[00:00:21] Speaker A: If you dig the twisted, admire the outlandish, and are enamored by the unusual, you're in the right place. True crime, the supernatural, the unexplained. Now you're speaking our language. If you agree, join us as we dive into the darker side. You know, because it's more fun over here. Welcome to Total Conundrum.
[00:00:48] Speaker B: Warning.
[00:00:49] Speaker A: Some listeners may find the following content disturbing. Listener discretion is advised.
Welcome back, Conundrum Crew. Buckle up because we've got a spine tingling one today. And when I say spine tingling, I mean the kind of story that will make you second guess every dark hallway for the rest of your life.
[00:01:13] Speaker B: Or at the very least, make you rethink ever stepping foot in an abandoned hospital. Because let's be real, right? Regular hospitals are already scary enough.
[00:01:23] Speaker A: Seriously, the only thing worse than a regular hospital at night is a haunted hospital at night. Because, hey, what's better than the fear of catching a superbug than the fear of catching a ghost?
[00:01:34] Speaker B: I'll take neither for 500, Alex.
[00:01:37] Speaker A: And the answer is Waverly Hills. A place where people went to get better, but most didn't.
[00:01:43] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, and if you're looking for a feel good episode, this isn't it, folks. Waverly Hills isn't just haunted, it's haunted. Haunted, like full on ghost hunters had to change their underwear haunted.
[00:01:58] Speaker A: Whoa. That's haunted. We're talking tragic history, terrifying ghost stories, abandoned buildings so creepy it'll make horror movies look like a light hearted rom com.
[00:02:08] Speaker B: You know how every horror movie starts with a group of people who think it's a great idea to explore an old abandoned place? Yeah. That's this place. And spoiler alert, it does not end well.
[00:02:20] Speaker A: So grab your flashlights, salt circles, and maybe a defibrillator because we're diving into one of the most infamous haunted locations in America, the Waverly Hills Sanitarium.
[00:02:31] Speaker B: Before we dive deeper into the haunting of Waverly Hills, make sure to hit that like and subscribe button. Leave us a review on Apple and Spotify. And if you're watching on YouTube, ring that notification bell so you never miss a new episode. Your support keeps total conundrum going. Got a spooky story or an episode idea? Reach out to
[email protected] or find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
[00:02:56] Speaker A: And because we know you love a good mix of mind blowing history and spine chilling hauntings, stick around till the end. We've got some trailers from our podcast pals at Social Disruption Podcast and Nerd Best Friends podcast. Be sure to Check them out. But now let's step into the halls of Waverly Hill Sanatorium, where thousands took their last breath and some never left at all.
[00:03:20] Speaker B: We'll be back after these messages.
[00:03:24] Speaker C: Are you tired of podcasts with the same old safe conversations? Are you ready for something raw, something real, and something that's unapologetic? Then add social disruption to your podcast playlist. Host Farrah and Cheyenne tackle the issues most people are too afraid to touch. They don't sugarcoat it, they don't play it safe, and they definite, ultimately, don't do fluff. Social disruption breaks through the noise, covering topics that really matter, from Biden's exit and the return of Trump. The struggle men are having in the age of equality. And that's just the beginning. On social disruption, you'll hear unfiltered truths, unapologetic voices, and real conversations that challenge the mainstream narrative. America isn't as divided as they want you to believe it is. It's time for real talk. Add social disruption to your podcast playlist right now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Social disruption, disruption. Real people, real talk. No fluff and no bs.
[00:04:22] Speaker A: And back to the show.
[00:04:23] Speaker B: All right, so before we get into the ghosts, because trust me, there are plenty, we need to talk about the place itself, because Waverly Hills is the kind of place that doesn't even need the ghosts to be scary. Just the history alone is enough to make you want to sleep with the lights on for real.
[00:04:41] Speaker A: If ghosts weren't a thing, Waverly Hills would still be the creepiest place in Kentucky. And that's saying something, because Kentucky has some weird stuff.
[00:04:51] Speaker B: All right, before Waverly Hills becomes one of the most haunted locations in the world, let's take a step back, way back, to how it all started.
[00:05:01] Speaker A: The way back machine.
[00:05:08] Speaker B: Because Waverly didn't just appear out of nowhere. It was built in a town that at the time, was just starting to grow and would eventually become known for something much darker than anyone ever expected.
[00:05:21] Speaker A: Right, and before tuberculosis took over Louisville, the land that Waverly Hill sits on was actually pretty peaceful. Rolling hills, dense trees, and just far enough outside the city to feel isolated, but still within reach.
[00:05:35] Speaker B: It was originally a quiet rural area on the outskirts of Louisville, Kentucky, where people settled to escape the crowded industrial parts of the city. We're talking the late 1800s. Farmland, country roads, and nothing even remotely spooky.
[00:05:51] Speaker A: Yet the land where Waverly was built was actually privately owned by a guy named Major Thomas H. Hayes. He bought a Huge chunk of land in the late 1800s and decided, hey, my daughter needs a school. Why not just build one right here?
[00:06:07] Speaker B: And that's where the name Waverly actually came from. When Major Hayes hired a woman named Lizzie Lee Harris to be the school teacher, she was a fan of a book series called the Waverly novels by Sir Walter Scott. She loved the name, and Major Hayes said, sure, let's call the school Waverly School.
