Waverly Hills 2009

Waverly Hills is a beautiful, imposing, gothic structure that was built to house tuberculosis patients when the disease became epidemic in the United States. However, the building which still stands, is not the original building. The original Waverly  Hills Sanitorium was built in 1910 as a two story, wooden hospital to treat 40-50 patients at a time. In the early 1900s, there was a tremendous outbreak of tuberculosis in Jefferson County, Kentucky, which prompted the construction of a new hospital, of which, one of the buildings still exist today. It came into existence in October of 1926. There were several outbuildings located on the campus, which is known as Waverly Hills, but all have been torn down throughout the years, except the one remaining. She's a gorgeous old girl who's been through hell and back during her existence. 

In 1962, Waverly Hills closed as a tuberculous hospital, because antibiotics were discovered which helped treat patients without the need to isolate them in hospitals. However, the hospital didn't stay closed long. It reopened almost immediately, as the Woodhaven Geriatric Hospital. That venture lasted until about 1981, when it closed its doors due to alleged patient abuse. 

After closing its doors as Woodhaven, there were several buyers and interested buyers, but nothing ever came of their ventures. Finally, in 2001, after sitting empty for 20 years, the old sanitorium was bought by the Mattingly Family. They have been refurbishing the old girl for some time now. 

Legend has it that there were over 60,000 deaths on the property. There's a tunnel which runs from just outside the building, traveling 500 feet down the hill. Inside the tunnel, there are steps on the right-hand side and a smooth surface on the left-hand side. It's reported that the employees would use this tunnel to go to and from work. It's also said that this is how dead patients would leave Waverly Hills. They'd be taken down through the tunnel to a hearse, waiting at the bottom of the hill. It's also said that once tuberculosis hit its peak, there was at least a death every other day. The doctors felt it was bad for morale for the living to see that much death, so they used the tunnel to keep death out of sight. The tunnel has since been renamed the "Body Chute" or the "Death Tunnel." One of the legends regarding the Body Chute is that once a person died, their body was thrown down the tunnel and "gravity would simply take it to the bottom." However, that is NOT true. Bodies were lowed in the tunnel by being placed on a gurney and using simple rope and pulley system were transported to the awaiting hearse at the bottom of the hill. 

The Death Tunnel isn't the only legend surrounding Waverly Hills. As stated above, we're told that there were over 60,000 deaths on the land. There has been no record whatsoever of that many deaths. A more manageable, yet still staggering, amount that has been estimated is between 6000 to 8000 deaths over the course of its years of existence as both the tuberculosis hospital and the geriatric hospital. 

Then, there is the legend of Room 502. This story states that there was single nurse who became pregnant by either a doctor or the owner of the facility, depending upon which reference you find. Being a single pregnant woman during that time was not acceptable and looked upon shamefully. It's said that she hung herself in the doorway of Room 502 and still lingers there. The story says that pregnant women become violently ill when visiting this specific area. 

But, the tunnel and Room 502 aren't the only haunted areas at this location. There are doctors, patients, transients, animals, and shadow people all co-existing together in this lonely, abandoned building. 

Paranormal investigators will tell you that there are children ghosts who will play ball with you and a medical staff entity who will shut you in one of the surgeries, if you're not careful. 

And our group can personally attest to the fact that there's at least one shadow person who hangs out on the 4th floor. We met him during a tour. We sensed it...it happened to touch Nicole's cousin, Joey Tito, and several witnesses saw it walking behind us down the hallway.

However, don't believe us! This is one place you need to experience for yourself!