Pennhurst Asylum Investigation

Originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic was an institution for mentally and physically disabled individuals of Southeastern Pennsylvania located in Spring City. After 79 years of controversy, it closed on December 9, 1987.

Between 1903 and 1908, the first buildings went up on 633,913 acres of Crab Hill, Spring City, Pennsylvania. Out of the first few buildings constructed was the Girl's Dining Room the Kitchen and Store Room and Cottage for Girls, the Boys' Dining Room, the Teacher's Home, and a Cottage for Boys, a School, Laundry and Sewing and the Power House.

In 1919 the Limerick and Mayflower buildings were completed and two years later in 1921 Pennhurst Hospital was opened.

The buildings were designed to provide a large number of small rooms occupied by two to three beds, a few small dormitories with eight to ten beds, and a large day room for exercise. George Lovatt was the architect for several of the buildings constructed post-1937.

The first patient admitted here was on November 23, 1908 and within four years Pennhurst was extremely overcrowded. In 1968, conditions at Pennhurst were exposed in a five-part television news report anchored by local NBC 10 correspondent Bill Baldini.

In 1930 Pershing, Buchanan, Audubon and Keystone opened. Capital Hall opened after World War II along with Devon Hall on the lower campus. Horizon Hall opened in 1971. All have been demolished in 2018 except for Horizon and Pershing.

Dr. James Conroy was just 21 years of age when he came to Pennhurst and at that time the facility housed more than 3,000 people. In 1978, records showed that the patients would get an average of about three minutes of psychiatric care per calendar year. The state only spent around $5.90 per patient as compared to zoo animals that received over $7.00 per animal.

Dr. Conroy found that patients who continually bit other patients and staff would have all their teeth pulled out to prevent future biting attacks.

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 Halderman Case, which resulted in the closure of the institution, also detailed widespread patient abuse. Pennhurst was ultimately closed by a judge’s order in 1987.

In 2008, Pennhurst was placed on the National Register of Historic Locations and within a year was also placed on the most endangered list due to lack of proper repair and maintenance.

In 2015, the Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance began working with the Southeastern Veterans' Center to obtain the superintendent's residence for a future museum and interpretive center.

By the end of 2016, some of the buildings on the upper campus have begun to be torn down by the VA.

In 2017 Daytime History Tours, photography tours, and overnight paranormal investigations became available through www.pennhurstasylum.com

The buildings included: Administration, Assembly, Audubon, Buchanan, Capital, Dairy Farm, Devon, Dietary, Director’s House, Franklin, Green House, Hershey, Horizon, Hospital, Industry, Keystone, Laundry, Limerick, Mayflower, Nobel, Penn, Pershing, Philadelphia, Power Plant, Quaker, Rockwell, Storeroom, Tinicum, Treatment Plant, Union, Vincennes, Whitman, Wilson I and Wilson II.

In March of 2020 demolition began for The Hershey, Rockwell, and Dietary buildings. All three buildings were deemed unsafe for reuse. All other buildings remain.

Address: 250 Commonwealth Dr., Spring City, PA 19475

Phone: 484-886-6080 or 855-428-6800

Owner: Richard Chakejian

Website: www.pennhurstasylum.com

Hauntings: Past investigators have captured a multitude of paranormal activity including in the Whitman Building where, upon review of their tapes, the sound of someone vomiting in the background.

Allegedly just before a televised paranormal investigation by well-known para-celebrities, a loud noise was heard coming from the second floor of the Rockwell Building. Upon investigating what could have created the sound, a large desk was apparently moved and dropped into the hallway. Fresh skid marks in the dust on the floor were evident.

Staff have seen curtains parting on the second floor of the Hershey Building which is impossible to have been caused by a real person due to the fact that there was a metal grate between the inside of the room and the curtains preventing anyone physically from moving those curtains.

There have been numerous reports of shadow figures especially in the underground tunnels, the sound of giggling and children’s voices and even full-bodied apparitions. Other things that have occurred include doors slamming, numerous EVPs, movement of physical objects, the feeling of being touched and many disembodied voices.

