and devote their lives to restoring the historic gem that is Waverly Hills to its once amazing splendor! It was thought that doing so would close up the small holes that tuberculosis causes. Woodhaven was closed by the state of Kentucky in 1982 after a Grand Jury inspection found several patient abuse, and the degrading state of the facilities. Please now use the Bobby Nichols Golf Course Gate entrance at 4400 Paralee Drive off of East Pages Lane. They were buried by passing through the death tunnel. 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Estimates vary, and records have been destroyed, but there may have been as many as 64,000 deaths at Waverly Sanatorium. It was the workers that would be detached to gather the bodies of the dead and either burn, bury, or transport them elsewhere. They added that they heard the painful screams in the morning. In turn, he renamed his property Waverley Hill. Official Waverly Hills Sanatorium/ Woodhaven Geriatric Center Memorial & Historical Resource, Dear Reader / Researcher, Welcome to the Official Waverly Hills/ Woodhaven memorial & historical Due to the rapid increase of Tuberculosis cases, the original hospital was soon to capacity. Of course, Waverly Hills Sanatorium is one of the most popular abandoned places in Kentucky, but there are many abandoned places peppered around the state that would send a shiver up anyones spine like the Red Bridge on Devils Hollow Road near Frankfort. These records shed light on public services that often reached across lines of class and race. 2023 Project MUSE. The warm, wet weather in Kentucky near the Ohio River was a breeding place for bacteria, and insects often helped to spread disease. All information contained in this website In 1908, ground was broken on what would become known as Waverly Hills Sanatorium (no one is quite sure when or how the second e was dropped from Waverly). At the height of the tuberculosis epidemic, it is reported that one patient an hour died. With the discovery of a new antibiotic, Streptomyc in 1943, there was finally a way to combat Tuberculosis . In 1926, the massive building seen today opened its doors to accommodate another 450 beds. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. In the film, five college girls fulfill an initiation rite by spending the night in the haunted institution. Alberhaskys intentions were to construct the worlds tallest statue ofJesuson the site, along with an arts and worship center. The institution was reopened as WoodHaven Medical Services, a geriatrics hospital in 1962, but closed in 1980 under allegations of patient abuse. The new Sanatarium was officially opened July 26, 1910. As no reason has been given for why she would have committed suicide, rumor is, she was actually pushed. Now and Always,The Trusted Content Your Research Requires, Now and Always, The Trusted Content Your Research Requires, Built on the Johns Hopkins University Campus. Important note:If you would like to use any information on this website (including text, bios, photos andany other information) we encourage you to contact us. After careful planning, Construction began on a new 5-story brick and concrete Sanatoriumin March 1924. In the nineteenth century, tuberculosis killed as many as one in seven people in the United States. Many people claimed that the souls of the people who died in the hospital were still wandering in the corridors. Many of these materials are courtesy of other sources and the original copyright holders retain all applicable rights under the law. Tuberculosis was becoming an epidemic in Valley Station, Pleasure Ridge Park, and other parts of Jefferson County in Kentucky. Consumption was the most common name for pulmonary tuberculosis, the form of the disease that affected the lungs and, per its name, seemed to consume the body as it progressed in stages over many years. Some have called this long concrete structure the Death Shute over the years. This is an active project so check back often for updates. Today, it stands today as a monument in the fight against the . A homeless man and his dog supposedly fell down the elevator shaft when the building was vacant, and some have seen the. Spooked: The Ghosts of Waverly Hillsis a horror film about events that took place in thehospital. It has been estimated that the death tunnel actually saw more dead people than most modern hospitals do in its first three years. More than half of those diagnosed with TB would die in three to five years. It is said that 63,000 people died at Waverly Hills over the years, but that is just what records . Waverly Hills Memorial Forged from a partnership between a university press and a library, Project MUSE is a trusted part of the academic and scholarly community it serves. Research notes for Supernatural Season 2 Episode 4. Waverly Hills Historical Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of Waverly Hills Sanatorium, the history of its past employees and patients, as well as the education of the public of the history of TB and the effect on the area. Reporting on what you care about. It also shows a special department where the (presumably uninfected) children of adult sanatorium patients lived and were taken care of. nothing