Kentucky is no stranger to haunted lore and legends, with spirits said to wander some of the state’s most legendary establishments. The Bluegrass is also home to its very own ghost town, too, an abandoned mine that’s an eerie reminder of a bygone time. However, there’s one place in Kentucky that’s truly not for the faint of heart, a site even the most thick-skinned ghost hunters dare not step foot: the abandoned Waverly Hills Sanatorium.
Tucked away in the hills of Louisville, Kentucky, there is a place that’s been forsaken by the cruel passage of time.
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Facebook
But given the atrocities that took place within this place, once upon a time, perhaps it’s better that way.
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This is the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky, built in 1910 to treat victims of the “white plague” that was ravaging the country.
Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Google Local
At the time it was built, there was no known cure for tuberculosis and the disease was often fatal. In some cases, doctors tried “experimental” methods to ease the symptoms.
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Whether patients perished from the disease itself or the “treatments,” one thing is for certain: the sanatorium was the scene of many deaths over the years – as many as 8,000, according to historians.
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Facebook
What’s more, Waverly Hills served as a geriatric hospital from the 1960s until the 1980s, and many of the spooky stories about this place are based on rumors that patients were mistreated and subjected to inhumane treatments such as electroshock therapy.
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Facebook
As a result of its tortured history, haunted tales and ghost stories abound about this now-abandoned sanatorium in Kentucky. In the years since Waverly Hills was closed for good, ghost hunters have reported slamming doors, strange noises, disembodied footsteps, and even faint screams throughout the abandoned building.
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Facebook
Ghostly apparitions have been said to gather in the building’s dark recesses and follow those brave enough to wander through the narrow corridors.
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Facebook
Today, Waverly Hills Sanatorium is open for tours, allowing ghost hunters and thrill seekers the unique opportunity to walk its hallowed, haunted halls… with a knowledgable guide. The building is run by the Waverly Hills Historical Society, a place that revels in the history of this abandoned sanatorium, which is not only thought to be one of the most haunted places in Kentucky, but also the entire world!
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Facebook
Visit the Waverly Hills Sanatorium website to learn more and set up a tour… if you dare!
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Facebook
Royasfoto73/Wikimedia Commons
Waverly Hills Sanatorium/Google Local
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Address: The Waverly Hills Sanatorium, 4400 Paralee Dr, Louisville, KY 40272, USA