Our guide Brian had told us during a walk-through of hearing a loud disembodied voice telling him to “get out” while in the Philadelphia Tunnels.

There is a wooden set of doors deep within the Rockwell Tunnels where the ghost of “Charlie” has been encountered. He most often interacts with females rather than males.

Children’s voices have been heard in the Playroom in the Mayflower Building from time to time.

The Ghost Research Society visited Pennhurst Asylum on August 7, 2020 and the team members included: Mike Rosario, Kelly Griffey, Barbara Meagher, Charles Williams and Dale Kaczmarek, with help from Jason Snider, Jason Dickerson, Allyson Turner and Courtney Mendenhall from Crawford County Illinois Ghost Hunter's Society and Dean Thompson, Tim Schmuldt, Amanda Pilgreen and Melissa Johnson from Ghost Head Soup and Sylvia Shults.

Equipment setup: Members of Ghost Head Soup had set up a DVR system of cameras in the basement of Devon Hall and other locations. Most of the group used hand-held equipment and cameras during the walk-through and later when investigating the various buildings.

Some of the equipment used was Melmeters, laser grids including the GS2 laser grid, REM Epod, Tri-Field Natural EM Meter, digital recorders, Phasma Box, Ovilus X with DTD screen, ParaTek app, K-II meters, SB-11 Ghost Box and infrared camcorders along with a 4K Sony Nightshot camcorder.

Experiments performed: EVP, Ovilus X, Phasma Box and ParaTek sessions were conducted in the Mayflower Tunnels and Building, Philadelphia Tunnels, the Children’s Room in Devon Hall and the Rockwell Tunnels during the walk-through.

Personal experiences:

Kelly Griffey: On August 7^th, 2020 I attended the Pennhurst Asylum investigation in Pennsylvania with GRS and Ghost Head Soup and CCIGHS. I took pictures with my POV camera while on the tour and followed Dale (in training) after the tour. I snapped pictures throughout the tour and also performed an EVP session in the tunnels. In all my pictures I see nothing out of the ordinary. In the EVP session on both my Olympus and H2, I cannot hear much because of the echo of equipment and our own noise in the tunnels.

I decided to leave about an hour early to catch an Uber to a car rental place so I could drive myself to Gettysburg. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much luck in this haunted location, and 3 Uber drivers couldn’t find the Pennhurst Asylum parking lot. I was grateful to the Pennhurst worker who drove me in his golf cart to a crossroad outside the Pennhurst compound to wait for the 3^rd Uber driver. I was also grateful to the car rental place for holding the car for an hour past the time I was scheduled to pick up.

Barbara Meagher: Pennhurst Asylum was toured by our group including the dorms and outbuilding tunnels as well as outside on the grounds of the Asylum. Several EVP sessions were conducted but no EVPs were heard on review of the recordings.

Several photos were taken of the site but nothing paranormal was caught.

Mike Rosario: We started our initial investigation inside the Mayflower Building. We were all together as one group: GRS and Jason Snider’s CCIGHS group. Equipment used: K-II Meter, a Sony Night Shot Handy-Cam DCR-TRV13 NTSC 560 Digital-8 20X Optical Zoom Video Camcorder, an Amzdeal Tri-pod, a Green Laser Grid (nighttime investigating), a Philips Voice Recorder, iPhone8 Cellular Phone (for pictures and video), and a Police Security Elite Blackout 615 Lumen Hands-free Heavy-Duty Head Strap Flashlight. We began venturing all through the Mayflower Building around 8:30am, and then finally transitioned our investigation to the underground tunnels, which we had exclusive access to. We wrapped our investigation around twelve noon. After reviewing the video footage and audio, I found no paranormal audio or visual evidence through the course of the investigation, but it does still warrant another thorough investigation in the near future, however. It was such a wonderful historical site to see, especially since it was my very first time at this location!

Charles Williams: Our guide stated this was his 1^st walk through with a group. His explanations seemed to be long winded and rambling, and too much time was spent on this and not investigating. The buildings were in an advanced state of decay for having the facility shut down in the 80’s, I assume the buildings were already going downhill before closing. Some buildings were in rubble.

