It's About Danged Time. I KNOW!

Here I am, over two weeks later, finally giving you a recap of my group's investigation of Waverly Hills Sanatorium.

I know. I SUCK! There, I said it before you did.

And this recap isn't going to include any evidence. I know. I REALLY, TRULY SUCK! My team (Paranormal Georgia Investigations) is still going over evidence and we're meeting on July 30th to share what we found. After my team has shared, then I'll share with all of you. Until then, I've got some pictures and stories. Cool?

For those of you who don't know what or where Waverly Hills is or was, then go here. Read it. I'll be here until you get back.

Done? Awesome.

Back in January, I spent FOUR DAYS on the phone (Seriously, four days. I'm not even kidding.) trying to reserve our private investigation night. Yeah. Their phone lines were tied up with other groups calling to make reservations. When I finally got through, July 10, 2011 became our date, our night to conquer "one of the most haunted locations in the world."



This place is massive and intimidating as heck. Even without the paranormal reputation, it's scary. Paint is chipping, doors are off their hinges, and the first floor is painted like a haunted house (in support of the ownership's annual Halloween Haunted House). You don't need ghosts to feel creeped out at 2AM in the massive hallways of this building.



I mean, look at it. Modern decay in all its glory. I could have spent eight daylight hours here, roaming the property and taking pictures, forget the eight hour night investigation.



The entire front of the second, third, and fourth floors are open to the outside. Originally covered in just metal screens, this is where the tuberculosis patients spent every day, rain or shine, hot or cold, breathing in fresh air because before antibiotics, health care professionals thought fresh air and sunshine cured tuberculosis. Little did they know that this "cure" was just a long, slow path to the inevitable death.



The hardest part to swallow about the history of this hospital was the room on the fifth floor where the children stayed. If both parents had tuberculosis, it was almost guaranteed that their children would have it, too. The children were given the best spot in the facility, the fifth floor roof, with the best access to fresh air, sunshine, and views of Louisville. Ty-man and I (yep, he went, too) wandered this fifth floor room trying to imagine our kids here. And we couldn't. We couldn't even begin to fathom what it was like bringing our kids here and leaving them, hoping for a cure but knowing deep down they would probably never walk out.



I even took a walk down to the bottom of the body chute with Muskrat and Dave. Originally, this sloping tunnel was used to carry supplies to the hospital. As the number of patient deaths increased, the bodies were brought down into this tunnel, out this gate, and into an ambulance. This was done so that the death numbers would be hidden from the patients. Depression over knowing you were close to death didn't help with the overall pre-antibiotic TB cure.



Let's not forget the annual haunted house decor. I'll never turn down an opportunity to do a sorority pose with a life-size gargoyle!

We all saw shadows during our eight hour long investigation. There were also a few noises we couldn't explain. Unfortunately, no one saw a full-body apparition, no one was shoved or pushed, no doors slammed shut, and no one peed their pants. But our EVP evidence has been an absolute goldmine. I can't wait to share those with you.



Oh, and? That flashlight on the right? Is on in that picture because it turned itself on.

You heard me.

How's them apples?

PS Thanks Muskrat, Dave, and Adam for going with us and sharing in our big night!