without you. As the state of the patients worsened, people began to die in the facility on an almost-daily basis. Some time before the property was purchased in 2001, a story circulated about a group of teenage boys who snuck into the sanatorium. People who were afflicted with Tuberculosis were isolated from the general public and placed in an area where they could rest, stay calm, and have plenty of fresh air. This tunnel has likely seen more death than most modern hospitals. The facility served as a tuberculosis hospital until 1961 when the discovery of an antibiotic that successfully treated and cured TB rendered the facility obsolete. Since then, theyve worked with the Waverly Hills preservation society to restore the building. . In an attempt to to contain the disease, a Board of Tuberculosis Hospital was established in 1906. Construction of this Sanatorium began in March 1924 and opened for business on October 20, 1926. 4400 Paralee Lane,Louisville, Ky 40272Owners: Charles & Tina MattinglyThe GPS address for tours and investigations is: [redacted]Note: Nobody is allowed on the premises without a reservation! In fact, it has been called one of the most haunted places in the world Room 502 (Real location, unsubstantiated myths). (The myth was further spread by Tina Mattingly on an episode of. Frank J. Stewart served as the assistant medical director and as a physician at the sanatorium up until the 1950s. Unfortunately, the sanatorium's medical records (up to 1935) were destroyed during the Flood of 1937, and subsequent documentation was haphazardly discarded following the hospital's closing . To learn more about the Historical Society, see the Historical Society section under About. It wasnt until 1882 that Robert Koch published a paper identifying this bacillus for the first time. (Please get in the death tunnel.). The sanitorium opened in the midst of a widespread epidemic It was within this devastating context that the Waverly Hills Sanitorium first opened its doors on July 26, 1910, as a two-story wooden structure built to house about 50 patients. Estimates vary, and records have been destroyed, but there may have been as many as 64,000 deaths at Waverly Sanatorium. Create a website or blog at WordPress.com, Historical Case Studies in Crime & Punishment, Infirmaries and Poorhouses: Image Gallery, Transylvania University Medical Department, University of Louisville Medical Department, Kentucky Institution for Feeble Minded Children, Covington-Kenton County Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Madisonville State Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. It's believed that nearly 50,000. Louisville, KY, is home to the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, which many people believe is one of the most haunted places on Earth. The following year, most of the land on which the buildings sat were auctioned off, and the main hospital building, several remaining facilities, as well as 40 acres were purchased by Simpsonville developer J. Clifford Todd, at a cost of $3,000,5,000. This list does not included patient data from the geriatric center after inpatient tuberculosis treatment had stopped. Key: For the past few years, this crumbling tunnel has been featured during the Halloween season. One report from a paranormal investigation group noted that six members saw what they claim looked like a young girls shadow that was completely opaque. Please click here to view the index. History Waverly Hills is one of the most fascinating buildings to be found that stores within its wallsmany horrible and pain filled memories of a time where it seemed to continuously consume 100s of lives. So while it's true that the most common treatments were exposure to sunlight, bed rest, healthy foods, and fresh air, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium Memorial records that several other methods were applied to patients, including surgical methods that were cutting edge for the time, but that might sound barbaric now. WoodHaven Medical was closed by the state in 1981. It was the leading cause of death during sanatorium's peak years of operation; however, it is impossible to say how many people died at Waverly Hills. The numbers are hard to believe, however. The dead were left at the end of the tunnel. The BCG vaccine was first successfully used to ward off tuberculosis in 1921 in France, but the use of vaccines tended to travel slowly in those days. It was also a disease that could end in a painful death. Because Tuberculosis was so extremely contagious and at epidemic proportions, those living with it could not be allowed to live and exist among the general population. The story goes that Lizzie Lee Harris loved Sir Walter Scotts series, The Waverley Novels -- more than, Hays reportedly like the name and so named all of his land Waverley Hill. Over the next few decades, Waverly Hills would fall into more dark times. Meet MasterChef Gordon Ramsays Children - Who are They? Patients in every condition were accepted including those in early stages to those in the final stages. We do not have access to records of any patients from Waverly Hills and we cannot accommodate any requests at this time. Out of room, the hospital