Pennhurst Asylum

Every paranormal investigation worth their salt has heard of the notorious Pennhurst Asylum in Pennsylvania.

Originally called the Pennhurst State School and Hospital, and first known as the Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic, was an institution for mentally and physically disabled individuals of the south-eastern part of Pennsylvania.

It was shutdown on December 9, 1987 after 79 years of controversy amid claims of patient abuse and appalling conditions.

In 1968, the conditions at Pennhurst were famously exposed in a five-part television news report anchored by local WCAU-TV correspondent Bill Baldini, and in 1981, a Time magazine article described the place as having “a history of being understaffed, dirty and violent.”

In 1983, nine employees were indicted on charges ranging from slapping and beating patients (including some in wheelchairs) to arranging for patients to assault each other.

The highlight for us was the old infirmary. We spent a good 45 minutes walking through the halls, and into the many darkened rooms, picking up on some energy throughout the building but nothing major. It wasn’t until we were leaving that I turned to one of the two other investigators and said “we didn’t get a lot in here, did we, but it was still a great way to finish the night here…” No sooner had I said that than I looked back around in front of me down the torchlit hallway, and saw a blackened head and shoulders pop out of the nurses station.
It had no features and wasn’t a solid mass, but wasn’t transparent either. It popped out for around two seconds and then popped right back into the station, almost to say, “huh, nothing happened eh?!” or  maybe to check we were really leaving. I screamed when I a saw it, more from excitement and shock than fear and I turned to the other two to see if they’d seen anything. I was careful not to tell them what I’d seen right away so I didn’t put any suggestions into their minds about what they had or hadn’t seen.
The girl with us hadn’t seen anything as she was walking behind me, but her partner said “yes! I saw a head pop into that doorway!” Confirmed sighting then! Of what, we didn’t know.

We went into the station to see if someone was there, or possibly another visitor lost in the building. But no, nothing or no one was there.  We went back and told our guide who was amazed at what we’d seen . She said a sighting in this building was unusual as they hadn’t picked up much in this area on previous investigations. So we were incredibly lucky and privileged to have seen … whatever it was that we saw.  It was a first for me – on countless investigations I’ve never seen anything like it. Maybe the odd whisper, cool drafts when there’s no explainable source and I have been prodded once or twice, but nothing like this.

It’s an experience I’ll carry with me and I’m grateful to the spirits of Pennhurst for giving me another reason to keep investigating!