This week on Ghostly, we walk into the largest hand-cut stone masonry building in North America — the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia. Pat traces the building from its hopeful 1858 origins under the Kirkbride Plan, through the Civil War occupation, the catastrophic overcrowding, the 1949 Charleston Gazette exposé, and into the dark summer of 1952 when Dr. Walter Freeman’s “Operation Ice Pick” lobotomized 228 West Virginians in twelve days. Rebecca brings the paranormal — Lily, the little girl in Ward R whose toys still move on command; Jacob, the alcoholic patient with a real paper trail who was first contacted on Ghost Hunters in 2008; Ruth, the man-hating spirit of the Civil War wing; the lobotomy recovery room and its growling shadows; and the nurse whose body lay undiscovered at the bottom of a stairwell for months.

It is a story of good intentions, of a system that failed the people it promised to heal, and of the spirits who — by every account — never left.

Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers

“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo

“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher — gailgallaghermusic.com

Love what we do? Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes, early access, and behind-the-scenes content. Every pledge helps us keep digging up the dead.

Become a Ghostly Patron »

And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. It’s the best way to help other believers and skeptics find the show.

Ghostly has an official phone line. Call or text us with your spooky encounters — and if you leave a voicemail, you might hear it on the show. You can also vote in our latest polls.

Text the episode title. Add YES if you’re a believer, NO if you’re a skeptic. Then give it a haunting score from 1 to 10.

Phone: (312) 869-9929

Email us your stories: [email protected]