A lot of our investigation time was spent in basements or tunnels, probably due to building safety. I did not look up any history of this location, wanting to be surprised. Sylvia seemed to know a lot of the lore around the place.

Disembodied voices, shadow people, noises, and creepy feelings all over the facility.

Dale and I discussed keeping equipment to a minimum, even though I had an arsenal to use.

4k Camera with night vision, Infrared lights, Full Spectrum Camera, Zoom Recorder, Tri Field Meter.

At the Start of the trip I gave Barb my old FLIR for iPhone use.

I missed the 1^st experience in the Mayflower Basement due to finding out about Dr. Chuck Kennedy’s Medical Condition, etc. I rejoined the team for tunnel investigations, and what appeared to be juvenile unit. Here I thought I heard voices coming from down a hall, will have to see evidence.

Dale Kaczmarek: There were some interesting K-II hits in the Mayflower and Philadelphia Tunnels considering that there wasn’t any power to this and many buildings on the complex. There was a lot of set-up noise and, in the future, we need to have everything set up and ready to go before setting the actual EVP session.

I heard what sounded like voices coming from down the hallway during our first session in the Mayflower Building. Mikey went to check out the sounds and found no human causes for the noises.

One very strange event that happened to me and was also witnessed by Shults was in the Rockwell Tunnel. We were heading out of the tunnel and back to the Mayflower to begin our investigating and came across the “Charlie” doors when Shults and I both heard several loud bumps on the wooden door. Shults commented, “That was fun!” indicating that she had heard it as well. Only Shults and I with Rosario trailing behind us were anywhere near the doors at the time of the knocking sounds.

There were many intelligent responses to questions asked with the Phasma Box and the ParaTek at literally all the buildings we investigated including a possible scream that was picked up on the 4K camcorder while in the Rockwell Tunnel.

I thought that I was recording the ParaTek session down in the Philadelphia Tunnels on my 4K camcorder but apparently either it didn’t record, or I didn’t firmly depress the record button.

Evidence collected:

Adopted Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting a ParaTek session in the Philadelphia Tunnels, a question was asked, “Why are you still here?” The device responded with, “Adopted.”

Ay Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting an EVP session at Mayflower Building on the main floor, “Ay” was recorded.

Boom boom Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting an EVP session in the Mayflower Tunnels, a question was asked, “Is there anyone down here that wishes to communicate? Scream your name? Make a knock?” A few seconds later a faint double knock was heard by all coming from somewhere down the tunnel.

Do what you want Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the Children’s Room in Devon Hall, the rest of a comment was made, “…so I can see you.” The device responded with a child’s voice that sounds like it says “Do what you want.”

Don’t call my mom Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the Children’s Room of Devon Hall when the device said, “Don’t call my mom.”

Get out Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting a ParaTek session in the Philadelphia Tunnels, the device said, “Get out!” (This was the same set of tunnels where our guide Brian was also told to “get out.”)

Giggle yeah Pennhurst.MP4 – during our initial walk-through of the Mayflower Building, William’s camcorder picked up a couple of kids giggling followed by “yeah.”

Group out Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting a ParaTek session in the Philadelphia Tunnels the device said “Group”. A question was asked, “Is there a group of them or are they talking about our group?” The device then said, “Out!”

Knock on door Pennhurst.MP4 – while heading out of the Rockwell Tunnels and coming up to a set of closed-off wooden doors, Shults and I both heard a few loud knocks on the door. Shults is heard saying, “That was fun!” Rosario was a bit further back and did not hear the sounds.

Laugh Pennhurst.MP4 – while discussing our plans near the Children’s Room in Devon Hall, a weird “laugh” is heard over my conversation.

Possible scream Pennhurst.MP4 – while just leaving “Charlie’s Doors” area when the 4K camcorder picks up a faint and distant female scream.

Sallie House Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting a ParaTek session in the Philadelphia Tunnels, a question was asked, “Are you a guardian angel?” The device said, “Sallie House.”