[00:06:26] Speaker A: So originally, Waverly was just the name of a one room schoolhouse, not a creepy hospital. But when the state later bought the land, they kept the name. And that's how we got Waverly Hills.
[00:06:38] Speaker B: Which honestly, sounds so much nicer than what it became like. Waverly Hills sounds like the name of a cute neighborhood with good coffee shops. Not a place where thousands of people died.
[00:06:50] Speaker A: Right? Imagine if they just called it something more fitting from the start, like the Louisville Tuberculosis Sanatorium of doom. Then maybe people wouldn't have been so shocked when it turned out to be haunted.
[00:07:02] Speaker B: I mean, fair, but for real. Waverly Hills was actually a necessary project. By the early 1900s, tuberculosis was ripping through Louisville like wildfire. Kentucky had one of the highest death rates in the country. And TB was especially bad in Louisville because of the city's location. Low lying, swampy, humid air, which was perfect for bacteria to spread.
[00:07:28] Speaker A: And because tuberculosis was highly contagious, they couldn't just treat people in regular hospitals. They had to be isolated. Which is why sanitariums like Waverly were built away from the city.
[00:07:39] Speaker B: So in 1910, the first version of Waverly Hills opened as a small two story sanatorium. But as the death toll kept rising, they had to expand. By 1926, Waver Waverly Hills became the massive five story hospital that we know today, designed to hold at least 400 patients at a time.
[00:08:00] Speaker A: And they built it on one of the highest elevation points in Jefferson county because they thought the fresh air and open landscape would help the patients recover.
[00:08:08] Speaker B: Which, spoiler alert, it didn't.
[00:08:11] Speaker A: Not even a little. But the way Waverly Hills started, from a quiet schoolhouse to a massive hospital full of suffering just makes the whole story even more tragic.
[00:08:21] Speaker B: Right? Like this place was never supposed to be a death trap. It was built out of desperation to help people. And instead, it became a final resting place for thousands.
[00:08:32] Speaker A: And now, instead of a peaceful little schoolhouse on the hill, we've got one of the most infamous haunted locations in the world. Just goes to show you, you never know what history is hiding under the surface.
[00:08:44] Speaker B: Okay, but what if I told you there are Rumors that the land was cursed before Waverly Hills was even built.
[00:08:51] Speaker A: Because, of course, there are what's a haunted hospital without a pre existing supernatural backstory.
[00:08:57] Speaker B: Exactly. So here's the story. Before Major Thomas H. Hayes ever owned the land, there were whispers that something wasn't quite right about the area. Some say that long before Louisville was ever fully settled, the land Waverly sits on was the site of a violent clash between Native American tribes.
[00:09:19] Speaker A: And let's be real. If history has taught us anything, it's that places with a history of bloodshed don't tend to have great vibes.
[00:09:27] Speaker B: Right. There are stories that this land was considered spiritually significant, but not in a good way. Some believe it was seen as a place where spirits roamed freely. Sort of a crossing point between the living and the dead.
[00:09:41] Speaker A: So basically, Waverly Hills was pre haunted before they even broke ground on the hospital.
[00:09:47] Speaker B: Yep. And some local legends say that strange things happened to people who camped on or traveled through the area. Long before Waverly was built. There were stories of people disappearing. Eerie lights moving through the trees, and even early settlers claiming that they heard noises whispering in the woods when nobody was around.
[00:10:07] Speaker A: See that right there? That's a red flag. If a bunch of people before me are saying, hey, maybe don't settle here. This place is kind of cursed, I'm immediately moving somewhere else.
[00:10:18] Speaker B: Right, but Major Hayes either didn't know about the rumors or didn't care, and he built his schoolhouse there anyway. But here's the really weird part. After Waverly Hills was built, the stories didn't stop. Some of the hospital staff claimed that they heard chanting or saw figures in the woods at night. Almost like something older than the hospital was still lingering.
[00:10:40] Speaker A: So you're telling me that Waverly Hills isn't just haunted by tuberculosis patients. It might also be sitting on land that's already spiritually charged before the hospital even existed?
[00:10:51] Speaker B: That's exactly what I'm saying. And some paranormal investigators believe that that's why Waverly Hills is so active. Not just because of the people who died there, but. But because the land itself might have already been connected to something darker.
[00:11:06] Speaker A: Great. So Waverly Hills wasn't just doomed from the moment they started treating patients. It was doomed from the moment they built anything on that land.
[00:11:15] Speaker B: Pretty much. Now let's get into something even creepier. The strange deaths that happened before Waverly Hills was even a thought.
[00:11:23] Speaker A: Because, of course, this land didn't start off peaceful. Why would it? It's like some places just attract bad energy before anything even gets Built.
[00:11:33] Speaker B: Exactly. So let's rewind way back before the schoolhouse, before the tuberculosis crisis, back to when this area was just wilderness and early settlers. And according to local legends, the land where Waverly Hills now stands was already a site of strange and unexplained deaths.
[00:11:53] Speaker A: Because of course it was. Why wouldn't one of the most haunted places in America be built on land that was already news? It's like the spot just had a future horror site signposted on it from the start. But. All right, I'm listening. What kind of weirdness are we talking about here?
