Believing the Bizarre: Paranormal Conspiracies & Myths

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum


Listen Later

Here is our live Halloween special from Weston, West Virginia where we visited the very haunted Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, North America's largest hand-cut stone masonry building, stands as a Gothic monument to both healing and horror in West Virginia.
Built in 1858 following Thomas Kirkbride's revolutionary design principles, which emphasized therapeutic sunlight and fresh air through its 900 windows, the asylum initially provided excellent care, complete with its own farm and dairy to ensure quality food for patients.
The early period was so positive that one patient described it as "heaven," not a "nut house." However, the Civil War marked a dramatic turning point, as the asylum was converted into Camp Tyler and its construction funds were seized by Union soldiers.
What followed was a descent into overcrowding and controversy, with the facility housing 2,500 patients despite being designed for just 250. The situation worsened with Dr. Walter Freeman's infamous $25 lobotomies, performed as theatrical presentations, along with other controversial treatments like electroshock therapy.
By 1994, the asylum closed its doors, but its legacy lives on through reported paranormal activity, including famous spirits like Lily, a young girl who died of pneumonia, Ruth, a man-hating female patient, and various Civil War soldiers who still supposedly roam its halls.

Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.

For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Discord

Shop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Believing the Bizarre: Paranormal Conspiracies & MythsBy Tyler and Charlie

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

781 ratings


More shows like Believing the Bizarre: Paranormal Conspiracies & Myths

View all
The Paranormal Podcast by Jim Harold

The Paranormal Podcast

4,744 Listeners

Expanded Perspectives by Expanded Perspectives

Expanded Perspectives

2,955 Listeners

Monsters Among Us by Derek Hayes | Audioboom Studios

Monsters Among Us

7,523 Listeners

Mysterious Radio: Paranormal, UFO and Lore Interviews by Podcast Audio House

Mysterious Radio: Paranormal, UFO and Lore Interviews

3,458 Listeners

Strange Familiars by Strange Familiars

Strange Familiars

1,337 Listeners

Paranormal Mysteries by Nic Ryan | Paranormal Mysteries Podcast

Paranormal Mysteries

1,942 Listeners

The Night Owl: True Ghost Stories by Night Owl Paranormal Investigations

The Night Owl: True Ghost Stories

2,726 Listeners

The Cryptonaut Podcast by The Cryptonaut Podcast.

The Cryptonaut Podcast

1,157 Listeners

Belief Hole | Paranormal, Mysteries and Other Tasty Thought Snacks by Belief Hole | Paranormal, Mysteries and Other Tasty Thought Snacks

Belief Hole | Paranormal, Mysteries and Other Tasty Thought Snacks

909 Listeners

Let's Get Haunted by Aly & Nat | QCODE

Let's Get Haunted

1,339 Listeners

Paranormal Portal by Brent Thomas

Paranormal Portal

593 Listeners

Theories of the Third Kind by Theories of the Third Kind

Theories of the Third Kind

6,277 Listeners

The Dark Paranormal by The Dark Paranormal

The Dark Paranormal

1,067 Listeners

My Paranormal Experience by My Paranormal Experience

My Paranormal Experience

178 Listeners

Conspiracy Files by Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy Files

107 Listeners