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A Prom Celebration at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
As the sunset over the Appalachian Mountains, I arrived in Weston, West Virginia. The area’s attractiveness drew social reformers who believed in the curative properties of fresh air and rural landscapes a century and a half ago. The Gothic-style mental institution they built here appears like a figment of Stephen King’s mind brought to life, even against the pastoral landscape.
From 1864 to 1994, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was open, and it is now widely regarded as one of America’s most haunted locations. Even though it was meant for 250 patients, it was jammed with roughly 2,400, giving me the creeps when I arrived for a ghost search. Was I taking advantage of their plight? Or was it that I was confirming it? After all, few people were concerned about their suffering while they were living. I silently apologized to any ghosts who had been offended by my presence.
Years ago. Did you know the high school nearby uses the school as a Prom celebration? I bet they are partying with the spirits. I hope nothing follows them home.
The current owner started the ghost tours to raise funds for continuing renovation. Unfortunately, a 90-minute daytime trip costs $35, a two-hour nighttime tour costs $40, and the most strenuous option I chose is a 9 p.m.–5 a.m. hunt that costs $100, which means I have…