[00:12:09] Speaker B: In the late 1700s, a few families established homesteads in the rolling hills, hoping for a fresh start in the wilderness. But according to historical records, some of these settlers mysteriously vanished. And not in a they packed up and moved kinda way.
[00:12:27] Speaker A: Oh, so we're talking about full blown unexplained disappearances. Love that. Always a good sign when people start vanishing into thin air.
[00:12:37] Speaker B: Right. One of the most chilling accounts tells the story of an entire family of six gone without a trace. Their food was still on the table, their horses still in the barn. Nothing stolen, no sign of a struggle. It was like they just ceased to exist.
[00:12:54] Speaker A: So we're talking about a family that just evaporated with zero explanation. That's some Roanoke colony energy right there.
[00:13:02] Speaker B: Exactly. The most logical explanations at the time was Native American raids. But here's the problem. The nearby Shawnee tribes never took any credit. And there were no signs of an attack, no weapons left behind, no tracks leading the way, nothing.
[00:13:20] Speaker A: Okay, so either something way worse than raiders got them, or they pissed off something that wasn't human.
[00:13:26] Speaker B: That's what the more superstitious settlers believed. They thought this land was already cursed. That maybe they had angered spirits that had been here long before them. Rather than risk their own safety, they did what any reasonable person would do. They packed up and abandoned the area.
[00:13:43] Speaker A: Right, because when an entire family disappears overnight, you don't stick around to see if you're next. You take the hint and get the hell out.
[00:13:51] Speaker B: Right, and it just wasn't one family. There were multiple reports of hunters going missing, strange figures spotted in the woods, and eerie lights moving through the trees at night.
[00:14:02] Speaker A: Okay, I know they didn't have flashlights back then, so what the hell were they seeing?
[00:14:07] Speaker B: Exactly? Some believe they were ghostly lanterns, while others thought they were wandering spirits looking for the living.
[00:14:14] Speaker A: The fact that people actually debated whether they were ghost lanterns or lost souls instead of getting the hell out of there, that's some next level pioneer bravery. Or Stupidity. Depending on how you look at it.
[00:14:26] Speaker B: Oh, you're gonna love this. So, back in the early 1800s, Elijah Cook lived in the small log cabin on the very land where Waverly would eventually be built. He had a wife and a child, but one night, out of nowhere, both of them died in their sleep. No signs of a struggle, no sickness, just gone.
[00:14:46] Speaker A: Okay, that's weird, but, I mean, maybe there was some illness no one understood back then. It was the 1800s. Medical science was basically just try some whiskey and good luck.
[00:14:58] Speaker B: Sure. But here's where it gets even stranger. A few months later, Elijah himself was found hanging from an old oak tree near his cabin. And the disturbing part?
[00:15:08] Speaker A: Oh, let me guess. He definitely didn't put himself there.
[00:15:12] Speaker B: Bingo. There was no ladder, no chair. No way for him to have climbed up on his own. And when people checked the ground, they saw that his footprints stopped about 10ft away from the tree. Like something carried him the rest of the way.
[00:15:26] Speaker A: Oh, fantastic. So we're talking about either a curse, a vengeful spirit, or some unknown force literally picking him up and stringing him from a tree.
[00:15:36] Speaker B: You got it. And people back then agreed. For years, locals avoided that tree. They said they could hear whispers when they walked past it at night. Some even claimed that they saw shadowy figures moving around it. It was like the land itself had claimed Elijah and it wasn't done yet.
[00:15:53] Speaker A: Wow, that land definitely has some crazy history.
[00:15:57] Speaker B: Oh, wait, there's more.
[00:15:59] Speaker A: Oh, great. Another mystery disappearance. Let me guess. Three guys walk into the woods and never walk out.
[00:16:06] Speaker B: Bingo. So, in 1853, when Louisville was expanding, the area around what would become Waverly Hills was being scouted for railroad construction. A small team of three workers went into the woods to survey the land for potential tracks.
[00:16:22] Speaker A: And let me guess. They never came back.
[00:16:24] Speaker B: Not a trace. No bodies, no tracks leading away. Nothing. But get this. Their tools and belongings were found just sitting there as if they had dropped everything and disappeared mid step.
[00:16:38] Speaker A: Okay, but how do three people disappear without a trace? Like one guy maybe got lost, two? Unlikely. But three grown men all vanish. That's not an accident. That's something taking them.
[00:16:52] Speaker B: Right. And it gets creepier, because that same night, other workers reported hearing screams echoing from the woods. But since this was the 1800s, they just shrugged it off as wild animals.
[00:17:04] Speaker A: Wild animals? Wild animals don't steal people's tools and leave no bodies behind. What were they picturing, a gang of super intelligent raccoons?
[00:17:15] Speaker B: Apparently. But whatever happened to those men was enough to make the railroad company abandon the idea of building there altogether. They just gave up on the project and moved it somewhere else.
[00:17:27] Speaker A: At this point, this land is 3 for 3 on unexplainable deaths and disappearances. First the missing settlers, then the hanging tree, and now railroad workers just ceasing to exist.
[00:17:40] Speaker B: Exactly. This place wasn't just unlucky. It was already cursed before the first brick of waverly was ever laid.
[00:17:48] Speaker A: Whoa. Laying brick.
