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The Travel Channel’s original series "Ghost Adventures Live," will feature the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum located in Weston, W.Va., Friday. The facility has gained national attention with its paranormal tours.
Formerly known as Weston State Hospital, declared the second-largest hand-cut stone building in the world, it was first opened in 1864 as a hospital for the mentally ill and is rumored to have had a reputation of demonstrating cruel malpractice.
Stories of barbaric lobotomies and torturous punishments of patients are at the center of the asylum’s supposed paranormal activity, in addition to elements like its adjacent graveyard and Civil War past.
Due to advancements in the treatment of the mentally ill, along with the deterioration of the old building itself, the lunatic asylum shut down in 1994 and has since transformed into a haunted attraction open to the public.
Professional ghost hunters from around the country have explored the four floors of the asylum, equipped with energy detecting gear like electromagnetic field meters, to locate any lingering spirits.
The majority of the ghost hunters and former employees of the facility agree that the asylum is haunted by the spirits of its thousands of former patients.
Many who have entered the dilapidated building claim to have felt an unexplainable presence, sighted apparitions and heard eerie sounds like footsteps, door slams and even screams for help.
Travel Channel’s ghost hunters Zak Bagans and Nick Groff, cofounders of the paranormal organization "Ghost Adventures Crew, alongside cameraman Aaron Goodwin, have decided to share their experiences inside the asylum with their viewing audience.
These renowned investigators/ghost hunters will air their exploration of Weston’s asylum via live TV on Friday’s episode of "Ghost Adventures Live" and are asking for their audience’s help.
This paranormal documentary will not only be taped for seven hours live but will also be interactive. The ghost hunters will be communicating with their audience through webcams, live video chat and text messaging throughout the episode.
The Travel Channel has previously aired a three-part episode of Ghost Adventures detailing the haunted history of the local lunatic asylum and has provided information on the channel’s official Web site.
The asylum’s ghost hunting manager, Michelle Braham, says she is a true believer of the building’s ghosts, having experienced activity within the facility herself.
Michelle said she has heard footsteps and whispers and claims she has even been warned to "get out" by an unseen presence.
Although a firm believer, she doesn’t push the belief of ghosts onto others but does enjoy getting to play a part in changing people’s minds.
"People come (to the lunatic asylum) with a mixture of emotions," Braham said. "I watch the most skeptical people reverse their beliefs all of the time.
"The best part about the experience is that we offer something for everyone," she added. "We try to accommodate all different types of experiences and offer historical tours, paranormal tours and a combination of both."
Professionals and the inexperienced can tour the asylum all hours of the day until the end of the month, whether it be the historical Heritage Tour or the extensive overnight ghost tour.
Will Laubach, a sophomore accounting major at West Virginia University, experienced his first ghost tour in Weston’s asylum earlier this month and claims it is much different from the Halloween festivities he usually attends.
"I typically don’t get scared at things like haunted houses, but this was different," Laubach said "This wasn’t people dressed up in costumes jumping out at you, this was an actual operating asylum at one time and the stories are about real people."
"It shed a whole new light on things for me," he added. "After going there and seeing how awesome it was, I’m definitely more interested in the subject."
9 comments
people of the mentally ill. Where were you when God gave our character?