The San Haven State Hospital – or as it is commonly known, the San Haven Sanatorium – opened its doors in the early 20th century, initially to patients suffering from tuberculosis. Because of the very poor understanding of the disease back then, treatment was rudimentary and exceptionally unpleasant. Deaths were common, with some saying that about half of the patients left this world during their stay. Once tuberculosis was brought under control, the site was no longer needed for that purpose, but its size and intricate design, including networks of tunnels between the buildings, meant that no one wanted to let it go to waste. The solution was to transform the hospital into a home for people with developmental or learning disabilities. The San Haven Sanatorium continued to serve this purpose until it was eventually closed in 1987 after being found to be grossly inadequate in fulfilling its patients’ needs.
The San Haven Sanatorium is believed to be haunted by many people living in the area. The interesting thing about this haunting is that all of the paranormal phenomena are quite subtle.
Visitors have reported hearing all sorts of faint noises, including movements and the sounds of crying. Others have said that they have seen apparitions, but no one has been able to identify the same specific phantoms reappearing consistently. With the amount of suffering that is bound to the site, it is not surprising that the paranormal phenomena are more spread out and unfocused rather than linked to any one or small group of individuals. Nonetheless, the haunting and the curse that the San Haven Sanatorium bears is unmistakable. Not only has it attracted a lot of ghost hunters to it after its closure, but it has even left many with unshakable experiences, including one who fell to his death within the abandoned building.
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