had to house these patients on the grounds, under tents. In March 1996, Robert Alberhasky bought Waverly Hills. They screamed and banged on the door until two security guards came to their rescue -- and found that the door gave way easily for them. KDR - Kentucky Death Records S - Submitted NP - Newspaper O - Other 20 - 1920 Census Report 30 - 1930 Census Report * followed by year - Died at WHS/WGC in that year Patients of W.H.S. Ms Harris had a fondness for author Walter Scotts Waverley novels, and she received Hays permission to name the schoolhouse the Waverley School. While the building is now primarily a tourist attraction for those with creepy predilections, it used to be a functioning tuberculosis hospital. A new sanatorium opened on October 17, 1926 that could accommodate 400-500 patients. The TV show Ghost Hunters did a program on Waverly Hills in March of 2006. Robert Alberhasky bought the property in 1996 with plans to to erect the world's tallest statue of Jesus and a religious center. Mind you, we are not confirming nor denying that Waverly is haunted, but it has been featured on quite a few documentaries and television shows over the years. Tuberculosis got its nicknames from the sickly pallor of the victims the disease claimed. It's a place where the smell of death is hidden, and where the painful screams are still in the air. Deep under the hospital is the "Death Tunnel" which once were used to secretly remove the dead from the grounds. Photographs, text, illustrations and all other media not authored by KHI belong to their respective authors/owners/copyright holders and are used here for educational purposes only under Title 17 U.S. Code 107. & W.G.C. Every state in the country has its fair share of haunted locations, and Kentucky is no different. Create a website or blog at WordPress.com, Historical Case Studies in Crime & Punishment, Infirmaries and Poorhouses: Image Gallery, Transylvania University Medical Department, University of Louisville Medical Department, Kentucky Institution for Feeble Minded Children, Covington-Kenton County Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Madisonville State Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 2025. A documentary named Spooked was also made during the filming of The Death Tunnel. If youre in the Louisville area, Cave Hill Cemetery is another haunted hotspot where many visitors report hearing disembodied voices including laughter and screaming as well as unexplained orbs of light that appear to dance over certain graves. The statue, which was inspired by the famedstatue of Christ onCorcovadoMountain inRio de Janeiro, would have been designed by local Louisville sculptorEd Hamiltonand architect Jasper Ward. The most common treatment was simply bed rest in the, One fairly horrific procedure used on TB patients before medication was available was called. In mechanical drawings from 1924 and 1962, however, this room is labeled the Transformer Room, and it clearly appears to be an electrical room. If you can correct us on anything we have posted, please do so. In 1911, the new City Hospital relocated all of their TB cases to Waverly Hills, which had erected tents on the grounds to accomodate the overflow. If you get lost the address to the Golf Course is 4301 East Pages Lane, Louisville, KY 40272. It has a somewhat mysterious and sinister past. The Waverly Hills Death Tunnel. From 1962 to 1981, the building served as a medical facility for geriatric patients: the Woodhaven Geriatrics Center. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, Kentucky. See. Locals place their offerings on this nightmarish gnarled tree so the witches won't summon another storm. Copyright 2003, 2004 In 1962, the building reopened as a nursing home that eventually became known as Woodhaven Medical Services, a geriatric facility. Alberhaskys plan fell through, as only $3,000 was raised in a year. The search began for a proper location to constructed the much needed facility. & W.G.C. The History Behind the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. Eventually Hays property was chosen for several reasons; its distance from the city, its picturesque tranquil view, as well as its high altitude with increased air flow. The Halloween season draws much larger crowds and lots of fright enthusiasts. Please note: We are not connected to The Waverly Hills Historical Society, Inc. Views, comments, posts, Once you went to Waverly Hills, you became a permanent resident on the hill. Oddly enough, despite that fact, many patients received visits from loved ones on visiting day. & Historical Research GroupAll files, pictures, video, E.V.P., articles, trademarks; etc. You can imagine what follows. The path towards the light connected to the main building via a railway system on the first floor of the original hospital. The little TB clinic was filled with more than 140 people, and it was obvious that a much larger hospital was needed to treat those afflicted with the condition. With the constant increase in the number of patients and the inability to find a solution, the patients started to lose their minds and started suffering. Was a May Day Attack by Pilgrims a Practice Run for a Massacre? Without cookies