The State Asylum

So much can be said about the Traverse City State Hospital that I’m not even sure where to start. I guess I could talk about the history (but really that can be found on Wikipedia) or I could talk about how they’ve renovated part of the hospital and turned it into shops and condos (what?), but what you can’t find via the internet is the local folklore and gossip surrounding it. I grew up hearing stories that after the buildings were abandoned “patients” would return there out of habit and live in the tunnels underneath the hospital. Hardly anyone believed it, and it was a feat of bravery if you managed to muster up the courage to break in and explore at night. I’ll admit I did partake in this illegal recklessness several times once or twice. Friends and I explored through tunnels and the flooded library, old showers, and even the clock tower. And I’ll be honest, the only time I was frightened was in Building 50 (one of the only buildings that remains un-renovated)- and strangely a building for the warden, not the patients. Something about it really struck a nerve with me and I couldn’t stay long. I was also far too frightened to venture into the children’s ward. I really wanted to take Tom before it’s completely renovated and the chance is lost forever, but we settled for taking photos together of the exterior.

If you want to see something REALLY spooky, check out the creepy baby faces in my knees. No, really. You see them, right? Now you’ll never see my knees the same way again.