And yet people keep trying to build things here. Because nothing says, let's ignore the warning signs, like stacking a house, hospital full of dying people on top of land where people were already disappearing.
[00:18:04] Speaker B: So as Louisville grew, you'd think people would start settling into the hills where waverly hills would eventually be built, right? Well, they didn't. Even as the city expanded, people still avoided this land. It had a reputation, One that kept even the bravest away.
[00:18:22] Speaker A: Yeah, because at this point, we've got missing settlers, A cursed hanging tree, and railroad workers disappearing into thin air. If I was alive back then, I wouldn't have set foot anywhere near this place.
[00:18:35] Speaker B: And for good reason. Local legends started to spread about a ghostly woman Seen walking through the trees at dusk. People called her the woman in white, and no one knew exactly who she was.
[00:18:47] Speaker A: Oh, great. Another mysterious spirit with unfinished business. Because nothing says this land is totally safe Like a wandering ghost lady.
[00:18:56] Speaker B: Some believe she was Elijah cook's wife, still searching for their lost child after their unexplained deaths. Others thought she was one of the missing settlers, Doomed to wander forever, unable to leave the land that took her.
[00:19:10] Speaker A: All right, sad and spooky. But what makes her extra terrifying?
[00:19:14] Speaker B: Oh, I'm so glad you asked, Because a few people claim that they got a good look at her face, and they said that she has no eyes.
[00:19:22] Speaker A: Oh, fantastic. A ghost that not only wanders in the woods, but also has no eyes. That's some next level nightmare material, right?
[00:19:31] Speaker B: And guess what? People still see her today near the old walking trails behind waverly hills. Some say she's just standing there watching. Others say she moves closer the longer you stare.
[00:19:43] Speaker A: So now we're saying that waverly hills doesn't just have ghosts inside. The outside is haunted, too. That's unfair. At least let people have a safe zone.
[00:19:53] Speaker B: So let's rewind the clock back to the late 1800s. This was a time when modern medicine was basically just people guessing and hoping for the best.
[00:20:02] Speaker A: Hey, you're sick. Have you tried leeches?
[00:20:05] Speaker B: Or maybe just praying really hard?
[00:20:07] Speaker A: Solid medical advice, honestly.
[00:20:10] Speaker B: But seriously, one of the biggest medical disasters at the time was tuberculosis. And if you're thinking, oh, I've heard of tb, but how bad could it really have been? Let me tell you, it was bad.
[00:20:23] Speaker A: Like whole cities being wiped out bad. And Louisville, Kentucky? Yeah, it was hit hard.
[00:20:30] Speaker B: Part of the problem was that Louisville was super humid, which made it an absolute paradise for tuberculosis to spread. And because TB is airborne, people were infecting each other just by, you know, existing in the same space.
[00:20:44] Speaker A: Basically every cough was a death sentence. Which by the way, makes the fact that we all ignored cough etiquette until 2020 even more horrifying.
[00:20:55] Speaker B: Right, so with tuberculosis spreading like wildfire and hospitals overflowing, the city decided they needed a dedicated treatment facility somewhere far away from general population where patients could get fresh air, rest, and experimental treatments that let's just say, would not pass modern medical standards.
[00:21:16] Speaker A: Enter Waverly Hills, a beautiful, sprawling, state of the art tuberculosis hospital built on a secluded hilltop in 1910. Because nothing screams rest and relaxation like being carted off to an isolated hospital where the survival rate was basically non existent.
[00:21:36] Speaker B: Oh yeah, Waverly Hills had everything. Scenic views, fresh air, a strict no escaping policy, and you know, a death rate that would make a horror movie jealous.
[00:21:48] Speaker A: So let's talk about how they actually treated tuberculosis back then. Because let me tell you, if you had tb, you were in for an absolutely nightmare of a time.
[00:21:58] Speaker B: Oh yeah, the cure was basically just torture with a fancy name.
[00:22:03] Speaker A: First up, we have the sunlight and fresh air treatment.
[00:22:06] Speaker B: Which sounds nice, right? Just lying outside, getting some vitamin D. Sure.
[00:22:12] Speaker A: Unless of course it's in the middle of winter and you're literally freezing to death because they wheeled you onto an open air balcony while you are already dying of a lung disease.
[00:22:22] Speaker B: Imagine lying outside wrapped in blankets, struggling to breathe while doctors are like, this is fine, the wind will cure you.
[00:22:30] Speaker A: Ah yes, the fresh air method proving 0% effective, but 100% miserable.
[00:22:37] Speaker B: Now if fresh air didn't work, which shocker it didn't, they tried surgical treatments and these are truly next level horrific.
[00:22:46] Speaker A: Oh, you mean like the good old rib removal method?
[00:22:49] Speaker B: Yep. Doctors would literally remove ribs from patients chests, thinking it would give the lungs more room to expand. And because anesthesia was just still kind of a maybe it works, maybe it doesn't situation. A lot of people felt everything.
[00:23:06] Speaker A: That's just brutal. These people were already suffering and instead of real solutions, they were put through unimaginable pain in the name of treatment. I can't even imagine what that must have been like. Just laying there hoping this nightmare would actually help them breathe.
[00:23:23] Speaker B: Oh, and let's not forget the pneumothorax therapy, where they would collapse one of your lungs on purpose, because obviously, if both lungs were failing, taking out one of them just makes sense.
