The 5 Most Frightening Abandoned Hospitals in the United States

Written by Kyle Glatz
Updated: July 22, 2023
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Hospitals are supposed to be a place of healing, medical discoveries, and growth. Yet, the facilities do not always live up to such lofty ideals. Instead, some hospitals become the site of patient mistreatment and medical accidents. When these facilities are eventually shuttered and abandoned, they become eerie sites. Discover the five most frightening abandoned hospitals in the United States and learn about what makes them so terrifying to visitors.

Infographic of 5 Most Frightening Abandoned Hospitals in the U.S.
These buildings have dark histories due to the horrific abuse and treatments that patients were subjected to.

1. Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital, New York/New Jersey

ellis island abandoned psychiatric hospital interior rooms view

Ellis Island’s medical facilities were effective at preventing major diseases from seeping out into New York City.

©Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock.com

The Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital is located on Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Since Ellis Island was an area where an influx of immigrants came into the country, the United States Public Health Service decided to open the hospital.

The hospital was built in 1900. Originally, the hospital was designed to hold 750 beds: 450 for contagious diseases and 300 in the general hospital. This facility had two goals: to treat individuals who were sick when they arrived in the country and to treat immigrants with ailments that were not allowed to enter the country.

The hospital closed in 1954 since it was no longer needed. Yet, about 4,000 people had passed away on the island from a variety of diseases by the time the doors closed. Standing in a place that represented hope and sometimes led to heartbreak or tragedy is unnerving. The tours offered by the Save Ellis Island Foundation offer people the chance to stand where immigrants once stood. Some people insist this area is haunted to this day.

2. Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, New Jersey

New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum (now called Trenton Psychiatric Hospital)

Much of the New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum, now known as Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, became overgrown over the years.

©J.J. Pease after J.X. Mason, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons – License

Originally called the New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum then the New Jersey State Hospital at Trenton, Trenton Psychiatric Hospital was the first mental health hospital to open in New Jersey in 1848. Although the psychiatric hospital had a tremendous amount of success overall, things were not all great at this location.

In the early 1900s, Dr. Henry Cotton became the medical director and started mutilating patients in hopes of treating them. He would insist on removing parts of people’s bodies such as teeth, tonsils, and other organs to treat their mental illnesses.

Much of the original building is no longer used, and some buildings on the campus have been overgrown and completely abandoned. Yet, parts of the campus are still utilized for psychiatric care, a fact that could be scarier than the entire thing being abandoned. For that reason, this hospital definitely belongs on this list of the most frightening abandoned hospitals in the United States.

3. Pennhurst State School and Hospital, Pennsylvania

Buildings and walkways at Pennhurst Asylum, Pennsylvania

Pennhurst Asylum closed in 1987 but has controversially been turned into a Halloween tourist attraction.

©dedio/Shutterstock.com

The Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic originally opened in 1908 and was later named Pennhurst State School and Hospital, also known as Pennhurst Asylum. The goal was to provide living quarters and treatment for mentally and physically disabled individuals. The sprawling campus was overcrowded just a few short years later.

By 1968, the conditions were so poor that a local reporter, Bill Baldini, created a massive expose of the harsh conditions at the hospital. The buildings were understaffed and dirty. The individuals in the hospital were abused and suffered cruel and unusual punishments as outlined by the Halderman v Pennhurst case that eventually led to the closure of the facility.  

The building closed in 1987 after 79 years of operation, but it has turned into a tourist attraction during Halloween. The fact that people often explore the abandoned hospital has angered some people. They believe that the tours and paranormal investigations attempt to benefit from what amounted to the torture of thousands of people with various levels of disabilities.

4. Weston State Hospital, West Virginia

Close up of cast iron railings outside Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia, USA

While the Weston State Hospital is a beautiful place built in the Gothic Revival and Tudor Revival styles, it has a dark history.

©Steve Heap/Shutterstock.com

The Weston State Hospital originally had another name, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Since the building is now used as a tourist attraction and a site for paranormal researchers, the facility has reverted to that name despite its negative connotations.

The Weston State Hospital was a psychiatric hospital that was in operation from 1864 until 1994. Located in Weston, West Virginia, the building is gorgeous from the outside. It’s built in the Gothic Revival and Tudor Revival styles, making the building look even older than it was.

The reason this is one of the most frightening abandoned hospitals in the United States is the poor treatment of the residents. Throughout its operation, the facility was grossly overcrowded. Patients were subjected to lobotomies, lockups in cages, and murders committed by other patients. The hospital closed in 1994, and it’s now a tourist attraction. While macabre, the site hosts paranormal tours for the public.  

5. Athens Mental Hospital, Ohio

Abandoned Asylum said to be Haunted: The Ridges, Athens OH

Patients at the Athens Mental Hospital were subjected to lobotomies and electroshock therapies.

©Jennifer Stone/Shutterstock.com

Located in Athens, Ohio, the Athens Mental Hospital was originally called the Athens Asylum or the Athens Lunatic Asylum. It was opened in 1874 and operational until 1993, when the remaining patients were transferred to the Appalachian Behavioral Health Care facility and the state gave the facility over to the stewardship of Ohio University.

Known as The Ridges since 1988, the building is still standing and is currently used for offices, an art museum, and college classrooms.  

So, this building isn’t abandoned, so why is it so frightening? Well, it probably has something to do with the fact that repurposing the building is covering up some very dark history of treatment that happened in the area.

People in this asylum were subjected to lobotomies, electroshock therapies, and other questionable forms of treatment. While the asylum’s developers advocated for the moral treatment of those in its care, it did not always live up to the challenge. About 1,930 people were buried in the hospital’s three cemeteries. However, many of them were marked only by a number rather than a name.  

The loss of identity, the dehumanizing diagnoses and treatments, and the fact that the building was repurposed into something else make this one of the most frightening abandoned hospitals in the United States.

Summary of 5 Most Frightening Abandoned Hospitals in the United States

Here’s a recap of the five terrifying abandoned hospitals that we took a look at.

NumberHospitalYears of OperationStatus
1Ellis Island Immigrant HospitalBuilt in 1900; closed in 1954Closed, open to tours
2Trenton Psychiatric HospitalOpened in 1848Closed, partially repurposed
3Pennhurst State School and HospitalOpened in 1908; closed as a hospital in 1987Closed, open to tourists
4Weston State HospitalIn operation 1864-1994Closed
5Athens Mental HospitalOpened in 1874; closed as a hospital in 1993Partially closed

The various abandoned hospitals in the United States on this list are not places that anyone should seek out on their own. No, you won’t be spirited away by malevolent beings. However, local law enforcement may take exception to a person trespassing in the buildings. After all, some of them are still operating to an extent and others have dilapidated buildings that pose a danger. It’s always a good idea to research these abandoned hospitals before traveling to them.   

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Arnie Lund/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Kyle Glatz is a writer at A-Z-Animals where his primary focus is on geography and mammals. Kyle has been writing for researching and writing about animals and numerous other topics for 10 years, and he holds a Bachelor's Degree in English and Education from Rowan University. A resident of New Jersey, Kyle enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games.

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