WYOMING STATE HOSPITAL

By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Tricia_Simpson" title="User:Tricia Simpson">Tricia Simpson</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

History

Originally called the Wyoming Insane Asylum this institution was established in 1886 – 4 years before Wyoming became a State – by the Wyoming Territorial Government.

The asylum was built on 160 acres of land with the original Kirkbride Style building being constructed between 1887 and the mid-1890’s; this building burned down in 1917. Once the building was constructed money was set aside to landscape the grounds creating gardens and lawns.

In 1897 the facility changed its name to the Wyoming State Hospital for the Insane as it was thought the word asylum brought of images of restraints and a prison-like atmosphere.

In 1923 came the final name change to just Wyoming State Hospital.

As the 20th century began to reach its mid-point new treatments began to put into place like electro-shock therapy, insulin shock, psychotropic drugs and lobotomies. While these treatments are considered inhumane today it is important to note they were considered state of the art at the time and truly thought to help the patients.

After the 1950’s treatment was switched more toward outpatient programs and reintegrating the patients back into society; this was happening all over the Country. Since the 1980’s this program has been helped immensely by the improvement in psychiatric medications.

The hospital is still open today – it is the only large-scale psychiatric hospital in the State – and does have a permanent population (about 100 patients) of those unable to live in society including the criminally insane.

Unlike many of the other former asylums this facility never went through a period of abandonment so the surviving historical buildings are still in good shape.

Paranormal Activity

One of the old historical buildings has a sheet hanging over one of the upper story windows. While this is rather curious its why its there that’s truly disturbing.

There is the apparition of a young woman who hangs herself in that window so frequently that the local authorities got tried of fielding large number of calls regarding it. Understandably, most people think it is a real incident happening in real time. It is unknown who this woman was.

Other Activity (mostly reported by staff as this is an operational psychiatric facility): objects moving there own; unexplained lights appearing in places where either everything is turned off or there is no electricity running; other light anomalies; electrical disturbances; rocking chairs rocking on their own; disembodied voices; cold spots and feelings of being watched.