[00:23:36] Speaker A: Or how about balloon therapy? They were actually inflating balloons inside of people's lungs to try to force them to work better.
[00:23:44] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Nothing says cutting edge medicine like turning people into human party decorations.
[00:23:50] Speaker A: And surprise, surprise. Most of these treatments were not successful. Thousands of people died at Waverly Hills. And with nowhere else to put the bodies, they needed a way to get rid of them without freaking the other patients out.
[00:24:04] Speaker B: Which brings us to one of the most infamous parts of Waverly Hills. The body shoot.
[00:24:09] Speaker A: This is where Waverly Hills goes from just being tragic to deeply disturbing. The body chute was an underground tunnel that stretched over 500ft down the hillside. And its entire purpose. To transport dead bodies out of the hospital without patients seeing just how many people were dying every single day.
[00:24:28] Speaker B: The fact that they had to design a tunnel specifically to transport the dead without alarming other patients, that says everything about how overwhelming the death toll really was.
[00:24:39] Speaker A: So imagine you're a patient trying to stay optimistic, thinking, maybe I'll beat this thing. Meanwhile, right below you, doctors are literally loading up a motorized cart system to transport bodies.
[00:24:53] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Or the staff would wheel the bodies through the tunnel, drop them into a hearse or ambulance waiting at the bottom, and boom. No one was the wiser. Except, you know, the ghosts that are probably still hanging out in there.
[00:25:07] Speaker A: Eventually, in 1961, science finally caught up, and tuberculosis was basically eradicated with antibiotics, which meant Waverly Hills was no longer needed. So they shut the place down.
[00:25:20] Speaker B: But Waverly wasn't done being creepy just yet, because instead of, you know, demolishing the place or turning it into a museum of medical horrors, they were like, you know what would be perfect here? A nursing home.
[00:25:33] Speaker A: Because obviously, there's nothing elderly folks love more than living in a building where tens of thousands of people died in agony.
[00:25:42] Speaker B: Shocking no one. The nursing home did not go well. There were reports of neglect, abuse, and just straight up horror before it was shut down in 1982. All right, conundrum crew. We've talked about Waverly Hills as a tuberculosis hospital and a nursing home, but what if I told you that for a brief moment in history, someone actually tried to turn it into an amusement park?
[00:26:06] Speaker A: Oh, fantastic. Because nothing says family fun like riding a roller coaster through an abandoned hospital, right?
[00:26:14] Speaker B: This all happened in the 1980s, after Waverly had shut down as a nursing home. A Developer came in with big dreams. He wanted to turn this place into a full blown family friendly amusement park.
[00:26:26] Speaker A: I have so many questions. First off, why? Who looked at this massive decaying hospital and thought, you know, it would be great to have a Ferris wheel here?
[00:26:36] Speaker B: Oh, it gets better. The plan included mini golf, carnival style games, food stands, and gift shops. But the most ambitious part, they wanted to build a roller coaster that actually ran through parts of the abandoned hospital.
[00:26:52] Speaker A: We'll be back after these messages.
This is Rob, this is Annelise, and we are your Nerd best friends.
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[00:27:52] Speaker A: I'm sorry, what? They wanted to put a high speed thrill ride inside of a place designed to treat tuberculosis patients?
[00:28:00] Speaker B: Yep. The idea was to mix history with entertainment. You'd ride through the hospital, see parts of the original building, and then come out into the amusement park.
[00:28:09] Speaker A: That is wild. Imagine standing in line for a coaster and seeing former operating room on a sign just like it's another attraction.
[00:28:18] Speaker B: Well, turns out nobody had to worry about it because the amusement park never actually opened. The developer ran out of money before construction was even finished.
[00:28:28] Speaker A: So you're telling me that this idea was so ridiculous that it fell apart before it even got off the ground?
[00:28:34] Speaker B: Pretty much. The funding ran dry and by the late 1990s and early 2000s, the project was completely abandoned.
[00:28:41] Speaker A: Honestly, probably for the best. I love the idea of a historical attraction. But an amusement park? I don't think this place is ever meant for roller coasters and carnival games.
[00:28:51] Speaker B: Agreed. But now I have to ask, if it had opened, would you have gone?
[00:28:56] Speaker A: Oh, absolutely. I would have been the first in line for the medical mystery coaster. But let's be real. I'D also be the first to say maybe this isn't the best use of this place.
[00:29:08] Speaker B: Right, and with the amusement park being scrapped, Waverly was just left sitting there. A massive, decaying building.
[00:29:16] Speaker A: Yep, and that's when Waverly Hills officially became abandoned. But not forgotten. Because from this point on, their urban legends took over. People started breaking in, Ghost stories exploded, and this place became the spot for paranormal investigations.
[00:29:33] Speaker B: And let me tell you some of those stories. They'll make your skin crawl. All right, conundrum crew, you've heard the tragic history. Now let's talk about who or what still lingers inside Waverly Hills. Because with thousands of people dying there, it's safe to say that not everyone left.
[00:29:51] Speaker A: Yeah, we're not just dealing with friendly neighborhood ghosts here. This place has shadow figures, ghost children, disembodied voices, and something that crawls on the ceiling. But apparently, Waverly Hills decided to be extra when it came to hauntings.
