Nowadays, America is struggling with its mental health crisis. From the stigma that’s been associated with mental health, to the saccharine conversations revolving around those suffering from mental illness, people can’t help but misconstrue what it truly means to be mentally ill. Unfortunately, those misunderstandings can lead to incorrect observations involving crime and violence. So much so that it even culminated in human rights violations and a legacy of abuse and neglect. One of the most infamous symbols of these beliefs was the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.

Also known as the Weston State Hospital, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was a psychiatric hospital located in West Virginia. It was founded during the 19th century and had a plethora of gorgeous architecture. However, when the American Civil War began, much of the hospital’s funds were used to support and defend Virginia. Soon after the war, the hospital was re-established as the West Virginia Hospital for the Insane. It was, once again, renamed as Weston State Hospital.

The hospital was only supposed to house mentally ill patients, particularly those who suffered from substance abuse. However, because of society’s misinformation about mental health, the asylum became overpopulated. And predictably, living conditions started to deteriorate. Sanitation was no longer a priority. The hospital’s food supply couldn’t support the growing population, and many residents had to stay in rooms that could only hold one person. By the time the hospital was investigated, the situation at the hospital had already gone from bad to worse.

Patients were living in disgusting conditions. There was a massive graveyard surrounding the hospital, which was, ironically, about 666 acres. Many patients were abused by the employees, patients who were forced to endure bloodletting, the use of restraints, and ice water baths. The hospital was shown to have actively engaged in lobotomies as well. Patients who couldn’t be controlled were locked in cages in an attempt to make room for more. Furthermore, the hospital slowly garnered a reputation for violence. Both employees and patients were attacked by violent inmates who took a liking to gore. One nurse had gone missing, and two months later, her body was found near a staircase.

Eventually, the asylum was exposed by a small newsletter called Gazette. After public outcry, as well as drastic changes in medical treatments, the hospital finally closed down, and later reopened as a tourist site. Many writers continued to write about the asylum. Books like Lunatic: The Rise and Fall of an American Asylum by Edward S. Gleason and The Big Book of West Virginia Ghost Stories by Rosemary Ellen Guiley kept a record of what had happened within the asylum. Some even say that the asylum is haunted, catering to aspiring paranormal investigators. But whether there is supernatural activity or not, the asylum continues to draw in tourists every year with its eerie imagery and haunting history. More importantly, it serves as a warning to treat those who are mentally ill better. If they don’t, history will continue to repeat itself.