The History
Construction began in 1858 on what was then called the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, designed by architect Richard Andrews in the Kirkbride Plan style. The Kirkbride philosophy believed that architecture could cure mental illness - patients would live in airy, well-lit wards with access to gardens. The building is the second largest hand-cut stone building in the world, after the Kremlin.
It opened in 1864 during the Civil War with 250 patients. But as West Virginia's only mental institution, the population skyrocketed. By the 1950s, over 2,400 patients were crammed into spaces designed for 250. What was built as a place of healing became a warehouse of suffering.
The Treatments
As overcrowding overwhelmed the facility, treatment gave way to containment. Patients were subjected to ice water baths, electroshock therapy, and lobotomies. Dr. Walter Freeman personally performed lobotomies here using his infamous "ice pick" method - driving a pointed instrument through the eye socket into the brain.
Patients were kept in cages. Those deemed "incurable" were warehoused in the most decrepit wards. A 1949 Charleston Gazette exposé described patients living in their own filth, tied to beds, beaten by staff. Reforms came slowly. The facility was renamed Weston State Hospital in 1913, but conditions remained horrific until it finally closed in 1994.
The Hauntings
With 130 years of suffering within its walls, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum is considered one of the most paranormally active locations in America. The most commonly reported phenomena include:
Ward F (Civil War Section)
The oldest and most decrepit ward. Shadow figures move between rooms. Doors slam. Investigators consistently capture EVP recordings of voices.
The Fourth Floor
A violent spirit nicknamed "Big Jim" reportedly attacks visitors - pushing, scratching, and shoving. Multiple paranormal teams have documented aggressive encounters.
The Medical Center
Where lobotomies and electroshock took place. Screaming is heard. Equipment moves. An overwhelming sense of pain and despair is reported.
The Seclusion Rooms
Padded isolation cells where patients were confined. Banging and screaming persist despite empty rooms. Cold spots are extreme.
By The Numbers
250 Patients
What the building was designed to hold when it opened in 1864.
2,400 Patients
Actual population at its peak in the 1950s - nearly ten times its intended capacity.
130 Years
How long the facility operated, from 1864 to 1994.
242,000 sq ft
The massive building is the second largest hand-cut stone structure in the world.
What's There Now
Visit Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
Address: 71 Asylum Drive, Weston, WV
Status: National Historic Landmark, open for tours and paranormal investigations
Historical Tours: Daytime tours explore the history and architecture of the Kirkbride building, from its Civil War origins to its closure in 1994.
Paranormal Tours: Evening tours using ghost hunting equipment to investigate the asylum's most active areas.
Overnight Investigations: 8pm to 5am sessions let you explore the building freely with your own equipment. One of the few locations in America where you can spend the entire night inside a haunted asylum.
Explore on Interactive Map →