your experience may not be seamless. Obsessed with travel? Romania: Castles, Ruins, and Medieval Villages, Iceland in Summer: Journey Through a Fabled Land, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Mokele-Mbembe, Accidental Discoveries: A Celebration of Historical Mistakes, Antiques and Their Afterlives: Stories from the Collection of Ryan and Regina Cohn, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Satanists, Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilgyi, Gourds Gone Wild: Growing and Crafting Gourds With Gourdlandia, Playing Ancient Games: History & Mythology With John Bucher, Secrets of Tarot Reading: History & Practice With T. Susan Chang, Why 18th-Century Scots Performed Mock Human Sacrifices Over Cake. Waverly Hills Sanatorium We now have a patient death index for patients that died at Waverly Hills starting in 1911. After World War II, the need for a TB sanatorium waned until the hospital closed in 1961. Her love for the tiny school, in addition to her fondness for Scotts Waverley Novels, prompted her to name the little schoolhouse, Waverley School. Major Hays liked the name, and chose to name his property Waverley Hill. The Board of Tuberculosis Hospital kept the name after purchasing the land and opening the Sanatorium. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Plans are underway for an on site memorial From Alabama to Wyoming, there are abandoned towns, amusement parks, and ruins lurking in your home state. We wouldnt want you to end up in the hospital, or worse, jail. In 1873, Agatha Logan Marshall wrote matter-of-factly to her brother-in-law Thomas W. Bullitt about her recent diagnosis of consumption and her concerns about her future well-being and economic security: Dr Bush made an examination of my lungs and told me they were very seriously involveda fact I have known all alongof course I am in no immediate danger for consumption is a lingering disease but I have no hope or expectation of ever being well again and I am very anxious if possible to have my little prosperity so it will yield me an income. Marshall aptly characterized consumption as a lingering disease, one in which symptoms could come and go and progress slowly over years. Major Hays was in need of a school for his daughters to attend, so he started a one-room schoolhouse that was located on Pages Lane. Another theory is that Mary got pregnant by one of the doctors, and when he tried to perform an abortion, she died, and the suicide was staged. His plan was to turn the main hospital building into a minimum-security prison for state use. A dedicated staff worked with thousands of TB patients, often contracting the disease themselves. When the visit was over, the visitors left Waverly and ventured back out into the community. If the bacteria did become an infection, there was an 80% chance of death at that time. This list is organized by date of death and not by name. The massive, collegiate, gothic style Sanatorium that you see in the 1926 photo (above) remains standing on Waverly Hill, today. Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville opened in 1910 to accommodate tuberculosis patients. Winner will be selected at random on 06/01/2023. Last, a rich variety of records from the early and mid-twentieth centuryincluding pamphlets, photographs, letters, and architectural recordshelp document the history of Waverly Hills Sanatorium from the perspective of administrators and some of the employees and patients who lived there. Nestled on the top of a placid hill, the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium once tried to heal tuberculosis with peace and good vibes. . These dead patients were taken to the burial site through the tunnels known as the 490-foot (150-meter Death Tunnel), one of the most famous parts of the hospital. Its supposedly around 500 feet long and leads down the hill. During the late 1800s, roughly one in five deaths (20%) was attributed to tuberculosis. In 1926, they finished the building to what it is today. Official Waverly Hills Sanatorium/ Woodhaven Geriatric Center Memorial & Historical Resource. Today, the building is spooky enough to give anyone chills. & Historical Research GroupAll files, pictures, video, E.V.P., articles, trademarks; etc. Early-twentieth-century scrapbooks and organizational records chronicle public health measures and tuberculosis facilities in Louisville and other parts of the state. This list includes only patients that died at the hospital. This is an active project so check back often for updates. While no records exist to report an accurate death count that occurred within the building, it is . Kentucky. Its believed that tuberculosis has claimed roughly. He hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris to teach at the school. Nestled on the top of a placid hill, the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium once tried to heal tuberculosis with peace and good vibes. Our objective is the facts as we are a resource. img7.mynet.com They were buried by passing through the death tunnel. The tubercle bacillus that causes tuberculosis was identified in an Egyptian mummy that dated back to 3000 BCE.

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