The story
At the height of the tuberculosis epidemic, Waverly Hills was a place people came to die. The "white plague" had no cure, and treatments were brutal: patients had ribs removed, lungs collapsed, or were placed on rooftop beds in freezing temperatures hoping cold air would kill the bacteria.
When patients died - and thousands did - their bodies were transported through a steam tunnel that ran 500 feet down the hillside. Nicknamed "the Body Chute" or "Death Tunnel," it kept corpse transport hidden from patients who might lose hope seeing the constant parade of the dead.
Room 502 is the most notorious spot. A nurse allegedly hanged herself there in 1928 after discovering she was pregnant by a married doctor. Another reportedly jumped from the same room in 1932. Both stories may be legends, but visitors report overwhelming feelings of despair in that room.
What's There Now
Open for historical and paranormal tours. Featured on Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, and countless paranormal shows. Overnight investigations available.
Everything that was here
- 1910–1961
Waverly Hills SanatoriumHaunted Hospital
An estimated 63,000 patients died here from tuberculosis. Their bodies were secretly slid down a 500-foot tunnel so other patients wouldn't see.
See the map in 1911 →
Connected places
Explore the full web of connections on the map.
Nearby history
Waverly Hills Sanatorium
Stitzel-Weller Distillery
The Seelbach Hilton Louisville
Rose Island Amusement Park
Maker's Mark Distillery
Know something about Waverly Hills Sanatorium? An old photo, a date, a memory of what stood here before?
Add it on the map