[00:30:08] Speaker B: And what's wild is that the activity is so consistent, so many people have reported the same things over the years. So whether you believe in ghosts or not, something is going on in this building.
[00:30:20] Speaker A: And we're about to break it all down. Let's start with one of the most infamous spots in the hospital. Room 502.
[00:30:28] Speaker B: If you've ever looked up Waverly Hills hauntings, you've probably heard of room 502. This is one of the most well known ghost stories in the building. And let's just say it's a tragic one.
[00:30:39] Speaker A: The story goes that a young nurse was found hanging in this room back in the 1920s or 30s. Some say she was pregnant out of wedlock, possibly a doctor, and she felt she had no way out.
[00:30:52] Speaker B: Others think it wasn't suicide at all, that something darker happened behind those hospital walls.
[00:30:57] Speaker A: Either way, she never left. People still hear strange noises in room 502. Disembodied voices, whispers, even phantom footsteps pacing the floor like she's still on duty.
[00:31:09] Speaker B: Visitors have reported shadowy figures in the doorway. And some say that they even see a woman standing by the window, staring out.
[00:31:17] Speaker A: And this is where it gets extra creepy. Some people say that when they step in room 502, they feel a sudden urge to jump out the window.
[00:31:26] Speaker B: Nope. That's a big nope from me. If I'm in a room and my own thoughts start betraying me, I'm outy.
[00:31:33] Speaker A: Right? If a ghost is persuading you to do these things, it's time to go.
[00:31:38] Speaker B: But let's be real. If I died at work, I'd Absolutely. Haunt my old office out of pure spite.
[00:31:44] Speaker A: Hey, your office is in here with me. Not gonna happen.
[00:31:49] Speaker B: Very true.
Oh, I would be like, oh, you thought you could replace me? Just let me knock your Mountain Dew over every single morning.
[00:31:59] Speaker A: Rude.
[00:32:01] Speaker B: All right, let's move on from tragic ghost stories to something a little bit more unnatural.
[00:32:07] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, because Waverly Hills wasn't scary enough, let's throw in something that crawls on the walls and the ceiling.
[00:32:15] Speaker B: Meet the Creeper. And no, we're not talking about the one guy who won't take a hint in your DMs. This thing is way worse.
[00:32:23] Speaker A: It's described as a shadowy humanoid figure that doesn't just walk, it crawls. People have seen it scuttling across the floor, climbing up walls, even hanging from the ceiling.
[00:32:34] Speaker B: Basically, Waverly Hills own spider man, but 100% nightmare inducing, except instead of fighting.
[00:32:42] Speaker A: Crime, it just ruins lives.
[00:32:45] Speaker B: And the weirdest part, People don't just see the creeper, they feel it. The second it appears, the air gets heavy, like the whole room is pressing down on you.
[00:32:54] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. People report feeling paralyzed with fear, like their body is screaming out for them to run, but they can't.
[00:33:01] Speaker B: And no one knows what it is. Some say it's a demon. Others think it's a negative energy manifesting into something sinister. Either way, it's not the kind of ghost you want to meet.
[00:33:13] Speaker A: You know, it's bad when even ghost hunters who literally choose to do this are like, yeah, we're not messing with that.
[00:33:20] Speaker B: All right, let's lighten the mood for a sec. Because Waverly Hills does have one ghost who's more mischievous than terrifying.
[00:33:28] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Time to talk about Timmy, the ghost boy who just wants to play.
[00:33:33] Speaker B: People say Timmy is the spirit of a young boy who died at Waverly Hills. And even in the afterlife, he just wants someone to play ball with him.
[00:33:43] Speaker A: Which is both adorable and super unsettling at the same time.
[00:33:47] Speaker B: Visitors and investigators have left balls on the floor, only to watch them move on their own. Some even claim Timmy kicks them back.
[00:33:56] Speaker A: See, I can handle a ghost kid rolling a ball. But if I hear giggling or see a shadow figure darting around a corner, I'm retiring from ghost hunting forever.
[00:34:06] Speaker B: Honestly. Fair. But some people think this could just be residual energy or maybe even a staff member pulling pranks.
[00:34:14] Speaker A: And if that's the case, I respect the level of commitment.
[00:34:18] Speaker B: Now, if you ask anyone about Waverly Hills, they'll tell you that the fourth floor is where things get serious.
[00:34:25] Speaker A: This is the most haunted level of the entire building. Even the staff didn't like going up there. They used to dare each other to walk down the hall alone.
[00:34:33] Speaker B: And the reason? Shadow people. People see full body apparitions, dark figures lurking in doorways. And worst of all, they don't just stand there. They move.
[00:34:45] Speaker A: They've been seen peeking around corners, disappearing, and then popping out somewhere else.
[00:34:50] Speaker B: Like ghostly hide and seek. Except no one wants to play.
[00:34:55] Speaker A: Finally, we have to talk about the body shoot, AKA the Death tunnel.
[00:35:00] Speaker B: Because if anywhere is going to be haunted, it's the place where thousands of bodies were wheeled out.
[00:35:06] Speaker A: Visitors report shadowy figures at the far end of the tunnel, ones that move closer the longer that you stare at them.
[00:35:13] Speaker B: And EVP recordings have picked up on voices saying things like, help me.