Send her Pennhurst.MP4 – over our conversation in the Children’s Room in Devon Hall, William’s camcorder picked up, “Send her.”

Some broke Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting an EVP session in the Children’s Room in Devon Hall, a comment was made and a deep gruff male voice responded with, “Some broke.”

Thank you it’s time Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the Children’s Room of Devon Hall, a comment was made, “It’s time for your tetanus shot.” The device responded with, “Thank you. It’s time!”

That’s not nice Pennhurst.MP4 – William’s camcorder facing down the Mayflower Tunnel picked up some mumbles that might have said, “Southern/missing teeth.” The camcorder picked up what could be, “That’s not nice.” (Dale’s note: a huge dark mist or shadow which fills up the tunnel almost appears to be moving slowly towards William’s camcorder. It could be just an optical illusion.)

Voices Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting an EVP session in the Children’s Room of Devon Hall, a comment was made, “I was here earlier and gave you a piece of candy. Did you like it?” In the background, voices were clearly heard and recorded.

What oh no Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting an EVP session in the Children’s Room of Devon Hall, a high-pitched female voice says, “What? Oh no…” (Dale’s note: I’m not 100% convinced that this is paranormal. It does resemble Shults voice.)

Where’s the doctor Pennhurst.MP4 – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the Mayflower Tunnels, the device blurted out, “Where’s the doctor?’

Words spoken by the Ovilus X in dictionary mode: Mayflower Tunnels – uphold, answer, father, nose, mission, Jade Link, Mark, note, am not and core; Phasma Box – David.

Words spoken by the ParaTek: Philadelphia Tunnels – error, enter, passed, guess, trigger, feel good, insect, thank you, help, voices, fear, heaven, indicate, Sallie House, quid, adopted, get out, beer, four, one, maybe, Jayden, group and out. Children’s Room, Devon Hall – see me, hell, bet, bliss, besides, step, who, one, seven, scared, section, idiot, pulled, hair, material, gateway, abrasive, gold, own, usual, far, throw, person, able, fan, before, use, value, yourself and leather.

Words spoken by the SB-11 Ghost Box: Nothing.

Conclusions: This was an amazing place and I only wish that we had more time to explore. There were so many other locations that I would have like to investigate including the “Charlie” doors in the Rockwell Tunnels and more in the Quaker, Mayflower and Devon Buildings. Some of the other buildings were off limits due to structural defects and many more were rubble. I was able to purchase a pristine brick from the Dietary Building for $20.00.

We had scheduled a four-hour daytime Photography Tour of the property but were given more than four hours if we wished. The tour with Brian was great but ate into our time a bit and we had others waiting for us at Gettysburg; otherwise, I would have stayed longer. It would be ideal to investigate this location at night for 6-8 hours. I think only then that we could have full coverage of the buildings. I wished Williams would have brought his drone to do a videotape fly-over of the property. That would have been cool!

It is a shame that so much of the complex was in ruins and others off limits but I do believe that we were able to get into some of the most haunted buildings on the property including: Mayflower Buildings and Tunnels, Devon Hall, Philadelphia Tunnels. I only wish we could have gotten access to the Rockwell, Quaker, Whitman and Administration Buildings. These were locations were other teams had access to and acquired some great evidence. Of course, that was years ago and those buildings were probably in better shape than they are today.

I believe we got some amazing hits on the ParaTek device, especially when you begin to form sentences with the individual words produced by the device. Some examples were: “feel good,” “fear heaven,” “Sallie House” (which our team investigated last year), “get out”, “group out,” “see me,” “scared,” “pulled hair.” These words and mini-sentences were significant to where we were at when those words were produced.

I would have liked a bit more information from the guide about the names of the buildings still standing and those that are gone. Besides that, he was friendly and a nice person. We did all have face masks on during our investigations and social distanced ourselves while out doors in open air without masks. All came back safely with no covid-19 infections. I would love to travel back here again one year and do a nighttime investigation for a longer about of time.