[00:35:19] Speaker A: See, that's when you stop asking questions and stand your ground or get the hell out.
[00:35:25] Speaker B: So is Waverly Hills the most haunted place in America? After everything we've covered? Yeah, it just might be.
[00:35:32] Speaker A: And would you ever spend the night there?
[00:35:34] Speaker B: I'll get back to you on that.
All right, we've talked about the history, the hauntings, and the ghosts that might still be clocking in at Waverly Hills. But let's get into the real proof. What happens when professional ghost hunters show up with all their fancy equipment?
[00:35:50] Speaker A: You mean the guys who roll in with the night vision cameras, digital recorders, and the bravery of somebody who's definitely not paid enough for what they're about to experience?
[00:35:59] Speaker B: Exactly. And some of the biggest names in the paranormal world have investigated Waverly Hills, including Ghost Hunters and. And Ghost Adventures.
[00:36:09] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, because if there's a place to find ghosts, this is it. And let's just say they weren't disappointed.
[00:36:16] Speaker B: The ghost Hunters team cut one of the most famous pieces of evidence. A full body shadow figure walking across the hallway. And we're not talking a wisp of smoke or a smudge on the lens. This was a clearly defined humanoid shape moving with intention, Right?
[00:36:33] Speaker A: Like this wasn't some random flicker of light. This thing steps out, stops, then moves back into the darkness like it's playing peekaboo with the investigators.
[00:36:44] Speaker B: And here's the kicker. There was nobody physically in that area at the time. No reflections, no tricks, just pure, unexplained activity.
[00:36:53] Speaker A: Then there's ghost adventurers who, let's be honest, specialize in pissing off ghosts.
[00:36:59] Speaker B: Oh, absolutely. It's like their whole brand is, hey, let's antagonize spirits and see what happens.
[00:37:05] Speaker A: Which, to be fair, works for them because they caught some wild stuff at Waverly Hills. They got EVP recordings, unexplained door slams, and at one point, Zach Baggins even claimed he felt the dark presence physically pushing on his chest.
[00:37:21] Speaker B: Yeah, that's when you start reconsidering your life choices. Like, if a ghost is actively shoving you, maybe take the hint.
[00:37:28] Speaker A: Right. But honestly, if I were a ghost and a dude rolled up screaming at me with night vision goggles, I'd probably push him, too.
[00:37:36] Speaker B: And it's not just the professionals who have had intense experiences at Waverly Hills. Visitors, tour guides, and even skeptics have walked in normal and left. Completely changed.
[00:37:48] Speaker A: Some have literally run out crying because of what they saw, heard and felt inside.
[00:37:53] Speaker B: That would be me with a Tracy size hole in the door.
[00:37:56] Speaker A: Yes, it would.
[00:37:59] Speaker B: One of the creepiest firsthand accounts I read was from a guy who went in thinking it was all just hype. He was walking through the fourth floor hallway, taking pictures, when he felt something tap him on the shoulder.
[00:38:10] Speaker A: Okay, maybe he just imagined it, like nerves messing with his senses.
[00:38:16] Speaker B: That's what he thought at first, until he turned around and saw nothing. But when he checked his camera, there was a shadowy figure standing behind him in the last photo.
[00:38:25] Speaker A: Oh, hell no. That's the kind of moment where you just drop the camera, back away slowly, and question every life choice that led you here.
[00:38:33] Speaker B: Agreed. But then there's the scratching incidents. People walking through certain areas and suddenly feeling like they've been scratched or burned.
[00:38:41] Speaker A: And not like, oops, I walked into a rusty pipe. These are fresh red marks appearing out of nowhere. Sometimes three scratches. Which ghost hunters always connect to demonic energy.
[00:38:54] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, because apparently ghosts don't tux, they just scratch in triplets.
[00:38:59] Speaker A: Classic ghost behavior. Subtle, yet terrifying.
[00:39:02] Speaker B: All right, let's put on our rational brains for a sec, because as much as we love the ghost stories, we have to ask, could any of this be explained?
[00:39:12] Speaker A: No, that's just ridiculous. Okay, some of it, sure. Drafty windows. Yeah, that could explain random cold spots. Light reflections. Maybe that's some of the shadow figures. But.
[00:39:25] Speaker B: But how do you explain doors slamming in locked rooms? Or disembodied voices responding to direct questions?
[00:39:33] Speaker A: Exactly. And here's where I struggle with skepticism. Waverly Hills has been investigated by hundreds of people over the years. If this were just shadows playing tricks, you wouldn't have so many different people catching the same activity.
[00:39:47] Speaker B: Right? Like, how do so many unrelated people describe the same ghosts in the same places with the same experiences? That's just not a coincidence. That's consistency.
[00:39:59] Speaker A: And some of these stories are coming from skeptics. People who wanted to debunk it but left it saying, yeah, I can't explain what I just saw.
[00:40:08] Speaker B: So is Waverly Hills legit haunted? Or is it just the perfect horror setting?
[00:40:13] Speaker A: I mean, look, if ghosts exist anywhere, it's here. The death count, the suffering, the energy. It's like a perfect storm for paranormal activity.
[00:40:24] Speaker B: Even if you don't believe in ghosts, Waverly Hills is undeniably creepy. The atmosphere alone is enough to mess with your head.
[00:40:32] Speaker A: So, final verdict.
[00:40:34] Speaker B: I say 100% haunted. You don't get this much activity, this much history, and this many first hand accounts and just chalk it up to all bad lighting.
[00:40:44] Speaker A: Agreed. Whether it's actual spirits, residual energy, or just a place where tragedy left its mark, Waverly Hills is the real deal.
[00:40:54] Speaker B: All right, Conundrum crew, we've explored the history, the hauntings, and the investigations. But now it's time for the big question. Would we spend the night inside Waverly Hills?
[00:41:04] Speaker A: Oh, absolutely. I'd go in, no hesitation. Give me a flashlight, a voice recorder, and I'm ready to see what's really lurking in those halls.
[00:41:13] Speaker B: Okay, well, I'm more of a maybe. But only if I have a large group of people to protect me. And a whole lot of holy water.
[00:41:22] Speaker A: Maybe, baby.
So basically you want a paranormal SWAT team and a priest on speed dial.
[00:41:30] Speaker B: Exactly. And a backup priest just in case the first one runs.
[00:41:35] Speaker A: Alright, so we've got one ghost hunting, no fear, and one ghost hunting, but only if it's a team sport with divine intervention.
[00:41:44] Speaker B: Pretty much. So, Conundrum Crew, where do you stand? Would you spend the night at Waverly Hills? And more importantly, who. Who's bringing the holy water?
[00:41:53] Speaker A: Hit us up on social media, send in your ghost stories. And remember, if something taps you on the shoulder at Waverly Hills, maybe don't.
[00:42:00] Speaker B: Turn around unless you want a really bad surprise photo in your camera roll. And speaking of you guys, have you ever been to Waverly Hills? Have you ever had a paranormal experience there?
[00:42:12] Speaker A: Or maybe you know somebody who has? We want to hear about it. Hit us up on social media or send us your stories. We might even read them on a future episode.
[00:42:22] Speaker B: You can find us on all of our usual spots. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or email
[email protected] with your Waverly Hills experiences.
[00:42:33] Speaker A: Oh, and while you're at it, vote in our poll. Would you explore Waverly Hills alone? Yes or no? Let's see how brave the Conundrum crew really is.
[00:42:42] Speaker B: All right, before we sign off, let's do a quick round of fact or fiction. I'm gonna throw out a Waverly Hills myth, and, Jeremy, you'll tell me if you think it's true or not.
[00:42:52] Speaker A: Love this. Let's go.
[00:42:53] Speaker B: All right. Fact or fiction? The tunnels under Waverly Hills were once used for secret medical experiments.
[00:43:00] Speaker A: Ooh, that sounds very horror movie esque, but I'm gonna go with fiction.
[00:43:05] Speaker B: Correct. The tunnels were actually just used for staff movement and the body shoot. Nomad scientist labs, at least none that we know of.
[00:43:15] Speaker A: Okay, what's next?
[00:43:17] Speaker B: Fact or fiction? A former patient is still seen sitting in a wheelchair on the third floor.
[00:43:22] Speaker A: That one sounds legit. Fact. Too legit to quit.
[00:43:27] Speaker B: Yep. Multiple people have claimed to see a wheelchair move on its own, sometimes even rolling into the middle of the hallway with no one touching it.
[00:43:36] Speaker A: See, that's exactly the kind of thing I want to experience. If a ghost wheelchair starts rolling towards me on its own, I need to know, is it residual energy or is it something actually pushing it? Either way, I'm sticking around to find out.
[00:43:51] Speaker B: All right, last one. Fact or fiction? Waverly Hills once had an underground morgue where bodies were stored before burial.
[00:43:59] Speaker A: I want to say fact, but I feel like this might be an exaggeration.
[00:44:03] Speaker B: So fiction, surprise, fact. Waverly did have a morgue, but it was small and only a temporary holding place before bodies were taken through the body chute. No mass burials, though.
[00:44:16] Speaker A: Still creepy. And absolutely the first place I'd want to investigate. Because if anywhere is going to have the real undeniable activity, it's the morgue.
[00:44:26] Speaker B: All right, that about wraps up our deep dive into Waverly Hills. We've covered the history, the hauntings, the investigations, and now whether or not we'd actually survive the night.
[00:44:36] Speaker A: And the answer is, I wouldn't just survive. I'd be front and center, waiting for something to happen. If there's a chance to experience the unexplained, you better believe I'm sticking around for it.
[00:44:47] Speaker B: I think experience in this place firsthand would turn you into a true believer. But, hey, if any of you out there are brave enough to visit Waverly Hills, let us know what you experienced. And if you ever hear a voice whisper, help me, just maybe don't try to help.
[00:45:05] Speaker A: Rude. Maybe?
Are you kidding? That's exactly what I want to hear. If there's a help me, evp, you better believe I'm grabbing the recorder and asking, help you with what?
[00:45:18] Speaker B: All right, conundrum crew, until next time, stay curious, stay spooky, and most importantly, stay out of abandoned hospitals.
[00:45:26] Speaker A: Unless you're looking for new ghost roommates, then by all means book a tour.
[00:45:30] Speaker B: Keep on Creeping on. We love you.
[00:45:33] Speaker A: Bye.
Thanks for hanging out with us here at Total Conundrum. Please make sure to check out our website and
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